Page:Allan Octavian Hume, C.B.; Father of the Indian National Congress.djvu/125

 see in the laws of the country. The abolition of the Veto of the House of Lords was the absolutely indis- pensable preliminary to Radical measures which he urged again and again. Except the Lords were ended or mended he held that the reform of the land laws, equitable taxation, equality before the legal tribunals, electoral equality, one man one vote. Home Rule for Ireland or India, the abolition of the caste spirit in the Army and Navy and in the Civil Service would never be accomplished : that the Lords' Veto condemned the Liberal Party to a perpetual ploughing of the sands ; that till the Liberal Party could pass its measures when in office the work of earnest men to improve the con- dition of the masses would be in vain. In this spirit Mr. Hume continued the work of organizing the forces of progress in Dulwich.

"On the death of Sir John Blundell Maple in 1903, Mr. C. F. G. Masterman, now the Under-Secretary for the Home Office, contested the division. This was a short, sharp fight, into which Mr. Hume threw himself with characteristic energy. The Conservatives, however, retained the seat. Shortly after, Mr. David Williamson was selected as the Liberal candidate. Mr. Hume took part with him in the most active and vigorous campaign which the constituency had seen. Meetings, indoors and out of doors, were held at frequent intervals. A systematic canvass of the division was made, in which Mr. Hume took a large share of the work of speaking and interviewing. At the General Election in January 1906, Mr. Williamson was defeated by 357 votes only, a result largely due to Mr. Hume's long-continued and inspiring work.

"Perhaps one of Mr. Hume's greatest gifts was his great power of securing the enthusiastic and harmonious co- operation of all classes of Liberal workers. Discord was