Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-06-06
GLADSTONE'S POLICY.

GLADSIONE'S HOLlC 1.
The Jingo press and politicians OF Eng
land, and their sympathizers in this
country, are condemning Gladstone's
policy in the Afghan affair. His prep
arations were for war although his de-
sires were for peace. In the preparations
for war, there was an energy displayed
which astonished even the Tories, the
party that in war matters deems itself
Troians. For some reason the majority
of Englishmen have always thought
that all approaches to India, by land or
bv sea. no matter how far removed from
the British Empire in the East, were pc
culiarly their own, it making no difference
what the people who owned those ap-
proaches thought; and if they would not
willingly place them under English con-
troll, England, where she could, took the
control. The reason of Max O'Rell, that
England deems herself the inheritor of
the earth, is perhaps the true reason for
her conduct in these matters. On this
theory of things she went to Cabul a great
many years ago, and when the Ameer
would not do her bidding, she deposed
him. 1t was necessary TO do this, said
England, to protect our possessions in
India. To recount the history of British
intrigue in Afghanistan, would be to
recount the history of England in the
East for half century past. The auton-
omy of Afghanistan would be protection
for India, but complete autonomy Eng
land was afraid of, and insisted upon an
agent being resident at Cabul, to prevent
the introduction of Russian influence
there. 1t succeeded SO well that Major
Cavagnari and his entire suite were muir
dered in 1873. 1t proved that the At
ghans were the natural allies of England
and that Cabul and Candahar were the
places from which to defend Bombay and
Calcutta Towards these bases of opera
ton and defense, Russia has been
steadily advancing, and in her
advance, absorbing and assimilat-
ing the various tribes and peoples
of the different countries which she has
occupied and attached. She has made of
them Russians. Recently Russian and
Afghan troops had a rencountre near
Penjdeh, in which the Afghans were
routed. AS this was near the line of de-
limitation and as England was represented
on the commission which was to deter
mine that line, she felt that she had been
outraged and insulted, as we'll as
having had possessions threatened.
For this she must have an apology,
which was not given. Sir Peter Lums-
den, the British commissioner of delimi-
tation, was the one man more than all
others who raised this cry for apology
and danger ahead. The immediate dan
ger was that Russia would seize and hold
Herat, and from there make her advance
to India at her leisure. Sir Peter has got
the idea that the British Empire is rest
ing upon his shoulders, and that his wis
dom and strength alone can save it
from destruction. The Government has
informed the House that Russia and
England have come to an agreement in
regard to the points of difference between
the two countries, and it is agreed to sub
NIT those differences to arbitration. This
is the crime charged against Gladstone
and the Liberal Ministry. They have
chosen to submit their differences to the
arbitration of peace rather than to the
arbitration of the sword. The same
charge of weakness and cowardce was
brought against Gladstone in 1872, when |
he submitted the Alabama difficulty to
and abided by the result of
the Geneva award. England did not suffer
in prestige or otherwise by her course in
that affair, nor did the United States.
England is gradually coming to the con-
clusion that it is on the frontier of India
that India must be defended when
and not on the fartherest from
tier of Afghanistan. 1t is a correct con-
clusion, and one that, if adopted and
adhered to, will save her much trouble
and anxiety as well as men and means.
For this she will be indebted to the tame
and vacilating policy of Mr.. Gladstone.
as it is termed by the rampant and war
like Tories. Mr.. Gladstone has dared to
be an advocate of arbitration when his
wish war, and because he does
not heed their wishes, he is termed a
coward