Page:The Life of Lokamanya Tilak.djvu/279

 It was this suicidal and unstatesmanlike dilatoriness that Mr. Tilak strongly disliked. " You will never find " said he, "a better opportunity of arousing the slumbering conscience of the average Britisher. When even Mr. Bonar Law advises the colonies to strike when the iron is hot, surely, we shall be faiUng in our duty, if we don't take up the hint.*' The usual Indian claims for Swaraj, he argued, are based upon sentimental appeals to English Liberalism or compassion. Now, is the opportunity to show how England can save herself by saving India, become great herself by giving India the opportunity to regain her pristine glory. He wanted to tell the Enghsh Democracy how their representatives in India had kept the children of the soil under their heels, prostrate, starving and emasculated and how the tonic of Swaraj if given now, would still enable India to do fuU justice to her ambition of helping Bri- tain. This was the message which Mr. Tilak wanted to deHver in England. It was dignified,lofty and wholesome.

Since the entry of the capitalistic class into the field of politics, the difficulty of collecting funds is not acutely felt. Yet Mr. Tilak always preferred to have small contributions from many to a big donation from one. " I should like to have 64 pice from as many persons instead of one rupee from one." he said ; and on this principle he set about collecting funds for the Home Rule Deputation. He made extensive tours in Belgaum, Nasik, Sholapur, Thana, and Kolaba districts, where along with the inevitable addresses and processions, large purses were presented to him. His tour in the Central Provinces and Berar was from this