31
V
BEVE-RIDGE ON THE WAR 'IN THE CRIENT
HIS VIEW OF AFFAIRS, BASED ON PERSONAL
INVESTIGATION IN MANCHURIA
THE SUNDAY 0REG02SIAN,. PORTLAND, FEBRUAEY 14, 1904.
WASHINGTON, D. a, Feb. 9.
(Special correspondence of the
Sunday Oregonian) The success
ful nan of this new ctentury is he who
has not only the ability to do things but
tho foresight to prepare lor them; to
know a great opportunity and seise It, to
fight his battles with his eyes to the front
looking far Into the future. That Is the
kind of man Senator Beverldge of Indiana
Is. Endowed with the genius of success
he has acquired the capacity for hard
work, and his tussle with fortune has
made him conservative. At the same
time he Is enthusiastic. His veins are
full of young blood and he Is wide awake.
How much' awake you will see when you
consider who be Is and what he has done
Blnce 1829.
Senator Beverldge was born on a farm,
end he had to hustle for his existence. At
12 he was a plowboy at U he worked on
a railroad, at IS he was a logger and
teamster and at the same time bo went
to school. He managed somehow to get
en education, graduated at the leading
college of Indiana, and then studied law
under dear old Joe .McDonald, the famous
Indiana United States Senator and poli
tician. He had been admitted to the bar,
and had made a local reputation as a
lawyer and orator at the age of 36, when
he was elected to the United States Sen
ate. Beverldge's Opportunity.
All this was good, but not extraordi
nary. So far, many other poor boys had
done as welL Beverldge's opportunity
came at The time of his election. At that
came time there were 89 other men mem
bers of the United States Senate. Every
one of them panted for a National repu
tation more than the hart panteth after
tho water brook; but only this baby Sen
ator, this farm boy, railroad worker, log
ging camp laborer In the wilds of Indiana,
caw the opportunity and seized It.
Wo had just taken possession of tho
Philippines, and It was evident that they
were the question of the future. Henry
Cabot Lodge sat down and studied Inter
national law on the subject; George Fris
fcie Hoar waddled over to the Congress
ional Library and investigated the ethnol
ogy of the Malay races and their ability
for self-government; dear old Senator Al
lison kneeled down on the' top rail of the
fence and prayed the Lord to let him
know how to Jump, and John C. Spooncr
looked up constitutional' arguments for
his great speeches of the future.
And what did Beverldge do?
Ho alone of all tho Senators saw that
the beat way to handle a great problem
is to first learn what the problem Is. He
realized that knowledge Is power and took
the first steamer for Manila. He went out
with our army and saw conditions as they
were. Then he crossed to China and
learned something of that country, stopped
awhile in Japan, and came home bet
ter posted on Eastern matters than al
most any other public man of the United
States.
As he landed he was met by newspaper
reporters, and other reporters asked for
his opinions In city after city as he
crossed the continent. He treated all po
litely, but, like Brer Rabbit, laid lor and
paid nothing. Then he came to "Washing
ton and, not heeding the advice of the old
AN ABLE
: 3
(Following: Is an address by "William II. Gal
vanl, recently delivered before the Oregon So
ciety for the Emancipation of India, from Caste
I UCH as has been written on the sub
ject of caste. It nevertheless Is one of
those Items In human affairs which
are involved in some obscurities and diffi
culties. Hence, should this effort to give
you an outline of this Institution prove In
adequate, as it undoubtedly will, pray,
bear In mind that this Is not the only
human affair the solution of which is so
full of all sorts of fine intricacies, for it
certainly is the same with a people as It
Is with the Individual no one fully under
stands 'another. This much, however,
might bo said here In all frankness: In
tho treatment of this subject an earnest
endeavor has been made to avoid those In
fluences which are a constant source of
error and vexation In the consideration of
human affairs. I refer to the theological
and political bias a standpoint from
which "a man may seo how the world
goes, with no eyes."
With this brief Introduction let us turn
to, our subject, and we shall do well by J
beginning first with a definition of tho !
term. Briefly dofined, caste Is an estab
lished arrangement, originally by Intimi
dation or actual force, whereby, lira given
geographical or political subdivision of the
human race, the same functions, the same
powers, and the same privileges, become
hereditary in tho same families. There
fore, the Idea of hereditary right is, in
herent to the idea of caste, and where
there Is no inheritance thore is no caste,
but corporation. As such, thlssort of
an arrangement was established and
maintained by those who themselves re
ceived the highest benefits out of It.
This leads me to the origin of this re
markable institution, which is probably
the most important item in this matter,
and it is precisely In this one item that
there Is so much difficulty, owing to the
prevailing disagreement among those who
have treated the subject. This disagree
ment in turn is due, directly, to Its very
remote and prehistoric origin, and. Indi
rectly, to the theological or political bias.
Now, by dispensing with some fanciful
notions concerning the remote past of the
ancestors of the human race, and also
with the ever-present to 60 many Individ
uals Interests of church and state God
and the Government and by looking into
this matter from a purely human stand
point, we shall come very near to solving
this problem. In fact, by such method
only is this to be attained, and from a
rational standpoint, which Is after all
the most reliable way of solving any
problem. To It let us turn.
