THE FINANCE BILL

EXCEPT on two points to which we shall presently refer, the action of the Legislative Assembly in refusing to consider the Finance Bill, whether in its original form or in the slightly modified form in which it was sent back to it by the Viceroy, was open to no adverse criticism. The House had an indefeasible right to do what it was doing. It could not prevent the government from having its own way, but it was absolutely within its right in saying that it would be no party to the passing or even the consideration of any Finance Bill, so long as the grievances of the country remained unredressed, and in particular that grievance which lay at the root of all others, the continued withholding of its birthright of a responsible government. This, in fact, was the precise position which Pandit Malaviya took up in a long and eloquent speech extending over more than an hour. “So long as the Government of India Act is not revised,” he said, “I find that with my sense of self-respect and with the little conscience that God has given me, I cannot support the taxation either now or in the future. Take away the Government of India Act, if you please. We shall not complain of it. But if you want to rule India in the form of a civilised government, introduce a measure of self-government in place of the sham you have introduced.” Again: “With all respect to the individual members of the government, I say that it is a fraud you are practising upon the civilised world.” The same, as might have been expected, was the position of the Leader of the Opposition.