Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 1908)
, j-- S!"W!WWP'-l-,UiJiiJJa.H.ILB'l . .ILL Mil I I x X V C V$ 51 V v-' S - , : 2. '"" ! w "'TTI"lfcl iM I HWUMll ll Mil I M i IMI I IMI.II, ! IIIBI il Ml .Mil IW I H V " ' 'V ,V' J MJ.v wttfTy ,, iiimmiiM - - - 1,. ... ' : PORTLAND, OREGON, SUNDAY , HORNING, NOVEMBER 1. 1903 V - Mm V VIM 7 Pi . lib! AW X 4 3 v nTS i i in Famine Times N JNDIA there is being enacted a tragedy such as history has seldom vAtnessed-a struggle unique in the annals of all the nations of the world. The opposite efccts of wealth and poverty have never assumed such titanesque proportions before, for with the enormous increase of wealth there has developed a corresponding degree df abject and pitiful poverty. No nation has ever presented at one time such contrasting pictures' of in exhaustible, bewildering wealth side by side with suchn extent of Itunan want, disease, distress and misery. In this country, where, the plague has reaped a harvest of ,28,000,000 deaths within 150 years, there are novo hoarded in the most miserly fashion .riches esti mated at $1,500,000,000. Year by year the plague has taken its ghastly toll. The famine of 1000 was worse than that of iSq7, that of i8g7 worse than those of i8Q2 or 1 889 or 1878. Yet each year the hoarding of gold in India and the importa tions have increased, until the absorption at present is said to equal $55,000,000 a year. ' r There are palaces surpassing any in the world for splendor, containing rooms with carpets woven of gems and furniture of silver and gold, set with diamonds, sap phires and rubies, the owners of which wear diamond mantles and cloaks hemmed with priceless stones. Yet the common wage for v p. 1 : , : Its "it 5 ASS. - men is 4 cents a dayt women and children j cents. The poor are becoming poorer, 'yet, as a French writer says, "the value of gold imported into India during a period K qf about sixty years, from 1837 to lSq8, ex ceeded by nearly four billions of francs that Of the gold exported." IVMat, then, becomes of the vast wealth of the world poured into the lap of this, mysterious and miserable nation? NE of the weakest pa,rt of the Brit ish administration in India is the failure of the Kovernment to nliat :'- the' financial eonfifpniA nt k people of that country," recently declared.-Sir Ernest Cable, a former member of the viceroy of India's cabinet and an ex-president of the Bengal Chamber of-Commerce. .. .. "It is common knowledge," he further says, "that for years past India has been absorbing gold and silver. The late Henry Dunning Macleod said in his book on tho, Indian cur rency that persons "of the highest authority esti mated ' the hoards at three hundred million pounds ($1,500,000,000) and one financial organ saya that the hoarding averages $55,000,000 yearly." . ' M To get this wealth into circulation, to put it into railroads, irrigation work, and' the de- ? velopment of ' industrial . and commercial re sources is the hardest task before the govern ment. He adds: " V , "Surely it is worth- while making an at-; - tempt to utiliieieme at least of these dormant resources for the benefit both of the people and the country at large, Tbo tcsk may be a hard jone, the difficulties may be well-nigh insuper able, but success would be fruitful of advantages both to India and the empire. -'Tor years there has been muck talk about the need forinducing the 6hy Indian capitalist to briDg out his rupees. But no practical meas ures have ever been taken, although "in the meantime our railways are being starved for want of capital, and industrial' enterprise is hav ing hampered." . From the silver bangles and coins the low-' caste women wear in, their hair to the caves of gold and gem's owned by the rajahs, this- wealtK has accumulated uselessly and has been hoarded jealously India is wuntrywitl greater riches than Were dreamed of by Aladdin in the underground rarden. v An investigation by a Frenchman,' IX Arnould J- Boscowiti.vealed amaiing conditions, 4 Speaking of these investi- v gationsa; French writer said? ' ,1 "When it is considered that the absorption of gold by India has gon on unceasingly for half a dozen centuries, some idea .can be formed of the colossal amount of the treasures. The gold does not enter into monetary circulation; it is not utilized in native goldsmith work. It is lost to industry and to the world." . f The enormous appetite of India ffr gold can best be gauged when her annual 2l5sorption' is compared to the world's output. ,It is esti mated by the director of the United States ;Mint that the world's production of ?old up to the present time is about $6,000,000,000, of which, it is said, India has absorbed nearly one-sixth. India each year is said to absorb $55,000,000 worth of gold. This is more than half as much gold as was produced in Rome, Greece. Phoe nicia and other countries of anoient history. India herself, up to the present time, has yielded from her soil gold to the -mount of $130,000, 000. At present she absorbs each year more than one-third of this' amount. ''THE" PRODUCING NATIONS .Of all countf fes," the United States , pro duced the most goldthe amount being esti mated at $3,040.000,OCO an amount' little more than twice the amount of India's miser hoard. Australia has produced $2,720,000,000, and Rus sia, with Siberia, ranking third, $1,500,000,000 an amount equaling the unused wealth' of the lanofVf'the Vedas. : - The world's production of the precious metal in 1900 was $255,000,000, and', in 1907 $410fc000,000.- In 1873' the United Statea pro duced $36,000,000, and in 1006 increased to $94,- 874,000.