IMMOLATED INDIA.

NZ Truth, Issue 66, 22 September 1906, Page 7

IMMOLATED INDIA.

PILLAGING THE PEOPLE. Britons Bleed the Babus. HOW THE INDIANS ARE CHEATED. American Statesman Bryan on British Injustice. There is, just now, a Bryan boom m the Democratic Party of the United States. • So powerful has this boom become that Senator Hearst, who, like Bryan, has his eye on the Presidential nomination, has thought it prudent and politic to declare that he is not a candidate for the Presidency of the Great Republic W. J. Bryan has ceased his advocacy of the free coinage of silver; bat he appears to have offended some of the most powerful of the Trusts by advocating the nationalisation of railways. Whatever offence Bryan may have given to the Trusts, it is certain that he has given considerable pleasure to the people of America by his views upon a number of subjects of world-wide interest. What he has had to say about India is of particular interest to the people of the British Empire, for they are responsible POR THE INFAMOUS TREATMENT of the people of India, just as much responsible as are the people of the United States for the cruel conduct of the United States towards the unfortunate inhabitants of Manila. This is what Bryan has to say, m a recent issue of the New York "Sun," on British rule m India: — BRITISH RULE BURDENSOME AND UNJUST. So many Americans have during the last few years spoken admiringly of England's Colonial system that I have looked forward to the visit to India with increasing interest because of the opportunity it would give me to study, at close range, a question of vital importance to our country. I have met some of the leading English ' officials, as well as a number m subordinate ■ positions ; have talked with edu- , cated Indians— Hindus, Mohammedans, and Par sees; have seen the people, rich and poor, m the cities and m the country, and have examined statistics and read speeches, reports, petitions, and other literature that does not find its way to the United States; and British rule m In- * dia is far worse, far more burdensome to the people, and far more unjust— if I understand the meaning of the word — than I had supposed. When I say this I do not bring an indictment against the English people or to assert that they are guilty of international wrongdoing. Neither do I mean to question the motives of those m authority. CHEATING THE NATIVES. After the Indian Mutiny the Queen m a Proclamation promised that natives should be freely and impartially admitted to offices, "the duties of which they might be qualified by their edncation, ability, and integrity to discharge." Lord Lytton, a Viceroy of India, m a confidential document which got into print, speaking of the pledges of the Sovereign and the Parliament of England, said:— "We all know that these claims and expectations never can or will be fulfilled. We have had to choose between prohibiting them (the natives of India) and cheating them, and we have chosen tho least straightforward course." . WORSE THAN RUSSIAN DESPOTISM. The Government of India is as arbitrary and despotic as the Government of Russia ever was, and m two respects it is worse. First, it is administered by an alien people, whereas the officials of Russia are Russians. Secondly, it drains a large part of the taxes out of the country, whereas the Russian Government spends at home the money which it collects from the people. A third disadvantage might be named, since the Tsar has already created a legislative body, whereas England continues to deny to the Indians any form of representative or constitutional government. The people of India are taxed, but they have no voice m the amount to be collect-' ed, or m the use to be made of the revenue. They pay into the Government nearly 225,000,000d01. a year, and of this nearly 100,000,000 do! is expended upon an army m which Indians cannot be officers. It is not necessary to keep such an army merely to hold the people m subjection if the Indians aro really satisfied with, English rule, and if the army is intended to keep Russia from taking India, as is sometimes claimed, why should not the British Government bear a part of the burden? Would it not be wiser so to attach the Indian people to the British Government that they would themselves RESIST ANNEXATION TO RUSSIA? The home charges, as they are called, absorb practically one-third of the entire revenues. About 100,000,000d0l goes out of India to England every year ; more than 15,000,000d0l is paid to European i officials m the civil employ. What nation i could stand such a drain without im- I poverishment ? 1 Taxation is nearly twice as heavy m India as m England, m proportion to the income of the people. Compared with the people of other countries, the Indian's incomft is on the average one-twentieth of j the average Enelish income* en**"******^- 1

of the average Spaniard's income, on** eixth cf the average Italian's income, ono* fifth of tho (European) Russian's income and one-half the income of the Turk. NATIVES EXCLUDED PROM -O FFICE* Why is there lack of intelligence among! ihe Indians? - Have they net had ike. blessings of British rule for several gen* erations? Why have they not been fifcteC for self-government. Gladstone, whose greatness of head ancb heart shed a lustre upon ail Europe, saidC "It is liberty alone which &t* men for liberty. This, proposition, ■. ljkeCV every other m politics, has its ' hounds^'but it? is far safer than- the counter .doctrine, wait tm .they are jEH-".; *„ .... r .yc-; v <¥ How long "will il; take to fit the Indians for self-government, when they ara denied the benefits of experience? They are excluded from tho higher Civil Service (ostensibly open to them) by cui_h jungly devised systems of examinations, which make it impossible for theni to» enter. AT A STANDSTILL UNDER BRITISH, RULE. The illiteracy of the Indian people is. a disgrace' to the 'proud nation which for* a century and a half has controlled their destiny. The editor of the "Indian World," a Calcutta magazine, says' in 'list February's number:— /;bM mj "If India has not yet been fil for fre^ institutions, it is certainly- not her faulL If, after one and a half centuries ofr British rule, India remains where she waa m tbe Middle Ages, what a sad commen-. tary must it be upon the civilising in-... flirances of that rule I "When the English cam© to India thia country was the leader of Asiatic drfdlis^tlon, and the undisputed centre of light m the AAl&tic world. Japan was no_ where. "Now, m. fifity yeais, Japan has fevolh* tfonised her history with the aid of -too* dern arts of progress, and India, : with 150 years of English rule, is vstaU.cOiidemned to tutelage" -:'-,__ ACCUSES ENGLAND OF "PILLAGE.',' Let no one cito India as an arg\un§nti m defence of.. Colonialism. 'On the* Ganges and the liidus the' Briton, jbi, spite* of his many noble qualities. and hiis' large* contributions to the w'^ld'fe^^vince^ejdt^ has demonstrated, as many 'ha*e2 before* man's inability to ! i_i'e*ci_M» with' 1 wisdoW and justice irresponsible ' powSr oo oven helpless people.. He hati coirferred '(ioma; benefits upon' Jiidia, but .he Jfcias a tremendous price for S_em. ,>rf I 7&. 1 While he has boasted of biqmgingipeiu:* to the living, he has led-toillions to the* peace of the grave; white; he han dwelt.' upon order established between wflxring'i troops, h» has impoveiSshe^ the jcoiiritry? by legalised pillage. Pillage is a strongs, word, but no refinement of language canr pufge tie present system 'of its iniquity.