(   8   )

cils. But I recognise that the proposals which have
been put forward by Mr. Montagu and Lord Chelmsford
after months of discussion and deliberation, have
reduced the chances of the Congress-League scheme
being accepted ; and I think that, in the circumstances ,
of the case, the most practical course for us to adopt
will be to press for such modifications and expansion of
the proposals in question as will make them adequate
and complete. If this is done, it will necessarily assimi-
late them in principle to the Congress-League scheme.

The Conditions of the Problem.

Educational Backwardness.

6. In considering the imitations of the proposals put
forward by Mr. Montagu and Lord Chelmsford, we have
no doubt to bear in mind that they regarded the an¬
nouncement of the 20th August last as laying down the
terms of their reference. But it seems to me that they
have put too narrow an interpretation on those terms,
particularly on the question of the rate of progress
towards responsible government, and in dwelling to the
extent they have done on the responsibility of the
British electorate and Parliament for the welfare of the
people of India; also in insisting too much and too ''
often that the British electorare could not part with that
responsibility until an Indian electorate was in sight to
take the burden on its shoulders. This evidently much
influenced their judgment and prevented them from form¬
ing an impartial and correct estimate of the conditions
of the problem which they had to solve. A perusal of
the chapter headed ' Conditions of the Problem' in the
report leaves a disagreeeble impression on the mind
that the circumstances which go against the introduction
of responsible government have been given an exag¬
gerated value, and that those that are in favour of it
have been  under-estimated  or ignored.    Attention  is