Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-18
THE CRISIS IN INDIA
British Rule Secured by Con-
cessions to Natives.
IN EFFECT WITH NEW YEAR
Number of Native Councils Are
Largely Increased.
UNREST DUE TO EDUCATION
Movement for Self-Government
Similar to Uprisings in Rus
STA and Turkey.
IN EFFECT WITH NEW YEAR
UNREST DUE TO EDUCATION
BY WILLIAM r. cIRTlS.

BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.
Written for The Star aud the Chicago Record
Herald.
The British government in India has
just passed through an alarming crisis
which excited the gravest apprehensions.
and to allay the unrest Of the native
population has granted a comparatively
liberal degree OF self government which
took effect at the New Year Az de-
scribed by the viceroy in his official an
nouncements, 1.-THE concessions involve
constitutional changes Of no small mag
nitude, and the governor general in coun-
ell feels that they constitute generous
fulfillment of the gracious intention fore
Swallowed in the king-emperor' message
to intrust to the ders of the Indian
peoples greater share in legislation and
government, and he looks forward with
confidence that these extensive powers
VIII be loyalty and wisely used by them
IN association with the holders of execu-
tive authority. to promote the prosperity
ami contentment of all classes of the in
habitants of this great country
The unrest in India is due to the same
causes that have produced similar con-
dltlons in Russia. Turkey and Persia
an awakening Of the consciousness of the
population to the fact that they are not
alioWed to participate either in the franz
ing or the enforcement of the laws by
winch they are governed. This awaken
ing is caused by education, to the &C
quirement of knowledge which has en-
apIed the people to reason among them
selves concerning their rights and the
extent to which they have been deprived
or them The same is true i'm Turkey and
Persia. where educat ton has produced the
same inquiry, the same consciousness
and the same desire for government.
1t Is the inevitable result of education
and the American missionaries BY their
schools in Turkey, in Persia and in India.
nave IN a large measure been responsible
indirectly for the unrest and for the
concessions which have been made to
tranquilize the people.
The British Policy.
The policy of the British government
in India has been to perpetuate the rover
and authority of the native princes under
the supervision Of English residents" or
official advisers. who are the power be-
hind the throne. 1t has been considered
best to keep the natives in the same con-
dition in which they have been living
and to avoid all interference with their
habits. customs and particularly their re-
liglon. The terrible mutiny of 1857 was
due to British contempt for the laws of
caste and other sacred traditions of the
Brahmins. and that taught lesson
which has been impressed upon every Of
fetal in the empire that the native WAYS
are not to be interfered with This policy
is SO extreme that when Henry Phipps Of
New York, who discovered that there
were no Pasteur institutes in India al
though more than $1,000 natives die from
snake bites and similar causes. every
year. offered the sum of S5OO,O0O to es-
tablish them where they are most needed,
the British government refused to
cept the gift because of the native su-
perstition concerning snakes. Mr.. Phipps
had hint from Lcrd Curzon to turn
the money over to an association OF
benevolent and scientific men who have
no official relation.
For the same reason Lord Curzon
would not permit the native princes to
wear European garments. He insisted
that they should always appear in the
native dress. and at the courts of all
the rajahs and maharajahs the ancient
customs and ceremonies are required to
be observed. This policy is intended
spect Of the native races.
The government does a great deal for
the material advancement of the people
but very little for their education It has
expended vast sums in building railroads.
developing irrigation systems and en-
couraging manufactures but has never
established free public schools. The edu-
cation of the people is left entirely to
little or nothing in that direction, and to
the Missionaries. who do a great deal
AS a consequence. the illiteracy of the
masses is appalling. only about one. in
three hundred of the native population
being able to read write. There are
many secondary schools. Institutes and
professional schools of various kinds and
five universities supported by the raj ahs
the municipalities. local private benevo-
lence or the missionary societies in Amer
lea or England The late Mr.. Tata, a
Parsee merchant and manufacturer of
great wealth, left several millions of
dollars TO found an institution similar
to Johns Hopkins University for original
research at Bombay. But the plan
has not been carried out, for the reason
that there is no demand for such an in
stitution. There is no class of profess
sional students in the empire who could
make use Of it. but ii is believed that
sooner or later conditions will develop
which will justify the school