an Empire," is the
remark of Sir Charles Dilke. And at the base of the finance difficulty
lies the poverty of the people. It is a well known and lamentable fact
that one-fifth of the population, say sixty millions, are insufficiently
fed even in ordinary years of prosperity. They are the ever ready prey of
the first drought, distress or famine that may happen. It is a not
uncommon experience of the ryot (or farmer) to retire at night upon an
empty stomach. The average income of the common labourer in India is
between four and five rupees, or, say, $1.50 per month.

Most of this evil which the people endure is self-imposed. They reveal a
combination of blind improvidence, reckless expenditure and an
unwillingness to shake off impoverishing customs. For instance, the debt
incurring propensity of the native is akin to insanity. All the poor
people with whom I am acquainted are bound hand and foot by this terrible
mill-stone. And the interest paid upon loans is crushing. Two and three
per cent. per month is an interest commonly received. It is rare that a
poor farmer who gets into the clutches of the money lender regains his
freedom. It usually leads to the loss of all property and means of
support. Under the ancient Hindu law no money lender could recover
interest upon a loan beyond the amount of the principal which he had
advanced; under the present rule he can recover to any extent, sell the
tenant's crops and even take possession of the land under a judgment
decree. It is one of those instances where justice in law is made to
minister unrighteousness and cruelty in life. The people moreover are
given to the most extravagant expenses at marriages and funerals. It is
frequently the case that a man spends upon the marriage of his son or
daughter, the latter especially, more than a whole year's income. I know
of many who are overwhelmed by debts incurred for the marriage of their
children; and the saddest thing about it is that they have little option
in this expense; for it is prescribed by caste custom.

Add to this the rank growth of religious mendicancy, under the fostering
care of religious teaching and superstition. There are five and one-half
millions of such lazy, worthless fellows encumbering that land today. The
mass of them are sleek in body and pestilential in morals. Whenever a man
finds work too hard, he dons the yellow cloth of the religious mendicant
and becomes an immediate success. But alas for the communi