INDIAN FAMINES - Institute for Social and Economic Change

lU
A FEW GENERAL CRITICISft/S.
and non-official opinion, and thus offers Government
the opportunity of "seeing theirsels as
ithers see them j" and this press is by no means
in the habit of withholding the sharpest criticism
when it believes the action of Government
to call for it.
The press in India-I allude to the leading
papers-must not be judged by the press at
home: it is a curious medium-a rnuitum in
parvo, a panacea for all Indian evils. It has
the very best means of obtaining the necessary
information on all points where criticism is
required; it is more or less inspired, but in
an indirect way. It cannot boast the graphic
descriptions that diversify the columns of some
of our London papers. It is also much more
sparing of leading articles, there being in India
a sad dearth of subjects for discussion. Those,
however, with which it does favour the public
are generally to the point, though it is to be
regretted that editors should chiefly confine
their leading articles to Indian topics. One
consequence of the paucity of leading articles is
the increased space afforded to correspondence.
Full advantage is taken of the opportunities