Show r t Dear Food Causes Unrest in India Consul General W. W II It Michael makes the tho following report from Calcutta Calcutta Calcutta Cal Cal- on the tho hl high h prices o of foodstuffs In Jn India In the middle le of Jul July rice In Bengal yas was CS GS per cent dearer than what Is Is considered d d the normal price wheat 26 20 per por cent dearer and maize 70 per p-cr cent above o normal The public discussion of or the situation has brought out a report re report report re- re port of the director of agriculture which affirms that prices of food tood all over India have advanced d dr r rapidly l- l land and Esp Especially Especially cl all ally have hate prices risen rapidly l and anil sharply in Eastern Bengal Bensal and amI clearheaded clearheaded clear clear- h headed called men on the spot are aro bold to tosa I sa say that the distress caused pd IJ by dear clear food and small wage Is II re responsible pon for forthe forthe the perturbed condition of oC society Int in I. I t that part parlor of India i During the la last t three years cars th the harp harvests har bar p vests IR in III Eastern Bengal and Assam A Ulm have p been cn com considered poor especially th the rice crop which I staple food l of or the and floor Boor classes classeN In 1004 1 rupee 3 32 cents would buy twenty-six twenty pounds of rice whereas s In 1006 1900 It would bu buy only ten younds and in 1907 about cl eight ht pounds Thus the Indian who whose c main subsistence Is rice has hns to pay nearly three times a as much for that article now as he did dill In 1904 For the mo most t part his w wages have not Increased at all all and where wages ha have been advanced not a n. single single sin sin- gle Instance can be IJ found where the increase has ha- been three tines times The Tho food food- grain food ran crops of or 1907 promise to bevery bo be bovery very ery large and It will be interesting to note an any tendency to return to the prices 0 of food tood gral grains na especially rice prevailed three years ago and what effect ft Ct if an any this return to normal normal nor nor- mal prices will have hn on the condition of or unrest l in Eastern Bengal nl and andA A Assam a m |