Source of Caste System.
From the definition of the word caste, it
is sufficiently clear that it is a fixed
arrangement whereby tho same rank,
condition, and power, is transmitted from
father to son. In the rise of a tendency
in that particular direction, there Is noth
ing supernatural, nor Indeed accidental
It is but a manifestation of care for off
eprfng, which is characteristic of the
wholo animal, or. t ma. nr
world; it is an inseparable part, or fea-
uT' struggle for existence, in
which every organized entity seeks to
perpetuate itself in Its own species. In
deed, no matter what one's actual con
dition in life may be, next to holding on
to what one has. cornea tha offrirt- nt k
taining possession of at least some of the
tnmgs wnicn rightfully belong to others
and. In Cue time, to transmit all of one's
acquisitions to his offspring. This desire
for the acquisition of worldly goods and
advantages, has, from the remotest time,
as It does even In our own days, led to
various forms of aggression on the part
of the stronger Individual or family upon
tho weaker. Often this sort of aggres
Blon "was exercised by a number of close
ly united families upon their immediate
neighbors. A successful Invasion of that
kind gave the Invaders, in addition to
what they already had. the possessions of
f tfiir neighbors, who, by their unsueccss-
fogies who counseled him as a young Sen-'
ator to utter no words In the chamber
for the first two years, he arose, and his
great speech on the Philippines went
ringing around the country.
A National Character.
That speech gave Beverldge a National
reputation and put him at the front as
one of the leading thinkers on interna
tional policies. Since then no one has at
tempted to keep him-quiet. He does not
speak often, but when he opens his mouth
the Senate and the nation prick up their
ears.
Senator Beverldge has not only gained
the attention of the Senate, but also its
confidence. Unspoiled by his success, he
went to work, and he has since put In
more hours than most of the Senators In
studying the great matters which come
before that body. He has gained the re
spect and -friendship of the older mem
bers, and Is today one of the few men
who are doing things' in our National
house of lords. He is becoming noted for
his conservatism, and Is, I am told, one
of the most conservative counselors of
the strenuous young men in the "White
House.
Japan and Russia.
I say this by way of Introduction to an
Interview on the situation in the Far East
which I have had with Senator Beverldge
today. The Senator has supplemented his
trip to the Philippines by others to China,
Japan, Siberia and Russia. He has met
the leading statesmen of all these coun
tries, and has actually studied the Man
chuiian question on the ground. The in
terview took place In the Senator's apart
ments in the Portland flats, on Thomas
circle. My first question was:
"What are the Russians and Japanese
squabbling about?"
"They are not squabbling," replied Sen
ator Beverldge. "The matter Is a serious
one to both parties, and, I might say, of
almost national life or death to one of
them. We can hardly appreciate what
this struggle means to the Japanese. They
regard it as the salvation or ruin of their
country. The Russians look upon It as
the keystone of their future. They regard
Manchuria as the door to their vast pos
sessions In Siberia and to their prospec
tively greater ones In China as well."
"Give me in a nutshell the story of the
trouble. Senator," said L
"It is a matter of history," was the
reply. "Japan fought Its war with China.
It licked China, and as one of the terms
of peace It was granted Port Arthur,
Tallenwan Bay and a large strip of Man
churia. The Ink was hardly dry upon that
cession before the triple alliance of
France, Germany and Russia sent word
to the Mikado that it would be a standing
menace to the peace of the world for
Japan to occupy that territory, and they
asked him to give. Manchuria back to
China. The request was made In polite
language, but there were armies behind It,
and the Mikado dared not refuse. He gave
It back, although the Japanese people
stormed, denouncing Russia as the cause
of the trouble.
How Russia Took Manchuria.
"Well, a few months after that the Ger
mans demanded of China the cession of
Klachow Bay and a railroad and other
rights In the province of Shantung. Their
request was granted and Russia there
upon demanded the cession of Port Ar-
-REVIEW OF THE CASTE SCJSTEM
ful resistance, would also forfeit their
personal freedom, and thus the new for
mation would Jlrie up on a basis -of con
querors and conquered, the former en
deavoring in every way to assert, main
tain and transmit to their children their
Increased, by conquest, possessions, in
cluding tho spirit of haughty superiority,
while any manifestation of resistance on
the part of tho conquered would be met
with the usual result of victory being
found again and again on the side of
the stronger battalions. Thus the con
querors and the conquered became the
first original castes, and. as such, we
find them In the oldest civilizations the
world over; their extension, in one form
or In another, has been, and, in a measure
is universal.
Historic Origin.
