Page:The Life of Lokamanya Tilak.djvu/104

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LOKAMANYA TILAK

tion regarding famine conditions. His obect was to check the inacuracies of the reports submitted by Mamlatdars to their superiors. (2) These heutenants discussed measures of rehef with local leaders, with a view to formulate constructive suggestions to Government. The Government had no doubt the guidance of the Famine Relief Code; but evidently Mr. Tilak had greater faith in local bodies and leaders. The next two items concerned the people more directly. (3) It usually happened that most of the villagers, ignorant of the concessions promised by the Relief Code, sold away their lands or cattle to pay off the Government dues; Mr. Tilak's 'emissaries', therefore, acquainted the people with their rights, explained the relevant sections of the Relief Code and distributed leaflets or pamphlets containing abstracts of the important sections of the Relief Code. (4) Having thus educated the people in the knowledge of their rights, they asked them not to be cowards and not to pay the Government dues at the cost of their lives or property. It will be seen that the agitation imparted the necessary knowledge to the people and exhorted them to show manliness; and by constructive suggestions it compelled the Government to insist on accuracy of reports and strict enforcement of rules. Week after week, the Kesari devoted all its columns to the discussion of the situation; "Will you" Mr. Tilak passionately asked, "when the Queen desires that none should die, when the Governor declares that all should 1 ve and the Secretary of State is prepared to go in for debt, if necessary—will you kill yourself by timidity and starvation? If you have money to pay Government dues, pay them by all means. But if you have