Page:The Life of Lokamanya Tilak.djvu/213

 ridden rough-shod over the feelings of the Bengalees and turned a deaf ear to their strongest and most reasonable representations, supported by facts and figures. The Russianization of the administration in spirit and me- thods has led to the conversion of a small section of the people to the methods of Russian teiroism. It is simply a question of action and re-action, ' Stimulus * and ' response '."

Mr. Tilak had nothing but contempt for those who in their hurry to save their skin and position were ostentatiously profuse in their condemnation of the Terrorists. His views may be summed up in the following words of the talented editor of the Modern Review. " It may be easy for arm-chair critics who are incapable of risking or sacrificing anything for humanity, to inveigh in unmeasurable terms against persons who have made terrible mistakes, but who nevertheless were prepared to lose all that men hold dear, for their race and country ; — persons whose fall has been great, because perhaps, equally great was their capacity for rising to the heights of being; but for ourselves, we pause awe-struck in the presence of this mystericus tragedy of mingled crime and stern devotion. Deplore as we do the death of the two European women, and strongly condemn the murderous deed, we scorn to associate ourselves in our condolence and condemnation with those Anglo-Indian editors and others who have not even a word of regret to express, when brutal Anglo-Indians kill inoffensive and defenceless Indians or assault helpless Indian women. Whatever feelirgs we express, we must do independently and in measured terms."


 * The Modern Review (June 1908).