Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-13

Persia. Turkey. Egypt and 1sdia learned
power in Manchuria.
Today it is not to be doubted we are
confronted by an immense renaissance
of yellow and red races
oriental who are arrayed against
Revival occidental domination
The Japanese victories
have awakened everywhere in the orient
new life, and there comes to the most
lfstiess a confused echo Of the shock.
The antagonism Of races. the divergence
OF doctrines. and the conflict of interests
are increasing from day to day. Not
withstanding the peace they enjoy under
British domination. orientals complain
bitterly that they are little else than
slaves, and are worse than aliens in their
own country. They affirm that the
British have not sept the solemn prom
ises made after the revolt of 1857 That
insurrection. it is recalled, was provoked
by the bad action Of the East Indian
Company. whose agents violated the
usages and customs dear to the native.
100 late the government decided to take
over the administration and reform the
abuses.
During a half century all went well
and the British had come to believe
that recurrence of revolt was I'm
made aware that a serious nationalist
sentiment had taken deep root in the
minds of the people.
The new aspirations were manifested
first In the Indian national congress
which assembled in 1885, and every
year since then delegates have been
sent from all parts of India. who meet
to exchange and express their griefs
and their hopes. The British govern
ment. unfortunately. paid little or no
heed to these assemblies. which, never
theless were serving as beacon lights
to the natives.
Nationalists and socialists have join ed
their efforts against the hated for
eigner
L'Arya Samaj a powerful religious
association. unites its efforts to those
Of Brahmans and socialists in all mat
ters relating to foreigners. a fact
which proves that the sentiment of ma
tionalism is gaining ground It's chief
Lala Lajpat Raj. has been banished
to Burma because of his persistent
miniStration.
The troubles in Bengal were largely
due to blunder of the British Indian
government. In 1905 the
Bengal government divided Ben
rro,,h1a. gal into two parts. The
Buddhists and Brahmin-
lists, who were in the majority, found
themselves in the minority In the east
ern province. They protested. but in
vain, and the division was maintained.
1t was only too manifest that the gov
eminent desired by such division to
favor the Mussulmans of Bengal on the
familiar principle Of divide in order to
govern"
The Bengal question, however. was
destined to plague the inventor. It has
become sort of cult. in which there
are heroes who have become the
avators of Indian patriotism. There
have been vast meetings. protestations,
the boycottage of European products
the national hymn, "Bande Matarem''
Ct adore Thee 0. Ny Mother"). The
anniversary Of the day of the division
of Bengal is a day of mourning In
which the Bengalese fast from sunrise
till sunset, and in this interval men
march through the streets with arms
attached to each other by the wrists as
a sign of union, and the women break
their jewels as public evidence Of their
readiness to make sacrifices. It is
manifest thus that the spirit of union
which was deemed difficult is perhaps
possible.
1t is to be remarked that the greatest
enemies of the British domination in In
dia are the "babous," or natives who
have received European instruction in
the first schools and universities Of Eng
land.
In this connection 1t is interesting to
cite, textually, what Cotton Seeley. the
British historian. wrote thirty years ago
against the danger Of such instruction to
Indians:
There does not exist in india" wrote
Seeley, "any unity OF race, language or
religion; no sentiment OF common In
terest. Patriotism is an idea unknown in
the country, which explains the conquest
and length of our domination supported
by native troops. It will be very differ
ent If that state Of things is changed and
there shall be created an entente cordiale
in which all the elements should be con-
centrated and extended
In view of the present troubles in india
the cited opinions Of Cotton Seeley are
truly prophetic.
The British government tried an ex-
pertinent. and it has proved disastrous
failure. It hoped to form
Unsuccessful a native elite which would
r4 become a powerful auxil-
0AP0A As' larry to its administration
Of India. It succeeded only in placing on
the top of ancient caste new class of
lettered men whose heads were turned
was pretentious and vain. and which did
not wait long to turn against their pro-
fessors the instruction received. Think
ing she was working for the interests of
the colony. England in reality worked
against herself. and perhaps against In
dia and created an element Of agitation
which is now termed babOulSm
The babous returned to India, hoped to
be employed In the high state functions.
but nearly all of such posts were reserved
for Englishmen, and the inferior places
were already distributed. Thus an active
hostility was engendered.
There are Englishmen who would save
the government from committing acts OF
injustice. Sir William Gregory and Mr..
Wilfred Scawen Blunt endeavored to per-
form this patriotic service in Egypt and
Mr. Kerr Hardie would do likewise in
India.
India without doubt is scarcely ready
for autonomy. Should Great Britain, let
us suppose for a moment, decide to aban-
don her authority there, what would be
the result? India would inevitably fall
into the hands Of the lettered caste we
have mentioned. The power Of this caste,
on the authority Of the most far seeing
man who has made intricate studies of
the orientals, Mr.. Joseph Chailley, would
be deeply regretted by the native popu-
lations which would learn too late that
the English domination was an hundred
fold more endurable than that Of the let
tered class and its ancient regime OF
rajahs.
That England would ever contemplate
letting go her hold upon India must be
,s, -