[Sidenote: Boycott of British goods.]

From the pro-Indian feeling to the anti-British Boycott feeling is only
one step along the road that new-educated India is treading. The boycott
of British goods in 1905 has been the next step. The provocation alleged
by the politicians who organised the boycott was the division of the
province of Bengal. Whether that was cause sufficient to justify the
boycott or a mere pretext for another anti-British step is now of
secondary importance. The plea of encouragement of native industries we
may set aside as an afterthought. The boycott has been declared, and
what concerns us is to see the national feeling now take the form of a
declaration of commercial war upon Great Britain--none the less
disconcerting because some of those concerned clearly have an eye,
however foolishly, upon Boston in 1773 and the war thereafter. It gives
pause to India's well-wishers. "India for the Indians," will that come
next? There no friend of India dare wish her success, to be a possible
prey to Russia or Germany, or even to Japan. But reasoning to the
logical issue, we get light upon our premisses. _India for what
Indians?_, we ask ourselves. For Hindus or Mahomedans; for the million,
English-speaking, or the many-millioned masses? For many a day yet to
come it will be Britain's duty to hold the balance, to instruct in
self-government and to learn from her blunders.

That the national feeling of Indians may become a main strand in a
strong Imperial feeling, as is the national feeling of Scotland, must be
the wish of all friends of India. But how is the Indian feeling to be
transformed?

[Sidenote: Remedies.]