- Nothing proves this more clearly than
the fact that In the oldest civilization
known to us. the civilization of ancient
India, which, by the way, is our chief
concern in this matter, the actual term
used in Manu's Code for caste is Varna,
moaning In Sanskrit, color, that is. In
India, color was the established line of
demarkatlon between the white conquer
or of the North, the Aryas the noble
and the dark-skinned native of the South,
tho Dasyuo, whose subjugation by the
former was finally accomplished after a
long period of struggle. This division
into Aryas and non-Aryas. or B-aysus,
is the earliest social division, not
only In Vedlc times, but In times long
anterior to the Vedas, and their names
and the story of their struggles we find
frequently mentioned in the poetry of
contemporary bards. Thus we see that
the instinct of self-preservation the
struggle for existence first gave rise to
what may Justly bo designated as the
primary source of the caste "system,
wherein the weaker individual, family,
tribe or race was subjugated by the
stronger, and thus reduced to a lower so
cial condition, or- caste, while the
stronger, by holding and maintaining its
advantageous position of supremacy, be
came the dominant, or higher, caste. To
this struggle for existence is due the fact
that originally, and everywhere, we find
only two castes the conquerors and the
conquered, or freeman and slaves. But
since the struggle for existence begins
with the Individual and not with the tribe
or race, it therefore disposes absolutely
of ethnological grounds, as a primary
source of the caste system. It is only
after civilization has made some ad
vances, and man has grown more cun
ning, when communes, or tribes, have be
come established facts, that ethnological
considerations, or differences of race and
color, become convenient pretexts for in
vasion and conquest. Just as religion be
came a convenient pretext In the dark
ages for persecution and the stake, in
order to enable a rapacious priesthood,
through its tribunal of the Inquisition, to
enrich Itself by confiscation of the be
longings of Its victims.
Further Subdivision In the System.
Let us now briefly outline the develop
ment of the other two castes the priestly
and the professional and we shall have
the caste system, such as we have it in
India in our own day. With the advance
of civilization, and following closely the
successful establishment of the supremacy
of the conquering, or warrior, caste, a
tenuency to subdivision In the ranks of
the higher caste or priestly and profes
sional lines would soon manifest itself. It
is immaterial as far as the subject before
us is concerned, as to which of these two
classes would be first In evidence. Nor is
it necessary for our purpose to enter here
into a detailed investigation as to the
origin of the sacerdotal order among the
different and conflicting systems of relig
ious belief. It is, however, sufficient to
say that' from the earliest advent of the
priesthood In the capacity of mediators
between God and man, the office of priest
combined with it that of prophet and
medicine man. As such, he was under
certain circumstances constantly appealed
to by both freeman and slave. For not
only was he ever prepared with advice
on matters pertaining to the affairs of
this world, but he also claimed to have It
In his power to cast out devils and to
thur for 25 years and the right to ex
tend her railroad through Manchuria to
the Yellow Sea. This was also granted,
and Japan saw the territory she had
fought so hard for, and which she had
been compelled to give up, handed over
to the Russians, who had been the chief
actors in the compulsion.
"The Japanese were angry and almost
ready to fight then, but the Russians said
they only wanted a place for their rail
road, and they promised to evacuate
Manchuria within a certain time.
"The Japanese assented to this and
waited. The time came and went, and
the Russians remained. They gave ex
cuses for remaining, but they are there
today.
"They are not only there, but have been
heal the sick, to intercede before the
throne of the Most High in times of
famine, plague and pestilence, and In
times of war, to invoke the Lord of Hosts
with hymns, prayers and sacrifices,
whereby his people might secure a com
plete victory over their enemies on the
field of battle. The priest thus "became j
priest, sacrlflc'er, prophet and medicine
man, whose Intercession before the Deity
In behalf of any one was considered more
efficacious, or of more import, than one's
own. As such, he became the sole rep
resentative of "things pertaining unto
God," and hence acquired, for a time at,
least, an Influence and power over the
destinies of human kind such as has
never been attained by the most ambi
tious conquerors. To maintain and con
stantly enlarge such powers and Influence,
In the very nature of things, became their
chief aim, Preferring their own position
to that of the conquering, or warrior
caste, which also included the royalty,
they conceived the idea of establishing
their actual supremacy. This led to a long
and bitter struggle, as we learn from
post Vedlc literature, especially the
Mahabharata and the Puranas. with the
final result of a triumphant priesthood.
No Authority for Caste In the Veda.
The fact that the violent struggles of
the priesthood for supremacy are first
mentioned In Post Vedlc literature Is In
Itself good evidence that they had no
authority for ruch claims from the Veda;
nor. Indeed, is there anything In the
Veda to sanction their arrogant preten
sions for divine honors, or that of the
degradation of others to so appalling a
state of servitude as that of the Sudras.
And be It remembered that the Veda,
called Sruti. or revelation, is the supreme
authority In all matters of faith, all
other sources of law and tradition, , ac
cording io ine constant declarations oi
tho Brahmans themselves, being subordi
nate to and overruled by the Veda.
Furthermore, the only reference in the
Rig Veda, x:S0, to the four castes does
In no sense whatever convey anything in
the nature of a deification of the priest
hood, and a degradation of the Sudras. An
examination of the Purusha hymn, where
in this one reference Is to be found, will
soon convince any one that there Is
nothing therein to Justify the priestly In
terpretations. Purusha Is simply the great
embodied spirit, from whom proceeded
all that Is. has been, or ever shall be, in
the universe This one great spirit is
supposed to take a body and then allow
himself to be sacrificed, and the text
reads as follows: "When they divided
Purusha, into how many parts did they
distribute him? What was his mouth?
