136 Iloii' to Pay for iJic W'nr 



above all adopt their systems for draining, cultivating, 

 irrigating and manuring their lands, so that the districts 

 under their control can do as well, and perhaps even 

 better than the model centres which they have set up as 

 their ideal. 



All this, you will be told, will need money, and a great 

 deal of it. Well, has not India as a nation got sufficient 

 wealth to invest in sucli an undertaking. Will not the 

 capitalists, even the Government itself, have excellent 

 security for any advances made since land well cultivated 

 and looked after is of greater value than neglected areas. 

 We are told that it is very difficult, almost impossible to 

 wean the native from his land, if so that should render the 

 task the easier for achievement. All we have to remember 

 is that the land is not there to be wasted, and if the ryot 

 wishes to keep his property and not have it taken over by 

 the State, until some heir more capable than himself can 

 inherit it, he must bestir himself and prove himself worthy 

 to own the land, in the same way as the ruling princes 

 and the highest officials have to prove themselves worthy 

 to carry out the tasks and occupy the high positions they 

 enjoy. Such men, if they make mistakes ask for no 

 mercy, but recognizing their errors resign their positions. 

 If this is the case with the highest in the land, since all 

 are equal in the eye of the law and of practical politics, 

 why should not an idle, stupid, or self-willed land owner, 

 who cannot or will not mend his ways, have his land 

 taken from him to be utilized by others for the good of 

 the general community, and handed back when the next 

 heir to the property is able to prove himself worthy to 

 inherit it. 



Having discussed the possible future of the optical (and 

 also in the same way of diamond and gem cutting and 

 polishing) industries for India as well as the development 

 of her present sugar industry, I would like to call attention 

 to the following, written in March, igio, just after the 

 first excitement of the rubber boom was over. 



Armchair critics and wiseacres, I urged, may say what 

 they like, and may wag their warning fingers as vigorously 

 as they please at the millions now being poured into the 

 Tropics to plant rubber, and develop estates already laid 

 down, but this broadening of the basis of the nation's 

 investments is the very best thing that could happen at 

 the present critical state of our trade to stimulate and 

 increase the commerce of the Empire. Pessimists on 

 both sides of the House of Commons are complaining, 



