Page:Allan Octavian Hume, C.B.; Father of the Indian National Congress.djvu/139

 subordinates of the centralized departments at head-quarters.

Thirty years ago, when Lord Ripon was taking up the subject of local self-government, these great centralized departments, and their fatal encroachments, were thus described by one who knew : "Their name is legion : police, public works, forest, excise, salt, survey, irrigation, registration, sanitation, vaccination, and so forth. Each of these departments is represented in the rural districts by a swarm of ill-paid and hungry native subordinates, who prowl about the villages and gradually fatten themselves by plunder and oppression. Among all these departments and among all these petty oppressors the life of the poorer ryot may be likened to that of a toad under a harrow, so jarred is he and upset in all his dearest interests and prejudices. And it is the increasing irritation and unrest produced throughout the country by years of such a system which has hitherto constituted the real danger to our rule in India. Now at last efforts are being made to stop this daily torment, to give back to the Indian village communities the management of their own internal affairs. And we need not wonder that the ryot is glad and grateful. It must be borne in mind that, whatever system we follow, the actual details of administration must be done by natives. And the special purpose of the decentralization and local self-government measures now being brought forward, is to substitute the best kind of native agency for the worst ; to revive the ancient activity of rural municipal life, and to entrust the village management to the decent quiet villagers themselves instead of leaving it to a swarm of greedy underlings attracted to the Government service, not by the scanty pay, but by the power they enjoy, and the unlimited opportunities for exaction." Octopus-like these centra-