220 FOREST LIFE AND SPORT IN INDIA 
of purple hue, denoting to-morrow, attracted but 
little attention, though his suggestion met with the 
approval of all whose souls were not utterly deadened 
to a sense of humour by an unnecessarily over- 
whelming sense of responsibility. 
The Indian official has not the time both to 
write and to talk, and it is a question whether the 
extreme verbosity and iteration of public speakers 
form such a pleasant or useful method of conducting 
public business as that of committing opinions to 
silent and unobtrusive foolscap; but it seems 
probable that an opportunity will soon be afforded 
in India to express an opinion on this subject from 
practical experience, when 352 men will take the 
place of the 146 previously licensed to talk in public 
on Imperial and local administration. These changes 
are certain to have a widespread effect on the Indian 
official ; he will accept all with his usual silent loyalty, 
and will, without any verbal spur thereto, give his 
best endeavours to make them successful. But he is 
not debarred from retaining his own opinions as to the 
effects they may have on the welfare of the Indian 
people, though it might not be politic to express 
them. It would be interesting to compile a schedule 
of the opinions of men who know the peasantry and 
have lived amongst them; for this purpose only a few 
headings would be required, such as the following : 
With regard to the population of 300 million, is it 
in a state of discontent with the Government, or 
interested in the success of unrest and sedition ? 
Does it understand even the principles of repre- 
sentative Council reform, or attach any importance 
to them ? 
