River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-02-29
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which will affect 50 100000 human beings and
an area as large that of France or Germany
The province of Bengal, which was partitioned
by Lord Curzon in 1905, against the violent
protest of it's people, and which has been the
headquarters of the sedition in India ever
since, is to be reunited The great divisions
of Behar, Chota Nagpur and Orissa, which now
belong to Bengal although their populations
are distinct in race and language, will be de-
tached from Bengal and form new province,
under the control of lieutenant governor and
council. Assam Is to be separately admins
tered by chief commissioner, as was the case
prior to 1905 Lastly, the province of Bengal
is to be raised to the rank of a presidency
CATER the example of Madras and Bombay
with governor from England appointed by the
king.
1t is hardly an exaggeration to say that
10 such sweeping administrative change as
this has taken place since the British crown
took over the government Of the country from
the East India company at the close of the mu-
tiny in 1858. AS to the motives which prompt
ed the move there is a conflict Of opinion. The
nationalists regard it as a victory for their
cause. They consider that the modification of
the partition of Bengal-which the English au-
thorities have repeatedly declared would never
be altered-is a confession of weakness on the
part of the government, and some of the lead
ers of the unrest are bold enough to say that
the government transferred the capitol to Delhi
because Calcutta had got too hot to hold it.
On the other hand, the dispatches which passed
between Simla and London, which have now
been made public, contain an array of practical
arguments in favor of the change which
cessfully disposes of any theory that the gov
eminent was driven to the measure the re-
suit of sedtious agitation In less troublous
times the move would seem justified on plain
administrative grounds AS it is, 1t must be
considered as bold experiment, which is adj
mirable in theory, but which in practice can
only be justified by success.
Curiously enough, it's first effect has been
precisely the opposite of what was expect
ed. 1t was thought that the Mohammedans
would hail with joy the establishment of
the central government in the ancient cap
ital of the Moghul emperors. On the con-
trary they have been the first to denounce
the arrangement, declaring with true In
dian perversity that sentimental considera-
tons mean nothing to them in comparison
with the loss Of their political power in the
abolition of the province of Eastern Bengal.
1t is not the Mohammedans, but their ances-
trail foes, the Rajputs, who welcome the es-
tablishment of the capital within easy reach
of their territory. The Bengalis, too, who
were expected to resent the loss of prestige
to Calcutta involved in the transfer, have de-
clared that they are more than compensated
by the wished-for union of the Bengal peo-
pie. The Hindus in Eastern Bengal have been
lighting bonfres for a month past in celebra-
ton of the event. So far as can be ascertain
ed the inhabitants Of the newly created prov
ince of Behar and Orissa pleased at their
release from Bengal domination. Bombay, the
Punjab and the United Provinces are sensible
of the advantages that will accrue to them for
geographical reasons The rest of India is in
different.
Delhi Is regarded by the government as
better place for capital than Calcutta, be-
cause of it's historic traditions, central To-
cation, and better climate, which will en-
aOle the viceroy and his staff to reside
there for all but four months of the year. On
the other hand, it Is more removed from the
commercial interests and active life of modern
India Europeans in Calcutta have not hest
tated in declaring that it will be little better
than "Simla of the Plains" The rearrange-
ment of the provinces will make for greater adj
mnistrative efficiency though that again is
criticized on the ground that the modification
of the partition of Bengal is useless con-
cession to an agitation that was already prac-
tically dead while it will undo all the good
work which has been started in the backward