Page:The Life of Lokamanya Tilak.djvu/346

 ness, strength. During all its vicissitudes, courage has never failed it. Its wisdom has been occasionally challenged, its tact or fairplay. But not even the worst enmies have whispered cowardice to its discredit.

During his life-time, Mr. Tilak conducted the Kesari nominally as a proprietory concern. In the evening of his life, he intended to put it on a democratic basis. It was only latteriy that the Kesari was a financial suc- cess. During the first lo years of his ownership of the paper, it was burdened with a heavy debt. During the last six years ctgain the extraordinary rise in the cost of paper did not make it quite a profitable concern, and in spite of the increase in the subscription rates, Mr. Tilak had to succour the paper from the profits of the Gita-Rahasya. Then there was the terrible expenditure of the long- drawn Tai Maharaj case, which had to be provided for. In spite of all these difficulties, Mr. Tilak had unreservedly placed the cash-box of the Kesari at the entire disposal of the national propaganda. He spent hundreds and thousands for the national work, without boast or ostentation. He could have easily saved large amounts by substantially increasing the subscription, which his devoted readers would have gladly paid ; but he accepted the Kesari as a sacred trust and not as a business concern. He wanted it to reach the hands of the poorest of the poor and become the vehicle of his message. The cheapest and the best —it had and has no second.

Though repeatedly pressed to turn it into a daily paper, Mr. Tilak till the last kept it as a we3kly and it was only last year that he made arrangements to bring it oat as a bi-weekly. The ideal he had kept before