Page:Allan Octavian Hume, C.B.; Father of the Indian National Congress.djvu/138

 test by which the merits, and demerits, of the present system of administration may be judged. In Allan Hume we have the ideal public servant — capable, industrious, and devoted to the public interests ; a man regarding whom the Government record testifies that he "sacrificed all personal considerations to the conscientious discharge of his duties." A good system would naturally welcome such a man in every grade of the service. If metal of this temper cannot be utilized in the official machinery, the fault must be with the machinery. Let us apply this test, first to the district administration, in which Mr. Hume was a striking success ; and secondly, to the Simla Secretariat from which he was summarily ejected.

While the village community is the social unit, the District or CoUectorate has always been the unit of the official administration ; and District Officers are the backbone of British rule, provided they possess adequate authority, and are in touch with the people. In the case of Mr. Hume these conditions were in great measure fulfilled. In those early days the Collector occupied a strong position as the local representative of the "Sirkar" in all departments ; and Mr. Hume, relying on the co-operation of the people, and the friendly counsels of his local friends, was master of the situation, whether in the stress of the Mutiny, or in the peaceful activities of a later period. As a local Akbar, in free communication with the people, he understood their requirements, and could promote economic developments according to the special needs of the District. Unfortunately the centralizing policy has barred further progress ; instead of strengthening the position of the Collector on a popular basis, it has gone far to destroy the powers and usefulness of the district administration, by transferring the executive authority from the district officers to the