- . . . ; ,. ; ,'r A 2a ancient Mimes individual : property : had ' no; protection ; in India,' for rival . dans fought ever1 vast, tracts ot territorat looting . villages . and stealing all they could obtain. Ruling rajahs were also in tho habit of swooping dojvn upon the poor and depriving them of all their valuables. This led to the custom, which now prevails, of converting wealth into bangles, gems and coins and storing it away. The poor do not use the banks, yet many have silver and gold hidden away in their miserable homes, which, sometimes, when driven by the necessity of famine, they reluctantly bring out. . Rajahs have become insatiable hoarders of treasure. From Mexico for a generation they have taken a continuous stream of gold and t not only gold, but gems. Into India the steady streams pour; the rajahsy tinder the heel of 'Britain, are building up a fabu lous wealth which even appals their masters. One instance is typical. After bowing to the British yoke and receiving an annuity, the rajah of Sindhi demanded tho restoration to him of tho fortress of Gualior. A dilapi dated fortress of no importance, it was finally granted the rajah after a long and persistent appeal. Then the government learned why ho wanted it. Before the subjugation he had con cealed, in a rock forming the foundation gold coin to the amount of many millions of dollars. A TRAGIC CONTRAST To consider the wealth of 'India on one hand, the splendid palaces of the rulers, and poverty almos inconceivable to the occidental mind on the other, one is struck by the tragic side of the country's predicament. And a tragedy it is, with the most striking 6tage set tings and hideous contrasts ever presented upon the stage of a nation. In that country, where caste prevents am-1 bition or progress on the part of the people, 'there is a population of 290,000,000 and of this number 130,000,000 exist in a state of long-endured semi-starvation," fretting and aching away their lives uhtil the merciful plague ends their years of want. Poverty and filth are the chief causes of the plague, which-attacks a per son where he is weakest and the half -starved ' natives easily fall victims.. Periodically, too, the world is called upon to aid India in its struggles with devastating famine. The famines of India are proverbially severe and sweeping. One of the most' famous palaces is that of Sayaji Roo, rajah, or gaekwar, of Baroda, who visited the United States a year or,ao ago. ; The " luxury , of this marvel .of architecture ia be- ? wildering. ;Tie throne, room can accommodate' 1000; persons. So gorgeous is the palace that it -; called' Lakatimi "Vilas "abode-f . the god-,"" doss of fortune;" In this building js the fa mous, carpet of diamonds, rubies and seed pearls V. tplendidly designed fabric valued tr $4,000,-' - or er rrcwrssy rr7ir . In the audience chamber ere twelve chan- . deliers, each one big'enough to fill an ordinary' ballroom. Rare tapestries decorated with gems move listlessly a scented breezes are wafted along to the mystical sound of "astral bells." Onyxes and marbles adorn the long corridors. From all parts of the world the rajah im ports gems and objects of art; nearly each day sees an addition to his priceless collection. And like his brother rulers, none of his wealth goes into banks or commercial investments. His princely income of $6,000,000 a year is -converted largely into precious stdnes, And to see the rajah in the throne room arrayed in his crown jewels, valued at $20,000, 000. with 4he hitt light from the twelve cyclopean chandeliers pouring upon him, a glit tering, iridescent figure of majestic splendorl Imagine him wearing a' cape of diamonds, fall ing from neck to shoulders, fringed with emer alds the size of pears! And there, too, is the "Star of the South," a pendant gem that glows like electric flame, one of the biggest diamonds in the world. - ' Or see him in his "howdah" on elephant back, a thing incrusted with gems costing $1,000,000! " The gems of the rajah and his wife are valued at $40,000,000. Their thrones, foot stools, elephant trappings, umbrellas, fans are all delicately chased gold, set with gems. F.or years visitors have gazed curiously at a battery, of gold cannon in the courtyard. MELTED DOWN GOLD GUNS Recently, however, the rajah ordered these, cannon melted down. The splendid but useless pieces of armament were invariably used in all. state processions, being drawn by white . oxen covered with cloth woven of silver and capari- j soned with gold. - ' Natives, regarding them as sacred, were wont to place offerings of rice, fruits and 'flowers pon them. The guns, which were made by the order of a former gaekwar, cost $500,000. The , were made to outshine a neighboring" rajah who had a battery of silver. . . ' ; . j Many other rajahs are enormously; wealthy and own vast quantities of -rare gems, which they guard zealously as grim -famine stalks through the land, sweeping away .the miserable natives like flies perishing in a blast of cold. Uany of the Empress Eugenie's jewels have been acquired - by the maharajah of Patoiala. . "When she was in great financial distress she sent the famous Sancy diamond to India, where it was quickly purchased by the wealthy ruler. A' writer, describing his gems, has written: "Trays of great emerald rings, stepcut, ea bochon.tallowdrop, some of enormous size carved deep with Arabic inscriptions and names of for- , gotten princesses. Trays of pigeon-blood rubies ; necklaces of tiny gems that lie row after tow like serpents of living light. A jeweled litter set , with Seed pearls; a whole carpet of. pearls mar velous Jeypore enamels, the flower of the jewel- er's art; unset stones in old. boxes and cans; heaps of pearls into which one may thrust one's arm to the shoulder." , . ? CUP' OF EMERALD, A cup cut of a single emerald is owned by the maharajah pf IJlwur. ,t - " When he appeared at Queen Victoria's first jubilee ball the Maharajah Holkar wore a choga covered with emeralds and sapphires.; India! Wonderful land! "Temples covered with roofs of gold," writes Russell; "gold' chariots drawn by bullocks with gold-tipped horns and gold-shod feet;-great services of solid goldin bowls and platters, belong to every king and every temple." r : One of the most frightful famines began in the Punjab, . Rajputana, the Central Provinces and Bohibay in 1900. : During one month the government relieved 6,200,000 persons. Then the resources gave out and England came to th , relief of the sufferers - with a subscription of $2,500,000. The -United, States sent 320,003 bushels of .grain.' . ; V ,. -.r The frightful tqHof death, it is estimate I, . reached, into millions.' Only estimates for tLa . ;1 ' r 'f '.(CONTINUED OH INSIDE ThGZ) 1 '
