OOVIU 



of wealth among the various classes are considered, I doubt very much 

 whether the bulk of the Indian population is so very badly off when 

 compared with the bulk of the English people. Dr. Dhanakoti Raju, 

 who has just returned from Europe, is of opinion that the condition 

 of the lower classes in India is really much better than that of the 

 corresponding classes in England. 



I readily admit the proJ)osition that India might be richer than it 

 is. If the cost of administration were less, home manufactures encour- 

 aged, our interests not sacrificed, as they sometimes are, to English 

 interests, and the people more energetic, more intelligent and more 

 enterprising, the country would no doubt be very much wealthier than 

 it is at present. 



With reference to the opinion commonly expressed that this coun- 

 try has been growing poorer, I can only give my general impressions 

 and what appear to me to be reasonable deductions from well-known 

 facts. I shall at first refer to the condition of the land-owning classes. 

 It is admitted that Government had formerly the greatest difficulty 

 .in collecting revenue and in inducing people to keep lands under culti- 

 vation. The reason was that prices were so low that the ryots found 

 great difficulty in realizing, by the sale of the suiplus produce of their 

 lands, money sufficient to meet the Government or Zemindar's demand. 

 The land had consequently little or no value. Now, no such difficiilty 

 is experienced ; every inch of good land is under cultivation and the 

 price of produce and land, I am informed, has quadrupled during the 

 last 30 years. The opening out of the country by means of roads, 

 railways and canals and the establishment of steamer communication 

 have brought the markets of the world within the reach of the Indian 

 ryot, and he has no difficulty in disposing of the produce of the land 

 which remain over and above bis requirements. Assuming that the 

 ryots of the present day are not more extravagant than their fathers, 

 and admitting that every year they grow more than they require for 

 their consumption, it follows that they should be richer now than they 

 were 40 years ago. Security of property is one of the inducements to 

 lay by money. When an individual or a community gets richer, there 

 is generally perceptible a rise in the standard of living, and this is 

 noticeable everywhere among the agricultural classes, but notably so 

 in the Goddvari and Kistna districts, which are' exceptionally favored. 

 An intelligent friend, who remembers the state of things 40 years ago, 

 states that, while ryots then lived in poor mud huts, had nothing better 

 than earthen pots, no jewels and no furniture, they now live in tiled 

 houses, wear better and more clothing, have a number of silver and 

 gold ornaments, and even some furniture. This, he says, is a certain 

 proof of some wealth. The staple food of the people is now rice, 

 whereas it was formerly ragi or cholum. Another sign of prosperity 

 is that the better class of ryots, instead of selling produce immediately 

 after harvest to pay Government and other demands, generally store it 

 up, and sell it when prices go up. They have credit, too, now and 

 find no difficulty in raising loans when they wish to do so. With the 

 landowners agricultural laborers have prospered. They get plenty of 

 work in the cultivating season ; and in the dry weather, repairs to, 

 and clearance of, the numerous irrigation and navigation channels in 

 these districts give them occupation. The prosperity of the agricul- 

 tural community implies also the prosperity of the trading community. 



