VI NEWSPAPER EXTRACTS NEWSPAPER EXTRACTS [The following extracts give a fair idea about the political conditions and political thought in the Presidency in the latter half of the 19th Century. They cover a wide range of political and economic subjects and have been selected from P. D. Volumes of the Reportes on the Native newspapers. The office of Reporter was created by Government in 1868 and volumes are available from that year. The material is voluminous and only a few selections have been given here. The subjects covered by these extracts include India's poverty and its causes, demand for political rights, demand for representation in parliament, demand for giving a parliament to India, military expenditure, foreign wars, revolutionary activities in foreign countries, royal visits, approach of the Russian Railway towards the Indian border welcomed, native states, etc. The impression that British Government was in those days generally taken as a " providential dispensation " will be found to be inaccurate by a perusal of this material. Some of the papers were very critical of the motives of the British Rulers and a few even asked them •' to leave this country lock stock and barrel'. After the introduction of 124 (A) (1870) and the Press curbs of 1878, newspapers, it appears, were required to exercise more restraint on their expressions. The Press had iri fact enjoyed freedom since 1835; in 1S57 for a short time restrictions were introduced and one or two Bombay papers were warned not to indulge in news of the Rebellion (1857). Editors of two papers of Surat, Swatantrata and Gujarat Mitra, were prosecuted in 1878. The important Newspapers which helped to shape political thought in "the Presidency include, Mumbai Samachar (Anglo-Gujerati, Bombay-1822), Indu Prakash (Anglo-Marathi, Bombay-1862), Dnyah Prakash (Anglo-Marathi, Poona-1874), Kiran (Marathi, Poona-1877), Arunodaya (Marathi, Thana-1866), Nibandhamala (Marathi, Poona-1874), Sarvajanik Sabha Quarterly Journal (English, Poona-1876), Kesari (Marathi) and Maratha (English, Poona-1882), Gujarat Mitra (Gujarati-1863), Swatantrata (Guje'rati, Surat-1878). Important Newspapers which were started before the office of Newspaper Reporter was created and which helped to shape Political thought were Darpan (Anglo-Marathi, Bombay-1832), Mumbai Akhbar (Marathi, Bombay-1840), Prabhakar (Anglo-Marathi, Bombay-1841). Almost all the districts in Maharashtra had papers in this period. There were for instance, Vichar Lahari (Marathi, Pobna-1852)7Pars'hu (Jamkhihdi, Marathi-1855), Dnyaii Prasarak "(Marathi, KolhapuX- 349 1853), Vartman Sangraha (Marathi, Kolhapur-1853), Jagan Mitra (Marathi, Ratnagiri-1854), Subha Suchak (Marathi, Satara-1858). Prabhakar (Bombay) seems to be the first newspaper which published letters of the famous Lokhitvadi (1844) in which he prophesied that the English will be compelled to leave this country. The editor of this paper, Bhau Mahajan, seems to be the first editor of his time who had taken to journalism as a profession in order to be able to serve the country denying himself other lucrative avenues. Regarding these newspaper comments the General Administration Report of 1877 (page 404) stated, " It is, no doubt, fault finding in that, it can scarcely surpass the Anglo-Indian Press. Almost every act of Government is loudly disapproved and cavilled at, but nothing that will stand the least thought is suggested instead. The Native Press thus necessarily carried the least possible weight in the public Administration." A few extracts have been taken from non-official sources which include extracts from Swatantrata (Surat), Dnyana Prakash (Poona), Varad Samachar (Akola, 1872), Vritta Vaibhav (1871).] GOVERNMENT POLICY OF INTEMPERANCE STRONGLY CRITICISED Extract from the Dnyan Deepak, Volume I : Nos. 1-2 of Jan-Feb. 1855, pages 7, 8, 9 of January issue and pages 27, 28 of February issue (1) "As long as the sanction of supreme authority is given to traffic in intoxicating drinks so long must agencies labour to a great extent in vain, and why ? Because our Government is also a moral enlightened agency; because to a great exent it rules its people by moral persuation, and hence its sanction to this trade goes far to nullify the various efforts now in progress to correct this evil. " But we are told our Government seek to suppress intemperance, and that for this purpose they regulate and check the traffic in intoxicating liquors by the licence-system as it is now in force. " The simple question here is : Is this traffic an evil ? If so, it should not be regulated, it ought to be not only checked but totally removed. It would not be difficult to show that this regulating, checking system by Government license is far more than counterbalanced by the evils which directly flow from it. This broad Government seal 350 has rendered respectable a dis-respectable calling. The Distiller, the Publican, the Toddy Contractor hold public odium in defiance