What were his- arms? What were his
thighs and his feet? The Brahman was
his mouth; the Rajanya (or Kshattriya)
became his arms; the Vaisya was his
thighs, and the Sudra sprang from his
feet." Tnis is all there Is to the Vedic
reference to the caste system. However,
from the time the Brahmans and the
Ksbattriyas priestcraft and kingcraft-
have come to a final settlement of their
differences, a system of legislative enact
ments, supported by priestly commen
tarles on religious usages, was inaugur
ated, riveting forever the chains of caste
slavery on the people, "a system the most
awful that ever proceeded from the genius
of priestcraft, fertile In cunning and
profitable in scheming." Heretofore it was
possible for some to be promoted or de
graded, "to superior or inferior caste, ac
cording to the Individual deserts, for even
the servile class, the Eudra, was not a
lower specimen of humanity, but only re
duced to a lower social position by caste
rules, which Is proven from a passage in
Manns Code forbidding the twice-born.
or tne nigner caste, association with a
Sudra, "even if he were a King." that
Is a native sovereign. But with the
Brahmanlc period all this has changed.
The Professional Caste.
In the meantime, the gradual progress
of civilization led to the organization of a
new caste, a professional caste, or, in
economic language, a caste of individuals
engaged In actual productlon and distri
bution a very important Item for the
priestly and military combine as a prac
tical source of permanent revenue. To
SENATOR HEYERIDGE, OF INDIANA. j
, - - - A
pushing their outposts farther and.ffar
ther down toward Corea, and Japan Is
afraid that they will cross the Talu and
go down the Corean Peninsula to ihe'bots
torn, where their guns might be mounted
within cannot-shot of the JapaneseEm-
Pire. , .
"Does that mean that the Russians.
want Corea?" "l i '1
"So the Japanese think," repliedjSenar
tor Beverldge. "Corea is a wedge-spllt
ung .eastern oiocna irom aouuiern auia
churia. It has better harbors than Ma
churla, and If the Russians couldicxtett
their railroad into it their landing, wont
be farther south. If they do not'takeutj'and families with them
tney tear tne Japanese wm, ancLtit&rs
the Japanese in Corea might be a.mena'eV
to Russian progress toward tne acquisi--
this caste priestcraft and kingcraft." was; flfisi a -violation of the caste rules, from
generous enough by giving them ththlrdsarllest period of 'Brahmanlsm to this
rank." and considering" them as -jSlBshJvVery "ay' been considered most ob-"
of the original caste of freemen; ftr.itectfonable. "Hence, no violation of any-
Aryas, though Ihferlor In statlonjftoiHhosi
oi tne ' isranmans ana vsnattnyas, . ana
hence, as such, they were not allowed to'Eedness and endless misery. In fact, somo
intermarry with either of the higher two
Ttr .1 t T V. .... I
castes. We find thus in the Brahmanlc
period the lines of demarkatlon, between
the four castes completely and Irrevocably
established, and put In operation. This
naa uuaii ucuujjijjiisjicu uuuui mo ju
1000-1200 B. a by imposing uponInaia the
ranmanicai textoooK, mown as tne
Laws of r!anu, containing the wholo code
of religious laws, and, among other.mat-131'
ters, the terrible doctrine by TVhich an
everlasting and Insurmountable ba:
was placed between tho four castes,
doctrine, which, with the Interdiction ofi
roreign travel, nas plunged a great na-t
tlon into an everlasting sleep by the-cun-nlng
of ecclesiastical despotism, support
ed by its twin brother, the military brig
ands. Such, in brief. Is the story of a
most terrible despotism, maintained by all
the terrors of temporal and spiritual pen
alties, "a despotism which, not content '
with subjugating the body, tyrannized
over the prostrate faculties of an en
slaved mind."
Tyranny of the Caste System.
It is scarcely necessary to point out here
the bllghtening effects of such a system
when once firmly established This barbar
ous attempt to chain down the nobler
faculties of man has been the chief hin
drance to all progress civil, political and
social, since all must preserve forever
their respective stations, even to tho ex
tent of each one being bound to follow the
occupation of his father. Genius has thus
been crushed, and the laudable desire
for an honorable advancement In life ex
tinguished. Man's desires and aspirations
were thus lulled Into an everlasting stu
por with no ray of hope from any quar
ter. Terrible as it is to contemplate the
condition of a people thus chained down
to the prescribed duties of such a system.
It is by far more so to contemplate the
Indescribable position of those numerous
victims, who, for violation of caste regula
tions, including the children of mixed
marriages, find themselves beyond the
rim of their outer circles and who be
come known under the general name of
outcasts, or Pariahs. For these victims
of Hindu caste slavery there Is no longer
nationality, tribe, clan, caste, pr family,
nor has mother earth a place of shelter
or repose for any such offenders, unless
It be to take to the hills of the robber
bands, which Is nowhere a very safe or
desirable enterprise. But it Is impossible
to enter Into any further details exhibit
ing man's Inhumanity to man, as we And
it in the actual condition of this fifth
caste, or rather, outcasts the subject Is
altogether too revolting.
