INDIA. 



INDIANA. 



443 



by perjured testimony, which is notoriously 

 obtainable for a couple of rupees, and that the 

 native magistrates, unskilled in the sifting of 

 evidence and biased by race prejudice, would 

 decide in favor of the native suitors and com- 

 plainants. The effect would be to frighten 

 English capital which was needed for the de- 

 velopment of the country. The plain ground 

 was taken, when the agitation was under way, 

 that it was dangerous to abolish distinctions 

 between the conquering and the conquered 

 race. The privileged position claimed by the 

 British population with such unanimity, it was 

 agreed, was not an anomaly, since the Indian 

 laws recognized a variety of distinctions be- 

 tween the different ranks, castes, and religions 

 of the natives. 



The controversy was carried on with as 

 much warmth in England as in India. The 

 majority of the returned Indian officials op- 

 posed the Ilbert bill. British public opinion 

 was influenced by the weight of their authority, 

 and to a large extent accepted their arguments. 

 In India the demonstrations and meetings in 

 opposition to the Ilbert bill gave rise to counter- 

 demonstrations in its favor. By the natives 

 Lord Kipon was praised in extravagant terms. 

 The great majority of the English population 

 were arrayed in opposition to the Government 

 policy, while the natives of all ranks and classes 

 were unanimous in favor of the Ilbert bill and 

 the policy of which it was the index. The agi- 

 tation called forth expressions of the views and 

 wishes of the indigenous community. One of 

 their strongest desires was that the covenanted 

 civil service should be rendered more acces- 

 sible to Indians. The uncovenanted civil ser- 

 vice, embracing the offices of the lower grades, 

 is free to all natives who pass an English ex- 

 amination. The rush for Government appoint- 

 ments is so great that thousands pass through 

 the colleges and attain the degrees of bachelor 

 of arts, bachelor of law, etc., for whom there 

 are no places. Fully two thirds of the places 

 in the uncovenanted civil sen-ice are already 

 filled by natives, the rest being held by Eu- 

 ropeans and Eurasians. The Hindoos who 

 have received a European education, chiefly in 

 the hope of obtaining an official appointment, 

 are objects of contempt and derision to the 

 English, educated or uneducated. The na- 

 tives, confident of their ability to sustain any 

 intellectual test with the English, now de- 

 manded that the covenanted civil service ex- 

 aminations, which open the way to the highest 

 under the Government, should be held 

 India as well as in London ; and, in order 

 lat the Hindoos may acquire sufficient famil- 

 irity with the English language, that the maxi- 

 im age should be raised from nineteen to 

 twenty-one years. The opening of the Gove- 

 rn ted civil service to natives, the branch 

 'hich leads to the superior appointments, in 

 rhich enormous salaries are paid, was ap- 

 )roved under the conservative administration 

 )f Lord Lytton also, who declared that he 



looked forward to the time when the service 

 would be largely, if not exclusively, filled by 

 natives. The law opening the service to na- 

 tives who should prepare and pass their exami- 

 nations in England was considered, however, 

 to open the gate too widely. Lord Salisbury, 

 therefore, reduced the maxim um age from twen- 

 ty-one to nineteen years, ostensibly in order to 

 give the successful candidates time to pursue 

 their studies in the universities before entering 

 upon the service. By this regulation the na- 

 tives were almost entirely precluded from the 

 competition, though they had been more suc- 

 cessful than the English youth, and often 

 came out at the head of the list in the exami- 

 nations. 



The excitement attending the discussion of 

 the Ilbert bill was heightened by an incident 

 which added fresh fuel to the animosities of 

 race. A judge of the High Court, in deciding 

 the question of the ownership of a family idol, 

 after first consulting a number of Brahmans as 

 to the propriety of such a course, ordered the 

 object to be brought into court. A prominent 

 native, editor of one of the principal English 

 organs of the native party, characterized it as 

 an act of indignity and sacrilege. The judge 

 thereupon committed the native gentleman to 

 prison for contempt of court, and by this ac- 

 tion excited the indignation of the entire native 

 community. 



The agitation against the Ilbert bill induced 

 the Government to call for another expression 

 of views. The opinions of the officials this 

 time were opposed to the bill unless modified. 

 The heads of departments and judges were 

 about equally divided ; but of the subordinate 

 officials the great majority of the Europeans 

 were opposed to the bill, while all the natives 

 were in its favor. 



In December a compromise was arranged be- 

 tween the Government and the Anglo-Indian 

 Association, whereby only native district judges 

 should exercise jurisdiction over Europeans, 

 who should furthermore be entitled to trial 

 before a jury containing a majority of Euro- 

 peans. This right is extended to non-jury dis- 

 tricts, though the district magistrate be an 

 Englishman. 



INDIANA. State Government. The following 

 were the State officers during the year : Gov- 

 ernor, Albert G. Porter, Republican ; Lieu- 

 tenant- Governor, Thomas Hanna ; Secretary 

 of State, "William R. Myers; Treasurer, John 

 J. Cooper; Auditor, James H. Rice; Attor- 

 ney-General, Francis T. Hord ; Superintend- 

 ent of Public Instruction, John W. Holcombe. 

 Judiciary, Supreme Court : "William E. Nib- 

 lack, George V. Howk, Byron K. Elliott, 

 Allen Zollars, and "William A. "Woods, Jus- 

 tices. 



Legislative Session. The Legislature convened 

 on the 4th of January, and adjourned in the 

 early part of March. An important subject, 

 which received early attention and full dis- 

 cussion, was that of 'the constitutional amend- 



