Rensselaer Union, Volume 10, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 January 1878 — Debts in India. [ARTICLE]

Debts in India.

The Kowray family, patels of Parnez, were of high consideration in the country. Twelve years ago the head of the family borrowed 200 rupees. He paid 336 rupees, was sued for the balance, 385 rupees, and the family estate, about 80 acres, sold, and he now works as a laborer. Balaji borrowed 8 rupees and repaid 15 rupees. The creditor obtained a decree of 60,rupees and sold in execution twelve bullocks and eighty acres of land, buying the property in himself. Shirpatl borrowed a maund of grain (worth at famine prices 4 rupees) and returned it. Was dunned for interest and compelled to pass a bond for 15 rupees, bearing interest. Again dunned, paid 10 rupees in cash and gave a fresh bond for 25 rupees. Then labored for the creditor to the amount of 20 rupees, but was sued on the last bond, and his house and garden sold in execution for 6 rupees. Ruoji fifteen years ago borrowed 60 rupees. At different times has given to the sauker 100 rupees in cash, grain worth 225 rupees, four bullocks, one horse, and has mortgaged three fields with possession. A decree for 60 rupees has since been obtained, and is not yet satisfied, and the sauker holds other bonds not yet sued on. Eleven years ago Anadji gave a bond for 25 rupees for a balance of shop account, and has Since had a few necessaries, but no cash Has given the sauker one field, eight Lmllocks anjifopr qoiys-.. . Has executed 350 rupees, and is now said to owe 500 rupees. Rnmji went security for Luximon for 8 rupees, the price of clothes bought by the latter, who paid 3 rupee's and then left the village. The sauker coming* down on Ramji,' he was obliged, three years ago, to execute a bond for 22 rupees. Last year he was sued on this, and a decree passed for 56 rupees, inclusive of costs and interest. To avoid execution, has paid 22 rupees in cash and given a new bond for 45 rupees. Jan, an old widow, borrowed 150 rupees many years ago for tire wedding of a son since dead. Thirteen years ago, for this debt she executed a mortgage bond for 300 rupees, and gave possession of her land, about forty acres, with a well. The sauker has had the entire product of the land ever since, ~and will neither restore the land nor give an account. Twenty years ago Andu borrowed 17 rupees in cash and a maund of grain. Has paid at different times in liquidation 567 rupees, and has executed many bonds, two of which, for 875 rupees, are now outstanding. The Inquiries of the Commission throw entire unscrupulousness of the moneylenders, acting on the necessities, ig norance and timidity of the peasants. The instrument by which the former is brought to bear on the latter is the (Civil courts. The reason why the courts hekus so efficient an instrument for this purpose appears to be threefold. The procedure is such.as to give the rich man every advantage over the poor one, the acute and unscrupulous over the ignorant, and to make it practically impossible for a peasant to contest successfully any claim that an unprincipled plaintiff may bring against him. The law gives the judgment creditor a lien, not only on the crop and personal property, but on the implements of trade of the debtor; not only on his implements, but on his land; not only on lift land, but on his person and labor; never relaxes his hold till he has paid the uttermost farthing of a debt constantly mul-

•4 ’ ' tiplying itself; and thus makes it profitable to advance money on security apparently inadequate. Their training and Hi.- system they administer maka the overworked Judges themselves apt to regard law rather than justice; to look to returns rather than to results; to postpone to correct technical procedure the investigation of truth.—Nineteenth Century.