Sacred Writings Proclaim Equality.
I trust you will forgive me for having
devoted so much space to the origin of
the caste system, since the subject de
mands at least something of a systematic
presentation, in order to establish the
fact that the caste system in India Is
not a part of the religion of the Veda.
In this great fact Is to be found the hope
for the final redemption of the adherents
to Hinduism from their unmerited wretch
edness. As it has been stated to you al
ready, the Veda Is the sole and supreme
authority Ih all matters pertaining to
Hinduism, but in these writings there Is
absolutely nothing to sanction such a sys
tem, not even in the latest literary pro
ductions of the Vedlc age. The Mahab
harata, In sections 1S&-1S9, proclaims
"there Is no distinction of caste the whole
world Is formed of Brahma." The Bha-
gavat iTirana, too, expresses tne same
sentiment in the declaration that "there
was formerly only one Veda, one God,
and one caste." Furthermore, there are
numerous Instances even In the priestly
manuals of custom of unions between
men and women of all degrees of social
Importance. These are not only between
men of rank and women of lower social
grade, but also between men of a lower
and women of a higher position, which.
tlon of the rest of Asia, which many of
the Czar's people believe to be their des
tiny." "Would the Japanese be satisfied if the
Russians gave up Corea to them?"
"I think so," replied Senator Beverldge.
."They would for a time, at least, ol-A
though this struggle was bound to come
sooner or later. Both nations need terri
tory, .and the Japanese especially so.
Both nations hope to control the trade
of -Eastern Asia, and each is Jealous and
afraid of the other. If they could com
bine and become allies as to the future
of China they might have peace, but that
Is not probable." -'
Manchuria and the Japanese.
"Tell me something about Manchuria,
Senator. What would the Japanese have
done with it had the triple alliance let
them stay?"
"They would have made a second Japan
north of the yellow Sea," replied Senator
Beverldge. "The whole country would
have been speedily colonized by Japanese
immigrants, and Japan would have prob
ably made it a basis for the acquisition
of other parts of North China. Japan is
not a large country. Without Formosa
it Is not as big as California. Neverthe
less, it has more than half as many neo-
ple as the whole United States, and lt3
population is rapidly increasing. Man
churia would have Insured the possession
of Corea, and would have been also a
base for a closer alliance with China."
"But Is the country worth fighting
about. Senator?" I asked.
"Both the Russians and the Japanese
think so," replied Senator Beverldge.
"Almost any nation would think so. Man
churia is an empire In itself. Dou you
know how big it Is? Jt has grain growing
territory enough to feed the whole of
Japan's forty millions, and It Is so rich
In coal and Iron that the Japanese would
have made it a beehive of factories. The
country Is as big as France and Germany
combined. It Is twice as big as New
York, rew Jersey, Pennsylvania and New
England combined, and quite as .rich in
natural resources. Its value cannot be
estimated."
The Ruslan Peril.
"But, about tho Russians, Senator; they
certainly have enough land?"
"Have they?" replied Senator Beverldge.
"It would seem so, but many Russians
count time by centuries, not by days.
Their empire Is not fitted to support a
great population, but still they now have
enough room and to spare. They are al
ways figuring upon the future. They have
a population now of 140.000,000, or more
than one-twelfth of all the people In the
world. They are growing by the natural
process of reproduction at the rate of
'"3.000.000 a year. Without taking Into
consideration the Increase by geometrical
;000 Russians, and In GO years there will
'be 300.000,000. Indeed, the Czar will need
more than Manchuria to house them."
Colonies in Manchuria.
"What are the Russians doing there,
Senator? Are they really colonizing tho
country?"
-' "They are settling along the line of tho
railroad," replied Senator Beverldge.
Many of the soldiers bring their wives
the railroad la
borers come to stay, and the result is
long that road in the wilds of the Far
JOF I7NDIA
ellglous law would be committed by com
pletely disregarding this system of wretch-
fctew- very successrui attempts m tnat
FTOfHrin flftVA Vicon maila of I I ffnrnrtt yi
di
rection have been made at different peri
ods in the history of India. One of these
successful attemepts is known the world
over under thft general and comprehen
sive name of Buddhism.
i
yBuddhlsm, India's Great Reformation
r ft w about fa Q
fc. , , J ...
Sakyamnnl. or tho Buddha, was
born at Kapllavastu. in the Lumbinl
Gardens. To this Hermit of Sakya be
longs the glory of having established in
India the first Universal Brotherhood, or
Sangha. Gotama himself. It Is quite defi
nitely known, was a Hindu of Hindus,
a royal prince, but he turned beggar that
he might preach to beggars the law of
grace for all, the Great Dharma, or the
gospel of deliverance from th& evils of
.this world, leading to tho eternal bliss of
Nirvana. He was, therefore, the first In
India to proclaim that true enlighten
ment tho knowledge of the higher path
leading to salntshlp was not conflned
to the Brahmans, but open to all membsrs
of all castes. And be It remembered that
Buddhism is no hierarchy or theological
repository, nor a priestly order claiming
to bo mediators between God and man.
heaven and earth. It Is simply a brother
hood, founded upon charity and a feeling
of tenderness not only for man. but for
every living creature. As such it opened
Its arms to all comers of all ranks, and
hence It was called the fraternity of the
four quarters of the globe. The admis
sion ceremony Into this brotherhood was
extremely simple, and. If numerical
strength Is any sign of success, Buddhism
with Its hundreds of millions throughout
India, China and Japan, as a great up
rising against caste slavery, has achieved
triumphant victory, and, what Is-more.
a bloodless vlctoryi being absolutely inno
cent of all crime against man or beast.
