The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-02-29
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which will affect s2OOOOOO human beings and
an area as large as that Of France or Germany.
The province OF Bengal which was partitioued
by Lord Curzon In 1905, against the violent
protest OF its people and which has been tho
headquarters OF the sedtIon 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, viii 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 a chief commissioner as was the case
prior to 1905. Lastly the province Of Bengal
Is TO be raised TO the rank OF n presidency
latter the example Of Madras and Bombay
with governor from England appointed by the
king
II is hardly an exaggcratIon to say that
no 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 conflict OF opinion. The
natonallsts regard It as a victory for their
cause. They consider that the modification OF
the partition OF Benga-whch the English au.
thorites have repeatedly declared would never
be altered--s 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 10 hold it,
On the other hand the dispatches which passed
between Smla and London. which have now
been made public. contain an array OF practical
arguments in favor of the change which sue.
cessfully dsposes OF any theory that the gov
eminent was driven to the measure as the re-
suit OF seditous agitation. In less troublous
times the move would seem justified on plain
administrative grounds. As It is It must be
considered as bold experiment. which is ad.
mlrable in theory but which in practice can
only be justified by success
Curiously enough It's frs; effect has been
precisely the opposite OF what was expect.
ed 1t was thought that the Mohammedans
would hail with Joy the establishment Of
tho central government in the ancient cap
ital of the Moghul cmperors On the con.
trary, they have been the first to denounce
the arrangement, declaring with true In
dian perverslty that sentimental considera-
tions mean nothing to them In comparison
with the loss of their political power In the
abolition of the province OF Eastern Bengal.
II ia not the Mohammedans, but their ances.
trail foes the Rajputs who welcome the es.
Establishment Of the capital within easy reach
of their territory. The Bengalis, too who
were expected to resent the loss of prestige
TO NAlCutld lINOlNtu III tHe lIdHSleI, nave ut-
clared that they are more than compensated
by the wished.for union Of the Bengali peo.
pie. The Hndus in Eastern Bengal have been
lighting bonires Tor month past in Celebra-
ton OF the event So far can be ascertain.
ed tho inhabitants OF the newly created prov
ince OF Behar and Orssa are 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 on
able 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 ad.
minlstrative 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-
ideally dead while It will undo all the good
work which has been started In the backward