because, they feel secure under the shield of Supreme authority." (2) "I may traverse the whole country without witnessing a single case of intoxication, but the moment I pass over the British territory I find a marked difference. Every bunder, every street of every city, every village, and even hamlet bear testimony to the better insufficiency of this so called Government check on intemperance. Distilleries, Dram-shops, Toddy houses driving a successful trade in every direction, thousands on thousands of the people especially of the working classes habitual drinkers, thousands on thousands daily— the Sabbath not excepted—crowding to those shops which claim the protection of a British Christian Government. On witnessing such scenes as these, I cannot, I confess, discover anything in the poorest, the most wretched looking of the people whose daily earnings are in most case one and a half, or two annas, regular visitors in multitudes, at the dram-shop." (3) "It is demonstrable, indeed it has been again and again demonstrated, that the traffic in intoxicating liquors in the country as sanctioned by our rulers is a great evil that is proving ruinous to millions in British India. Let it not be said that by regulating and checking this traffic our rulers are doing their utmost to promote temperance among their subjects. When the whole of this vast revenue is refused admission into the national treasury, when it iS solely applied to the reformation of the people, when it is expended in the establishment of industrial and moral institutions, then this argument might have some weight. Still the principle would be unsound, because it sanctions evil that good may follow. If I pitch my neighbour into the sea that I may exhibit my dexterity and compassion in rescuing him from a watery grave, do you give me credit either for compassion or well regulated principles ? No more do the upright and laudable measures of our rulers justify them in countenancing this great evil." (4) "The sale of intoxicating liquors under Government sanction is felt and acknowledged to be an enormous evil. Can it be lessened ? Can it be removed ? We answer, yes, and we maintain that the 351 moment our Government has the will it may with impunity exert its power to effect this desirable end. " We know our Government desires to promote the well-being of its people, and we rejoice that it has accomplished and is accomplishing so much, but this desire must increase in ardour. In many instances of reform, sacrifice is necessary,—present emolument must be relinquished. "They will cut off this occasion to intemperance, though at the expense of pecuniary loss. We do not expect them to effect a moral reformation. No human legislation can effect this ; but we may let them earnestly seek and labour to effect reformation and we have faith that reformation will be the result. " Hence we maintain that it is Legislators' imperative duty to demand the cessation of this traffic, to prohibit destination, to withdraw these licenses, to proclaim their determination to remove every occasion of stumbling, every impediment to the progress of temperance. This bears the aspect of a sweeping measure. " We maintain then that it is the imperative duty of our Indian Government to prohibit entirely traffic in intoxicating liquors." (5) " The chief question for British Reformers, for honest men is : Is this traffic a good or an evil ? Is our sanction of it right or wrong ? Every observant traveller in these parts, every impartial inauirer will unhesitatingly answer, It is an evil of vast magnitude. Hence our reforming Government should disclaim all connection with it, and avow their determination to supress it in every quarter." (6) " The use of intoxicating liquors is contrary to their religion. Not only would this measure be right course, not without consulting the wish of a single subject, but it would be a decidedly popular measure. The poor as well as the more opulent would rejoice in it. The very victims of intemperance would think the Government for its benign interference. The more intelligent subjects of British India would celebrate the cessation of this traffic—the death of this all devouring monster as a jubilee. Then would the pulpit and the press, then would education prove manifold more powerful than at present. This obstacle removed, they would produce their legitimate effect. 352 " We earnestly and respectfully invite the whole Native Community as well as all Europeans and Americans to persevere in urging our Government to adopt this salutary measure." " DEADLY NATIONAL REBELLION " COMMENTS OF THE BOMBAY TIMES, 15TH JANUARY 1859 " If you chose to turn your eyes to the truth and call it, as some of your high civil officials in 1857 called it, a mere Military mutiny, the blame of keeping up a large Sepoy Army with an absurdly small number of European soldiers in the country, with the Empire daily extending, lies at the door of the Court of Directors.