No Caste Among the Sikhs.
A more recent example is that of Nanak,
the great reformer, born at Lahore, Pun-
Jab, about 435 years ago. His chief aim,
as that of many less successful reformers
before or after him, was that of delivering
Hinduism from Its Incubus of caste and
the many evils of superstition. Indeed,
numerous smaller sects all over that land
have found the secret of their success In
their absolute disregard of the caste sys
tem. And right here let us say that much
as we may condemn the social arrange
ment prevailing In India, It must be admit
ted that the average Hindu mind exhibits
a spirit of toleration In religious matters
which Is far above anything that was
ever exhibited by the European sectarians.
Even the very outcast, If he be of a
religious turn of mind, may become the
founder of a new sect, without any hin
drance or persecution from any one,
and be revered as a saint. To
Nanak the source of India's misfor
tunes was entirely In the disunion caused
by established caste system, and hence he
at once proclaimed complete social equal
ity among the Sikhs, or disciples, a name
by which his followers became known and
aro as to this day. Originally a religious
sect, the Sikhs have grown Into a nation
of some millions, inhabiting Punjab. The
social equality among them has inspired
them with hope, and not only emancipated
them from the tyranny and terrorism of
caste, but led them to victories over their
old enemy. Mohammedan rule. For years
they have even defied the power of Eng
land, though now they are among the
most loyal and bravest of trcops Great
Britain has In the Asiatic continent. Their
religious tenets do not concern U3, though
any religious system that Is founded upon
the great principle of equality of oppor
tunity is certainly as good as any other.
and much better than some systems with
greater pretensions.
But we must hasten to the closing para
graphs, Indicating briefly such measures
as may seem best for the relief of India
from the wretched plight of her caste sys
tem. After having fairly examined the
East. I remember stopping at towns on
my way south which had all the Im
provements of modern civilization. There
were good stores, comfortable houses and
first-class restaurants with French cooks.
The bands played in the parks on Sun
day, and all this. In striking contrast with
the mud houses and filthy streets of tho
Chinese towns adjoining them. The Rus
sians are building a commercial port on
Tallenwan Bay. and their cities along
the Trans-Siberian road are rapidly grow
ing. Indeed, there are towns along that
road which have better department stores
than Washington City."
The Czar's. Manchurlan Army.
"How many troops have the Russians
In Manchuria?"
"Only the Russians know," replied Sen
ator Beverldge. "The soldiers have been
brought in in small parties, but they are
everywhere. It was estimated there wero
CO.000 In 1900. When I traveled over the
Chinese Eastern Railroad, in 1901 I was
told by a high military authority that
the soldiers numbered 150.000. and they
may have 200.000 or even 300,000 there to
day. With the new railroads thousands
more can. be rushed in. As you know.
every man in Russia is a soldier, and
the Czar's available army numbers mil
lions.
"At the same time the Japanese trooDs
are thoroughly well organized. There are
no better soldiers anywhere and no braver.
On the one side the Japanese are fighting
ror their homes and on the other the
Russians ore fighting at the orders of
their father, the Czar, and at the same
time in the belief that it Is their duty to
carry the cross into China and thus
Christianize the Far East. That la a point
that Is not generally considered, but I am
told the Russians believe that it Is their
destiny to spread their religion over all
Asia."
Uncle Sam's Policy.
"In the trouble between Japan and Rus
sla, what should be the policy of the
United States?"
"It should be that of a friendly neutral
ity," replied the Senator. "We are In the
happy condition of being the closest friend
of each nation. The Russians have a sen
timental as well as a real friendship for
us, and so have the Japanese. Russia was
our friend at the time of the Revolution.
It aided us during the Civil War. and It
sold Alaska to us In preference to any
other nation. In return we have done
many thlng3 to cement this friendship,
and especially so during the famine of a
few years ago. The Russians are ap
preciative, and today, notwithstanding the
efforts of other nations to make the
United States Russia's enemy, we are its
strongest friend.
"It Is the same with Japan. Commodore
Perry, one of our naval officers, opened
up that country to modern civilisation.
and since then we have always been fair
and liberal In our dealings with It. In our
diplomatic negotiations we have asked
less than other nations and given more.
The result la that Japan regards the
United States as her friend, and If the
fight between her and Russia Is carried
to a finish we shall be In a position to
take advantage of the situation then.
whatever it may be. If any nation is to
receive anything from such a settlement
we at least shall not be left out."
Ito and Wltte.
