Who, only twenty years ago, would have believed that the day was so near at hand when this Asiatic vast and populous country, called India, would be most earnestly considering, through numerous representatives, in consultation with the British Government, the proper steps to be taken "FOR THE GRADUAL DEVELOPMENT OF SELF-GOVERNING INSTITUTIONS WITH A VIEW TO THE PROGRESSIVE REALIZATION OF RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT IN INDIA AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE." In every way, it is a most extraordinary political evolution. If it reaches the admirable conclusion aimed at--for which success every true friend of Political Liberty will fervently pray--it will have realized one of the greatest constitutional achievements of modern times. Behold just now how safely and wisely this Indian evolution is proceeding under the experienced direction of British statesmanship. It is "TO BE ACHIEVED BY SUCCESSIVE STAGES", declares the Secretary of State for India, speaking in the name of the whole British responsible Cabinet. Such have been accomplished all the constitutional developments which have wrought so much perfection for British free institutions. True progress, in every form, is never revolutionary. And why? For the very reason that instead of fighting for destruction by brute force, it aims at perfecting by regular advances in the right direction, by successive improvements which experience justifies, which reason, intelligence and wisdom approve, which political sense recommends, which sound moral principles authorize and sanction. A country favoured with the free British constitutional regime is not the land where bolshevikism of any grade or stamp, can flourish and bear fruits of desolation and shame. The wonderful Indian country, for so many centuries tortured by intestine troubles, at last rescued by England from that barbarous situation, given a reorganized administration able to maintain interior peace, favoured by British business experience and capital with material progress in many ways, specially in transportation facilities, may soon see--let us hope--the dawn of the glorious days of a large measure of political freedom and responsible government. Far away indeed from the perilous Imperialism abhorred by our much depressed "Nationalists" is India safely moving. CHAPTER XXVII. THE FUTURE CONSTITUTIONAL RELATIONS OF THE EMPIRE. Though very difficult to say what they will be, I thought proper, for the better information of my French Canadian readers, to consider some of the suggestions which of late years have been repeatedly made.