But I cannot help repeating one thing before you _viz._, that precisely
the same message, the same indication is to be found in the speech of
His Excellency the Viceroy which was delivered in early September.
There, His Excellency clearly lays down that there are three ways in
which the work of Self-Government in this country must be commenced.
The first method is the institution of Local Self-Government. Now when
any question of local self-government is discussed, and we are apt to
ignore its importance; it does not catch our imagination; we do not
attach that interest to it which the question deserves. And whatever
the kind of self-government you succeed in obtaining--and I am sure we
will obtain some substantial measure of self-government--be sure that
our national work for the next 20 years to come will be in the field
Of local self-government more than any other. The second road, His
Excellency said, must be the filling up of the public offices in this
country with more Indians and the third road was by the introduction
of some kind of responsible Legislative Councils--and gentlemen, to
allay your suspicions--I must confess, we are somewhat suspicious at
times--His Excellency said clearly that all this work is to be carried
on simultaneously. So, gentlemen, according to His Excellency, you
will not be relegated merely to Local Self-Government for many years
to come but along with the development of local self-Government you
may expect, according to the message of His Excellency, a Legislative
Council which is at once representative and responsible.
"RESPONSIBILITY IN POLITICS"
Do not forget, gentlemen, that the word, "responsibility" has got
a technical meaning in politics. It does not imply merely moral
responsibility. It means that the Government must be responsible to
the people of the country, to the electors, i.e., the Legislative
Councils will be elected by the people of the country--whatever the
extent of the franchise may be, that is a matter of detail which has
got to be discussed and no doubt considered carefully. But whatever be
the electorate, it is that electorate which will elect members of the
Legislative Councils and the Executive Councils will be either elected
or taken from the Legislative Councils and the Executive Councils will
be responsible not to any outside authority but to the Legislative
Councils from which they will be taken and thus ultimately to the
people. These are the indications that I find in the statement of the
Secretary of State as also in the message of the Viceroy.