"You have met both Count Ito, of Japan,
and Sarglus Wltte, of Russia, the greatest
SOURCE, DEVELOPMENT AND MOST EFFECTIVE MEANS
OF ABOLISHING IT, BY WILLIAM H. GALVANI
different, views on the subject, and by
some of thebest authorities, it would seem
clear enough that any interference on tho
part of foreigners within the dominions
of India wjll be strenuously - resented by
the natives as an unwarranted interfer
ence. Foreigners, however, might Justly,
when . occasion presents itself, decline to
recognize the caste-leagues as a part of
the religious system In the Indian Em
pire, and entirely ignore It In institutions
established and maintained on revenues
raised by the state. In this respect It Is
but Just to admit that England has done
a wonderful work In her Indian Empire,
but she has learned that whatever change
IS Introduced Into that ancient land must
be gradual and not violent. And, indeed,
as a general rule, there Is nowhere in the
world a more just, considerate, conscien
tious, painstaking public official than the
the average Englishman. And nowhere In
the world, even In this 20th century, can
any one find such men In the colonial serv
ice of any government as those in the In
dian service since the days of the old East
India Company. Men like Lord Cllve, War
ren Hastings, Charles Wllklns, Sir Will
iam Jones, Sir Henry Thomas Colebrooke
and many others of like character, bear
mo.st eloquent testimony to the character
of British rule In India. But we must
bear In mind that this old system Is not
only upheld by the higher castes, but,
strange as It may seem, the very lowest,
the Sudras, themselves, are the most ten
acious and unwilling to submit to any
Infringement on their own caste rules,
and they are the more . particu
lar in enforcing them. Indeed, no one Is
ashamed of his caste, and tho Pariah Is
as proud and as anxious to preserve his
own caste as the highest Brahman. Here
in Is the greatest difficulty that confronts
one In any effort looking toward the
emancipation of India from this form of
slavery, though it Is certainly encouraging
to realize that at the present there Is at
last some relaxation In the old-time
tyranny of the system, and also some pos
sibility of readmlsslon after violation of
any of its rules, especially against travel
In foreign countries.
Remedy, and Concluding Remarks.
Nevertheless, this great evil appeals
very strongly to the nobler feelings of hu
mankind, and, after a due consideration
of the matter, It would seem that the most
effective, as well as the most practical,
way of going about It is certainly along
the lines proposed by Soaml Ram, namely,
to enable as many young Hindus of the
higher castes as possible to obtain here
a post-graduate course in our educational
Institutions, for this reform must begin
from the higher caste. This, of course, is
not so much for the learning and pro
ficiency that might be acquired here by
them, for they have in India some excel
lent Institutions of learning under British
management, but for the few years of life
under the spirit of our free institutions,
after which let them return to their homes,
and It will not take so very long before we
shall hear of their mighty work of re
demption, of India from the terrible blight
that has smitten that land. They alone.
with whatever help they may receive from
the better representatives of the white
race among them, would thus become the
torchbearera of a new civilization In 'In
dia, of the common path, whereby every
one, under- the benign spirit of true lib
erty, will be enabled to follow his nat
ural Inclinations In accordance with his
reasoning faculties, the only light we have
on matters pertaining to this world and
to all other worlds to come. But, howso
ever slow the progress of this work may
appear to you, pray, do not forget that.
unbearable as Is this particular difficulty
under which the Hindu people are doomed
to social slavery, evils of similar Import,
though not necessarily of like character,
may also be found among people with
greater pretensions. Hence whatever we
may do in their interest should be done
not in a spirit of interference in the af
fairs of others, but in the true spirit of
charity and mutual assistance. Essential
ly the -Hindu people will quite favorably
compare with any in the world, and, as
for the spirit of toleration throughout al
most the whole of their long and eventful
history, they furnish us with one of the
men . of the two nations, Senator Bever
ldge? Tell me about them."
"Physically they are as far apart as
the poles," replied Senator Beverldge.
"Count Ito Is dark, short and stocky. Mr.
Wltte Is rosy cheeked, tall, but broad
shouldered. Both men are very great and
vry quiet.' I should say that Ito Is per
haps the greatest Asiatic now living, and
I think ono might say that Wltte Is the
greatest Slav. Ito Is the creator of mod
ern Japan. He wrote the constitution,
and he has been the adviser of the Mikado
since It was enacted. He is cool, cal
culating, conservative and perfectly fear
less. At the same time he is as simple
as a. child.
"Serglus Wltte la also simple. Ia fact.
all really great men are unostentatious.
It Is only the little fellow In a big place
who puts on airs. Mr. Wltte makes you
at home and talks to you In a low, quiet
way. which Is very Impressive. You can
not help seeing that he Is great, nor feel
ing so when you realize what he has done.
He started life as a railroad clerk at
Odessa and rose to be manager of the
railroads of that part of the country. Ho
was taken to St. Petersburg and given
charge of the railroads of the empire and
then made Minister of Finance and the
right hand of the Czar. It Is largely flue
to him that the Trans-Siberian road was
built so quickly. He has put the empire
on a sound financial basis, and he is today
the power behind the throne as to most
matters In the Far East. He is a broad
gauge man. He sees the whole world as
It changes from day to day. and he knows
how to take advantage of every change
for the good of Russia."
