Little Falls herald., 1914-03-06
GREEDY FOR COLD
India a GIutton In Swallowing Up
the Yellow Metal.

lIjC SCuOW WCldts
H0ARDS 1T LIKE A MISER TOO.
Millions on Millions In Bullion ana
Golden Coins Flow Into That coun-
try Every Year, Hardly Any of Which
Returns or Is Ever Seen Again.
A steady stream of gold has been
flowing for centuries into India. One
might say streams Of gold flowing
thence, for since India produces COM
paratively little gold herself she lays
the whole world under tribute. Hardly
any Of this gold returns. 1t is as If the
earth of India had opened and swal-
lowed 1t up. The American tourist In
India who parts from SOVEREIGN or
Il five dollar gold piece may be pretty
certain 1t will go straightway out of
circulation and nevermore be seen in
the country of its minting. In one year
alone India has been known to import
over $500, 100000 in bar gold and Eng
lish sovereigns.
What has become of this vast ac-
emulation OF cleaning treasure? 10
what use is all this gold put, since In.
din has not minted gold coinage of
her own for many generations? The
puzzle becomes a bit curious when it
Is remembered that as whole the
three hundred odd millions of natives
refuse absolutely to deposit their say
ings. gold or otherwise, in banks and
will take no part financially in such
productive enterprises as railroads, ir-
! rigation works or factories.
The sharpest and most astute get
rich-quick bucket shop artist that ever
soaked gullibIe occidental public
could no more beguile the mild Hindu
to buy a share Of stock with the gilt
tering promise Of a thousand I,oint rise
in value than the government has been
able to induce him to invest in solid
guaranteed bonds.
1t has been estimated that 'the visible
boarded wealth of India in temples.
the treasure chests of princes and in
the jewelry Ut the Indian men and
women amounts to $1.SOO.OO0, ,OOO"-a
simple portable treasure that would
look like pretty respectable pile even
for our day and make the old time
buccaneers set sail for India in a
hurry. Part Of this any American
tourist can see for himself in such TOYS
rs the two gold cannon of the gack-
war of Baroda, each containing 2SO
pounds Of pure gold, and from glimpses
caught Of temple images of solid or
t!ic&ly plated gold and blazing with
Jewels. .A> Il special favor lie may be
hound treasure chests of SOME high
ness and plunge his arm to the elbow
i'm ancient gold mohurs
But this would hardly account for
the greater part OF that golden cur
rent set toward India since the begin
ming Of the record. 1t is into the earth
that current sinks, year after year for
hundreds Of them. to be forgotten or
lost trace of in the violent social up
hea gals, plaques and famines that have
swept over the country. In India man
has but to relinquish his fight against
the jungle growth for a Short space
to result in the tearing down. over
whelming and utter obliteration of all
his work. Therefore it is scarcely
fight Of imagination to picture the
black cobra nesting in some hole of
ruined temple masonry stuffed with
gold and jewels or the tiger seeking
lair in the dazzling throne room Of a
long forgotten dynasty buried tn the
jungle.
For the reason Of this curious gold
problem Of India apparently one has
not far to seek. Until the English
went to India the country was swept
repeatedly by invasions and conquests.
Each newcomer was bent chiefly on
plunder, but if he decided to remain
he set up government in which all
life and property were his sole and
uudisputed possession. The only rights
the conquered Hfndus possessed were
those he chose to grant. These con-
sisted principally In providing the con-
queror with splendid palaces. jewels.
gorgeously caparisoned elephants. dane
ing girls. host OF swashbuckling re-
tainers and costly tombs. That is Why
the American tourist IN rndfa gets a
surfeit Of palaces. temples and tornbs.
As to the people. they seem to have
come to the conclusion pretty far back
that 1t was advisable for them never
to display signs Of overmuch wealth.
The plundering soldier or tax gatherer
was always at the door. So apparent
poverty was the best shield Of defense
Besides, as hasty flight was recurrent-
~ necessary before the ravaging
armies of Tartar, Afghan and Afogul.
gold and jewels were the easfest forms
Of negotiable security to transport or
hide in the earth. In this way Delhi
was sacked and sacked again until
John Ireland. the New York Traveller,
visiting that city in the middle Of the
eighteenth century. thought Nadir
Shah must have swept It clean of
tnooau in his last 5000 000 C00 raid