Page:The Life of Lokamanya Tilak.djvu/258

 CHAPTER XVI

" RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT "

For us there is but one choice. We have made it. Woe be to the man or groups of men that seek to stand in our way in ^his day of our high resolution^ when every principle we hold dearest is to be Vindicated and made secure for our salvation. President Wilson

AFTER nine long years of separation, Mr. Tilak "^^ joined his old comrades at the Congress of Lucknow (1916). What a change ! In 1907, the nation was on the eve of a relentless campaign of repression. Now in 1916, the country was throbbing with the expectation of a vast political transformation, which Mr. Tilak had worked so laboriously to bring about. No wonder therefore, that when he stood to address the 2350 expectant delegates and thrice as many spectators he was accorded an enthusiastic ovation. He said : —

"I am not foolish enough to think that this reception is given to my humble self. It is given, if I rightly understand to those principles for which I have been fighting, principles which have been embodied in the resolution I have the honour to support. I am glad to say that I have lived these ten years to see that we are going to put our voices and shoulders together to push on the scheme of Self-Government. We are now united in 45 very way in the United Provinces."

Without depreciating the efforts of several leaders who