Russia's Money Bag.
"Speaking of Russia's financial condi
tion, Senator Eeverldge. The empire la
heavily in debt. In the fight with Japan
will the Czar have enough for his need?"
"When war comes money usually comes
also," said Senator Beverldge. "It may
cost more, but It comes. Russia Is a land
of vast material resources, which It would
take many mortgages to blanket, and Its
government ha3 the power of raising
money without asking a Congress or the
people to ratify its act.
"Take the matter of the liquor busi
ness, which is now altogether in the hands
of 'the government. Serglus Wltte saw the
enormous profits of the Russian rumsel
lers. and he sent out word that after a
certain time the government would make
and sell all the intoxicants used In the
country. That time came, and today every
drop of vodka or brandy consumed In Rus
sia comes from the government stores.
The business Is so handled that there la
less drunkenness and better liquor; and
at the same time the profits are enor
mous. During 1903 they amounted to
more than the total expenses of the army
and navy, or to a sum equal to about one
fourth of all It costs to run our govern
ment for a year. I do not say this Is
right. I merely give the results.
"There la now talk of taking over the
tea business In the same way. The Rus
sians are the greatest tea drinkers on
earth, not excepting the Chinese, and the
revenue from the sale of tea would speed
' Hy wipe out any debt which might arise
from a war with Japan."
"Just one word more, Senator; how Is
your new book, entitled 'The Russian Ad
vance, selling?"
"The first publication Is about exhaust
ed." replied the Senator, "and I am re
vising some few things for -the second edi
tion." FRANK G. CARPENTER.
(Copyright, 1B04.)
rarest examples in the- annals of civiliza
tion. Their religious conquest, weao al
ways honorable, always by appeal to the
reasoning faculties of man, and not "with
blood on their hands and Scripture on
their lips." Somo of their rites and cere
monies may look like strange supersti
tions to us, though ourselves are not al
together free from similar absurdities.
And as to their conception of the Deity,
permit me to quoto -on this subject
the words of Arthur Llllle: "The God of
the West Is outside humanity; the God of
tho East Is sought in the human breast."
As to the character of their sacred writ
ings, the same-author, who has "been a
patient student of everything pertaining
to tho religion of India, Jn another work
of his, expresses the belief that "the old
Indian books are destined, at no distant
date, to breathe life once more Into tho
dead theologies of Europe." And as to tho
real merits of their scheme of salvation.
It Is only necessary to state here that it
Is universally recognized that, whatever
difference there may exist between tho
various sects of Hinduism, they all agree
on salvation by works, and totally reject
any form of salvation by faith. Such a
religious system, evolved at a time when
all of Europe were but a band of be
daubed savages, offering bloody sacrifico
and practicing infanticide without re
morse, speaks for itself. One thing, how
ever, we must not forget, and that is that
submission to the inevitable is the xhema
of all religious systems.
To Save Sponge FIsher'3 Lives.
Philadelphia Record.
Experiments are being made at La Gou
Iette, Tunis, with a new submarine ves
sel. Invented by Abbe Raoul, tho Vicar
General of Carthage, to be used in
spongeflshlng. The vessel is made of
steel, and resembles In shape a huge por
poise. The entrance to the central cham
ber Is hermetically closed by a heavy lid,
fastened with screws, and. the occupants
survey their surroundings through port
holes. A long spear terminating In a
grappling hook, worked from the Interior
of the submarine, seizes the sponge and
deposits it in a net at the side of the ves
sel. The craft is propelled by electricity
furnished by accumulators through a ca
ble attached to a vessel on the surface,
with which It Is in constant communica
tion by means of a telephone. Tho ves
sel Is lighted by electricity, and a lamp
hanging In the bow lights up the sur
roundings while the spongeflsher is be
neath the water. Three men may easily
descend in the vessel at the same time.
The object of the vessel Is to reduce tha
great mortality among spongeflshers.
Walt Till It Freezes.
John Dledrich Spreckels, the son of
Claus Spreckels, Is the proprietor of a
San Francisco newspaper. To an editor
one day Mr. Spreckels was talking about
persistence, and In the course of his re
marks he said: "My father Is a great be
liever in persistence In patience. Once
when I was a boy I abandoned In despalr
some childish task that I had undertaken
and my father reproved me for it. 'Per
sistence will do anything,' he said.
There's nothing you can't accomplish
with patience. And then he smiled slight
ly and added: Tou could even carry water
In a sieve If you would have the patience
to wait long enough.' 'How long would I
have to wait? I said. 'Till it froze,' my
father answered."
Words of Wisdom From Georgia.
Atlanta Constitution.
Tou will never get on the sunny side
by waiting for the world to turn round
Ice sometimes gets short in this world
and there's no hope of Ice in tho next
one.
There Is any quantity of gold in the
land, but mighty few folks wait to pull off
their coats and dig for it.
The New Year resolution Is responsible
for more backsliders than all the churches
In the country can save.
There are lots of folks that keep their
New Tear resolutions, but they're all In
the dime museums, and it costs cash to
see 'em.