Page:Hyderabad in 1890 and 1891; comprising all the letters on Hyderabad affairs written to the Madras Hindu by its Hyderabad correspondent during 1890 and 1891 (IA hyderabadin1890100bangrich).pdf/183

, 18th December, 1891.

In a few days more the one English paper that Hyderabad can boast of—if it can be said to boast of such paper at all—will cease to exist; and the party in power will congratulate itself on being left there without the necessity to defend itself" at the bar of public opinion. This does not cause regret to the people; on the other hand it is matter for congratulation to them that the journal which has been their worst enemy will before long go to the d——l, though according to the sweet will and pleasure of the men in power and only to enable them to say "we have established our honesty of purpose, so we condescend to argue no longer over the motives or results of our conduct." In truth the "Deccan Standard" has been a curse to Hyderabad since its "resurrection." It has not only had no word to say at any time in behalf of the interests of the millions, but it has always written against them and lavished sickening praises on their enemies who, mostly, form the present Ministry. It is therefore no wonder that the news of its approaching end has been received with such unalloyed delight by all classes of people here.

With the "Deccan Standard" disappears the local medium for the expression of the offensive, aggressive Hyderabad officialism and flunkeyism. I have written "Local Medium" advisedly for now and then come floating down to me whispers of hush moneys and "retainers" sent to journals outside Hyderabad, and the large number of copies subscribed for by the Government of this or that English daily. But this is not all the mischief that the people have suffered from, since they were left without an independent paper to espouse their cause. The people with grievances—and their number is a legion,— have had to keep still tongues in their heads; oppression and injustice have gone on without fear of exposure or criticism; and the unhappy results of all this the running man may read here. As the representative of the "Hindu" I have come in contact with all sorts and conditions of people in these Dominious; and the truest evidence I have had of the arbitrary