The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-13
BURMA IN 1910
BY FRANK G. CARPENTER.

Copyright. 1910 by Frank c. Carpenter,
 anRgoon, 1910.
 BEGIN my letters on the great om-
 pire of India with the description ol ~an audience I have just had with thi
 an audience I have just had with the last of the provinces to be added to the white mans burden which John Bull is carrying in this part of the world, and t is like nothing l shall find on the Hindoo peninsula Burma and its people are of their own kind and, like the rest of the continent of Asia. they are on the eve of exchange. Sir Herbert Thirkell White has been connected with them for more than a generation and for the past four years he has been their absolute ruler He had to do with the overthrow Ing of Thiebaw. the bloodthirsty emperor, and with the annexation of Upper Burma to the British crown. He has held all sorts of positions. beginning as a young officer on the governors staff at about the time that President Grant stopped at Ransoon on his way arouid the world. During our chat today his honor re- ferred ito that visit. He tells me Grant was greatly interested In all that he saw. He believed in the future of Asia, and said that Rangoon would some day be one of the great ports of the far east. That prophecy has come true. Rangoon has steadily grown, and it now ranks with Calcutta and Bombay as one of the commercial centers of the far east.
 A Lieutenant Governor at Home
 But before I go farther let ms tell you something about the rulers of these East Indian provinces, of whom Sir Herbert Thirkell White Is one of the best. They ~t.. 4- ,1r .1rt absolute. They have more power than the Scriptures, they say unto this man, "Go.' and he goeth, and unto that Do this,'s and he doeth 1t.
 Sir Herbert White has a principality to govern and millions to rule. Burma is bigger than the whole German empire and it has a population of more than 100OO,- 000 Its people comprise a half dozen races and some of them are seni-savage. It is his business to keep all in order and to bring them under the white man civilization.
 These governors are well paid. The salary of Sir Herbert is equal to about $S3, 600 of our money, and he has in addi- ton an allowance for entertainment. He Is given a. retinue of servants and has an army at his command He lives here in the government house, which, with the buildings and grounds about 1t, goes by the name of The Camp. When asked where should present my letters l was told that I must take them to the gov ernor's camp. and the coachman drove me outside the city to the gubernatorial mansion.
 During my stay here I have paid sew eral visits to this place. The governor s house compares favorably with the pal aces, of Europe. It Is a three-story build ing of enormous rooms, 20 or 30 feet high, wide halls and the great open courts so necessary to ones comfort In these lands of the sun. It is situated In a rolling park, filled with palm trees, and Its acres of closely cut grass shine like green velvet under the rays of the Indian sun. As I dnove into the park I went by an orchid house filled with most beautiful flowers, and my way up to the mansion was bordered with bushes covered With blossoms. At the door I was met by soldiers in uniform-black-faee East h. dians in turbans and gowns. They had great knives at their sides, and as l went in it seemed to me that his honor was well guarded first registered my name in the governors book and then Bur mese, clad in bright silk, took in my card A moment later I was received by the private secretary, and after chat with him began my interview with the gov ernor.
 No Unrest in Burma
 His honor received, me In the library and our conversation lasted an hour. We talked of the present condition and pros poets of the country. and especially or the Burmans and their attitude toward Great Britain You have all heard of the great which now prevails throughout In dia. The people of Iiindustau are dis satisfied with the English and many of them would like to break away and gov ern themselves There have been assas- sinations. bomb throwings and all sorts of anarchistic demonstrations Many or the eovernm snt officials are going about in constant danger of death. and the au- thorities at London are afraid of the con seauences I asked the lieutenant gov ernor whether such state prevailed Tn his realm. TIe replied that 1t did not, saving that Burma is peaceful through out. and that it's rapid growth is an evi- dence of the quiet conditions. He says that the better class Burmans are loyal to Great Britain, and that they appre- ciate the fact that they are better or now than they had been in the days Of King Thiebaw or at any time in the past. The spoke of the But1nans as men, saving that he held them in the highest respect.
 How Burma la uOSerueu
 At my request his honor told me some thing about the government of the coun- try. The lieutenant governor is assisted py A legislative council of nine members, ,f whom four are non-officials selected from the mercantile community and na- i've chiefs. The others are chosen by the governor himself. This council aids In making the laws and it will be seen that he natives have an important part In IL. Sir Herbert tells me that many Of the highest offices are held by Burmans. ana that the under officials are usually na- tives
 Outside the council the lieutenant gov ernor has a cabinet much like that or DIT President He has secretarles ol the treasury, of public works, of railways and of irrigation He has police depart nent an educational department and commissioners of postoffices, collectors of customs and 8 superintendent of tele- graphs. Tn fact the machinery of gov ernment is much like that of any large country.
 In the Public Offices
 This citv of Rangoon is the capital or Burma. Mandalay. as you know, was the plaee where Thiebaw lived, but when the English busted him they removed the seat of rule for the whole country 10 this citv Since then big buildings nave