While noting these facts, we desire to point out that
a good deal of the pessimism prevailing about the state of India just now is both unworthy and unnecessary. No doubt individual members of the Civil Service are exposed to a severe strain owing to the policy pursued by the agitators of assassination, and assassination in a peculiarly hideous form through the explosion of bombs. The total effect of such tactics upon our hold on India is, however, infinitesimally small. In the end our administrators will get accustomed to their new risks, and the native agitators will find that not only is the terrorism they are trying to spread abortive, but that they are themselves being punished with promptness and severity. The Government, no doubt, was at first bewildered by the assassination campaign, but it is gradually getting master of the situation. The best help we can give to the administrators who are so nobly doing their duty, and to the Government of India generally, is to sit quiet and not give way to pessimistic talk. If we see a man in difficulties with a restive or vicious horse, we do not say : "Poor fellow ! How terrible ! There is sure to be an awful accident," but rather : "Stick to him ! He'll never get you off."
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