Sri Aurobindo
Bande Mataram
Political Writings and Speeches. 1890–1908
Appendixes
“Bande Mataram” Printers and Publishers, Limited.
A Limited Liability Company has been formed, called the Bande Mataram Limited, which will take over the daily journal Bande Mataram and conduct it on a permanent and organized basis.
This journal was started as the exponent of a new political ideal and the mouthpiece of a growing school of thought.
Established at first by individuals and on a small scale it has already in the single month of its existence made a great reputation and promises to be a power in the land.
It has not only a standing in Bengal itself, but is daily expected and read with eagerness in other parts of India.
When once placed on a carefully prepared and permanent foundation it cannot fail to be financially a success and politically a power.
The very opposition it has received in many quarters shows that it is the representative of a force which has been waiting for a daily means of self-expression and, once possessed of that necessary weapon, can no longer be ignored.
But in order that Bande Mataram may fulfil its possibilities, it is desirable for all who are of its way of thinking, to unite and make it a success.
No paper can be a great public organ which expresses merely the ideas of the few.
Any party or school of thought which wishes to be strong and influential, must join in strengthening the mouthpiece of its common ideas.
Bande Mataram is designed to be the organ of the most advanced school of nationalism in India.
It will endeavour to propagate the gospels of self-help and self-respect.
It will oppose the habit of mendicant petitioning and inert dependence on the Government.
It will advocate the creation of a new basis for the Congress, definitely democratic in its nature, instead of the loose and ineffective constitution it now possesses.
It will endeavour to rally into one great force all those who are desirous of organizing the nation for work and not for mere agitation and petitioning.
Its ideal will be Swadeshi in all things,– Swadeshi in politics, Swadeshi in commerce and industry, Swadeshi in education.
Another distinguishing feature of Bande Mataram will be that it is not the property or organ of a single individual, but the voice of a party.
Many writers of ability, will be on the staff.
Besides Srijuktas Bipin Chandra Pal and Arabindo Ghose, Srijut Chitta Ranjan Das, Srijut Rajat Nath Ray, Srijut Hemendra Prasad Ghose, Srijut Syam Sunder Chakrabarti, Srijut Bijoy Chandra Chatterjee and others will be regular contributors to its columns.
We hope also to get eminent men from other provinces to correspond with the paper.
A good Mofussil correspondence will be organized, and arrangements will be made for correspondents in other parts of the world.
The execution of this scheme needs time and general support from the public.
It will be gradually developed and in a few months perfected.
The Company has been floated with a capital of Rs. 50,000 with option to increase to Rs. 1,00,000 and at present Rs. 21,000 is the money promised and another Rs. 29,000 will be placed on the market.
Each share is worth Rs. 10.
The shares have been purposely put at a low figure so that all who belong to the school of thought which Bande Mataram represents may take a personal interest.
Anyone who wishes to subscribe more liberally to its support may do so by buying a large number of shares.
All applications for shares with remittances should be sent to Raja Subodh Chandra Mullik of 12, Wellington Square, Calcutta.
Subodh Chandra Mullik.
Chitta Ranjan Das.
Aurobindo Ghose.
Sarat Chandra Sen.
Sundari Mohan Das.
Surendra Nath Halder.
Hemendra Prasad Ghose.
Bipin Chandra Pal.
Rajat Nath Ray.
Bijoy Chandra Chatterjee.
Syam Sunder Chakrabarti.