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to pay the penalty. Nominally, the editor is responsible for the whole of what appears in his paper; in reality his true responsibility does not extend beyond a few columns of editorial matter, which he can personally supervise, or what his subordinates who work under his general instructions may bring to his notice. But in the eyes of the law he is responsible for the whole publication.

Let me explain what I mean by reference to a case in which I was personally concerned. In May, 1911, I was charged with contempt of court upon a writ issued by Mr. Justice Fletcher upon a motion of the Advocate-General. This was the second case of contempt in which I was involved. Some comments had appeared in the Bengalee upon evidence given in a pending case by Mr. Weston, who was Magistrate of Midnapore at the time of the Midnapore Conspiracy Case. The leaderette containing the com- ments was written by Babu Kalinath Roy, sub-editor of the Bengalee, and now editor-in-chief of the Tribune newspaper. In my written statement I took upon myself the entire responsibility for the publication. Babu Kalinath Roy was too high-minded to permit this. He wrote me an official letter, absolving me of all responsibility, and urging that, if anybody were to blame, it was he. I had no desire to take advantage of his avowal, for I had already definitely assumed all responsibility for the leaderette, but at his request I showed his letter to my counsel, Mr. A. Chaudhuri, who afterwards became a Judge of the High Court. We made no use of it for the purpose of the case, but he showed it to the Advocate-General, who was the counsel on the opposite side. I do not know what impression it made upon his mind or what influence it had with him. The Judge, I presume, knew nothing at all about it. The case was dismissed upon another and a wholly technical ground.

As a public man and as editor of the Bengalee I was often ex- posed to personal attacks. Every one taking part in public affairs must be prepared for them. They are an incident of his position, and he must submit to them with all the patience that he can muster in the hope, which is not always realized, that the game of personal recrimination is not even profitable to those who start it.

In India the atmosphere is sometimes leavened with racial bitterness or personal rancour. Kristo Das Pal was described by Sir Rivers Thompson, Lieutenant-Governor, as dishonest and dishonourable. I was told by a leading newspapers after my failure at the Imperial Council elections that I had ceased to be a