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from alienating the means of subsistence of the junior mem- 

 bers of his family including his own sons, while parental 

 control is, to some extent, preserved by the liability of the 

 sons to pay the debts of the father except in certain contin- 

 gencies ; and as regards self-acquired property, the acquirer 

 can do what he likes with it. In making the above remarks, 

 I have assumed that the preservation of these large estates, 

 which are found scattered in the midst of a vast multitude of 

 peasant properties, is a desirable object. I do not propose to 

 discuss the much vexed question whether the system of land- 

 holding in large estates or in peasant properties is the more 

 conducive to the general prosperity of the country. Each 

 system has its special advantages and disadvantages, and 

 as Dr. Walker in his book on Land and its Rent points out, 

 the most wholesome of national and economical organiza- 

 tions is perhaps that which admits of an admixture of large, 

 medium sized and small properties, those of medium size pre- 

 dominating. It is true that the Zemindars as a body have as 

 yet done nothing to assume their proper position as leaders of 

 social and industrial movements ; but in fairness to them, it 

 must also be remembered that to a great extent circum- 

 stances have been against them. They were most of them in 

 possession of unrestrained power in the beginning of the 

 century, and the necessities of orderly and civilized govern- 

 ment in the then existing state of the country required that 

 they should be deprived of all power and influence and rele- 

 gated to the position of landholders. The conditions also 

 of farming in this country, so dissimilar to those which 

 existed in England in the latter half of the last century, 

 were not such as to render high cultivation profitable. 

 Brought up in the old traditions, with no sphere of public 

 usefulness open to them to develop their better qualities or 

 enlarge their minds, they have hitherto, with some notable 

 exceptions, formed an idle and dissipated class. Recently, 

 however, a change has become perceptible. Several of them 

 are being educated, and the proceedings of the Landholders' 

 Association recently organized distinctly show that they are 

 beginning to realize their duties and responsibilities and to 

 feel that if they do not rise to the requirements of the pre- 

 sent regime, they will lose all social influence and importance 

 and be doomed finally to disappear. With the great increase 

 in population and expansion of an export trade, the necessity 

 for better methods of cultivation, such as those which only 

 rich landlords have it in their power to adopt, will become 

 greater and greater, and a sphere of usefulness will be opened 

 out to them in this direction as well as in the management 



