The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. FRIDAY, JULY 2, 1897, DISCONTENT IN INDIA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 152, 2 July 1897, Page 2

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo.

FRIDAY, JULY 2, 1897, DISCONTENT IN INDIA.

For ths oauao that laeka assistance, For the Tirrong that needs resistance, For the futuro in the distance, And ths soed that fro oan do.

Very probably there is a tendency at this time to attach a greater importance t» the rumours of discontent in India referred to in our cablegram last night than the actual condition of affairs there warrants. In contrast with the enthusiastic iuyalty displayed on the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee by all the colonies and dependencies of Great Britain the mutinous counsels of the Bombay native press stand out in dark relief and are calculated to give rise to a good deal of apprehension—outside of India. In India, where the character of the native press is better understood these inflammatory articles ©f the Indian journalists will not, we fancy, greatly trouble the official mind. Indeed, there is rather a danger that the administrators ot the great dependency will treat the matter too lightly. They are accustomed to

the rather reckless way in which native papers take advantage of the license allowed them to discuss political and racial questions in their columns.

The role of agitator has just as great attractions for the astute Indian of education as it 'ever had for a certain class of European journalists. The pen is such an easy offensive weapon to wield and metaphor and heroics are cheap. Besides, in India agitation against the powers that be leads to far more substantial prizes than in the West. If a clever native wishes to get elected to the Legislative Councils he has only (according to an excellent native authority) to "make a few speeches before a debating club of schoolboys, denouncing the foreign rule as a curse, painting every official European as a scoundrel and every supporter of the British rule as a vagabond." This attitude ensures his election to a municipal or local board. Here he pursues the same hostile tactics towards the British rulers, becomes a great man in his district and by clever manipulation gains the coveted seat on the Council.

The elective system has done much to increase the agitator class in India. Under the old system of nomination quite a different class of men—men of position and loyal to the British rule— came to the front. The change arose from the desire on the part of the administration to give greater powers of self-government to the natives. But it is questionable whether such accession of liberty is not likely to be misused by races which for centuries have been totally unaccustomed to it. The methods which in Europe are successful may easily prove disastrous when introduced into the East.

Some three years ago, it will be remembered, there were rumours of discontent in the Berar province. At the same time ia the northern district mango trees were found smeared with mud and hair. The smearing occasioned a great deal of comment, and in certain quarters it was regarded as a signal lor a general rising of the natives in that part of India. Later on another explanation was offered and generally accepted. It was declared that the tree smearing was a propitiatory or purifying rite, the object of which was to remove a blight that had fallen on the mango trees. One cannot say for a certainty that this comfortable solutios of the mystery was the correct one. The fact that there was no rising is not in any way a proof that a rising was not contemplated ; still, less does it prove that there was no agitation. It is not unlikely that the explanation of the tree-smearing as a religious rite was a mere excuse. The agitators of India have invariably cloaked their real intentions under a religious guise, taking advantage of British ignorance in the matter and the desire of the authorities not to give offence to the natives by interference with their religious observances. The establishment of the "Cow Protection Societies" is said by the Rajah of Bhinga to have originated in this way. According to the Rajah, the powerseeking class in India, failing to win over the native army, set up these societies, members ot which, disguised aa ascetics, perambulated the country, preaching on the protection of cows. " These men," continues this writer, "address the 'new India' on the advantages of monopolising the public service, ' the oppressive character ' of the foreign rule, and the inhumanity of the English officials; but when they come into contact with the teeming millions they exhaust their eloquence on the protection ef the cow and the Hindu temples. After the crisis has occurred, those very agitators who had secretly been fanning the flame of sedition appear on the scene as peacemakers and leaders of the people."

But while there is little doubt that these disturbances in India are mainly the work of agitators, it is undeniable that the conduct of the British officials towards the natives gives the agitators their great opportunity. We do not suppose for an instant that there is much foundation for the assertion that the present rioting in Poona was caused by the profanation of a temple or mosque by the Government officials. Nor do we think that the allegations made by the native journals against the soldiery will bear examination. If, as they assert, the soldiers had been guilty of outraging women, insulting religion, and plundering the people, we would have heard something of it before this. Military discipline in India is as strict in such matters as anywhere, and it is impossible to suppose that the authorities would covertly wink at such proceedings or remain ignorant of them. But the attitude of the ruling race, and of the martial native race, towards the bulk of the mild inhabitants of India has always been one of contempt. British civilians and soldiers alike have been guilty of extreme arrogance and thoughtlessness in their contact with the native population generally, and if they cannot actually have such crimes laid to their charge as those alleged by the native journals, they have done little we fear to win the affection and esteem of the population around them. As to the British soldiers, one is strongly tempted to believe that the epithet of " wild British bulls" applied to them is not altogether unmerited.

Our cablegrams to-night announce that the authorities in Bombay are adopting severe measures to put down the rising at Poona, which appears to have been a rather serious affair. Of course, the first step to be taken is to assert their power in restoring order. But when that has been done, it is sincerely to be hoped, and is pretty well certain to be the case, that a full inquiry will be made into the circumstances of the rising and- the parties found responsible for it summarily dealt

with. If it is proved to have been the work of the agitator alone it will act as a warning to the Government to be careful in the license they allow to those who make it their business to foment discontent and undermine the loyalty of India. On the other hand if it can,be shown that the conduct of the soldiers has, directly or indirectly, goaded the rioters to mutiny the authorities will show their wisdom in meting out to the offenders the punishment they merit.