TEMPERANCE IN INDIA.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7737, 7 May 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

TEMPERANCE IN INDIA.

A correspondent of the Bombay Gazette writing on the spread of temperance in the Konkan, say :— We have somewhat carefully inquired into this matter, and as far as we are able to determine, it seems to be a movement among the people, and for the people's good. Such an example has never been known to have ocoured among any people in the history of the world. The result is watched with very great interest by all classes. A few noteworthy individuals are lending a helping hand. There must be other strong incentives to this united revolt against the drinking customs of .years, besides those of inferior liquor and high price. It is very striking that so many 5»op!o are affected, and that it reaches in its effects almost every caste, and bids fair to influence almost every individual. Ton meet a poor native on the train, or along the roadside, and ask him. " Turn daru pita hair" and inrariably the answer is " Nnhin, sahib, bandobast he gaila uai," and he seems as proud of it as the little boy is of his first blue ribbon. The reason given is not always on account of the high price. He will tell you of want and suffering that he has endured. The details sometimes are very touohing, but the same as to facts as are everywhere met with, where alcoholic beverages tre freely usod. His home is very poor, but made more so through strong drink which, he finds to his en m fort he can better do without. These poor ignorant dwellers in the jungle remember their former condition most keenly. Their comforts are few under their best circumstances. Nations have risen, and in the strength of desperation have thrown off the exasperating yoke of slavery. May there not be something akin to this in this most extraordinary and interesting movement 1 It is very certain that for long years the most of theso people have been dreadfully poor and wretchedly miserable. They ate so now. Their condition could never be better while they continued to drink, becanse every day from a third to a half of their hardearned three annas, or ten pice, went to the daru vendor, and they received no adequate return. When the, Government revenue from this source alone amounts to "more than half a crore of rupees," and besides this, contractors become very wealthy and shopkeepers grow rich, owing * the excessive drinking habits of the people, the great mass of whom are very poor,' and who only receive a few annas per day as their daily wage for toil, there must be a vast amount of untold suffering and misery. Go into their village homes and jungle retreats and you will soon see the truth of the above. A more abject class of people can hardly be conceived. Whole communities have scarcely rags enough to cover their nakedness. Their bodies are little else than skin and bone. AU these years they have been taught that they could not get along without tho drink. They experienced its effects, and knew that it made them oblivious to their wretchedness, and caused them to forget their present condition. But they find their scanty earnings are insufficient to procure enough to allay their thirst. They awake, and resolve to throw off this yoke altogether. Some of them would not drink now if they could procure the liquor free. The Kuttrees of Bulsar are now examples of thrift and industry. The rattle of their looms is heard from early morn till evening. Bis mouths ago, we are told, they were miserable drunkards. To-day if a Kuttree ia seen in a toddy shop he is liable to a fine of Ks. 100, and to be thrown out of his caste. But be has comforts now that before he knew not if. Liquor and toddy shops are in their' midst, and temptation at their very doors, but the shops are almost wholly deserted ; certainly they are not frequented by any I£uttrpe. No d,oubt the dearneaa of the coveted article was the fir gt cou,ae j but \yo da no.t heliove it is the chief reason now. Some of the contractors have reduced the price to very little above cost, but it seem of no use. The people do not appear inclined to return and become again slaves of the still. The above remarks apply to most of tho people wo havo met who have joined the movement. The Doris are a numerous class. We have met them in the towns, villages, and jungles. They are poor very poor indeed. But we hope te see them arise from their poverty under their present wholesome caste restrictions agaiust stroag drink. We have never seen a more determined set of people. Their detprminatiqii seems that of (^eapcratifta. They are cultivators | they are not i\s a rule owners of soil. ' Whole villages of men, women, and cnildren gathered around us and listened attentively to words of advice and encouragement. We came to one village about noon, and a poljocman op two weye \n the fields.. The yillag* crier offered to call them \n, tut we aid not wish them to be disturbed. Be wae, however determined we should havo an audience, bo we accompanied h.im info <;he t^ick kngle io\ (fbout half a mi|o and, in v few minutes we had ' gathered round us atom §fty wood-cutters. They wejio atuongbt thp poprpst apppirnonu of humanity we erer ssw. But most of them had joined the " movement." Often and often the question occurs to us, " WiH this be permanent |" ft in no sense religious. Unspeakable good, in many inßtauoea, has already been the outcome. But will it remain? Will tho poor people maintain their position ? Are there many elements of permanency in thin movement p We fparnoj; Hnlpss U» e Government oontinuo tho heavy lifjenge am] increase ft, making it moio difficult f»r tlw poor people to procure the wretched stuff. The people have vivid recollectjons pf thejr pasf. misery, They are very sensible of tj|B inpre^sip of their prcßonc pomfort : but these alft^e liqva never bepp sufficient inducements to. restrain any peopja from indulging when oncp addjdpcl to drunlfenneas, It seems to us a very groat responsibility rests upon the heads of Government olDciuls with respect to the future well-being of this question. It certainly demands official encouragement. It is very cer- 1 <aia the movement has commenood, and

is being carried on among a people, who of all people, perhaps needed it most. Heretofore tbey have received no encouragement whatever, and apparently have needed nane. No doubt it commenced, or had its origin, among a few individuals, or it started from different sections about the same time. At the lowest estimate more than 150,000 inhabitauts of this country have bound themselves together 'to abstain from spirituous liquors. Some have made tho strongest vows, and whole castes have instituted themost stringent rules. Some h»v.e gone so far as to forbid the burning of the dead body of one who breaks liis pledge, at the usual place of burning.