Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1885-05-16
ENgIfND- RUSSIA

Whether Russia and England shall
or shall not come to blows is the cues
ton agitating the rest Of Europe.
America and the English Colonies are
as deeply and almost as indirectly in
terested If they do come to blows 1t
will be a war Of giants, a conflict OF two
civilizations, a duel TO the death. III
will be well for the nations to pause
before they take sides in this tremen
dous struggle spause and consider what
it means If conflict be inevitable, IL
it be a duel to the death, neutrality
canno, be maintained for long by the
rest OF Europe, at least not honorable
neutrality If that be true it is for each
nation to ask, (Which side p "WhyT
The student of recent history takes
no stock in the shallow hypercriticsm
that sees only the faults of English
national character and is blind and
deaf to its virtues. The fippants who
class modern England as "a nation OF
shop-keepers," "a race of time servers
"a government Of the unprlvileged
many by the privileged few" simply ig-
more facts and pervert history. The
elder England is not a field for free
lances, greenwood glade for mere adj
venturers. But the United England,
old and new, imperial and colonial, is,
as whole, equalled in its opportuni-
ties for individual success by only
one nation under heayen-the United
States of America. England is--as
America is-a land of freemen and the
home of freedom. The descendants OF
Angle and Saxon and their co-tribals
have carried free speech and personal
liberty and the right to hold ones own
to the far north and the far south.
They have made the property of every
man over whom the British flag floats
safe from exaction or spoliation, and
human life secure. Does Russian his
tory paint similar picture Read
Wallace. Read nine out of every ten
review articles, in French, German or
English and be answered in the mega
tive. Russia represents absolutism
imperialism. Englands marching or
ders are "onward and upward !" Rus
sia's are backward aad downward" 4"
The one means progress, The other
means retrogression.
That is the Anglo-Saxon way OF look
ing at it. That is our way. The Rus.
sian and those who believe in the Rus
sian character say it is not what Rus
sian misgovernment makes it seem. II
not, why do they permit that govern
ment to continue' The corruption,
the cruelty, the gross prostitution OF
place and power that have made Russia
rotten anarchy, bursting with de
bauchery and held together by chains,
could not exist in any Anglo-Saxon
country for five years. 1t has existed
in Russia for five centuries. To-day
the two nations party of growth
and the party of decay-are facing each
other in Central Asia. 1t is for the
nations that take sides to say whether
the tree Of liberty shall perish by the
blight or survive it.
There is an apparent lack Of logic III
the metaphor of Russia's decay. If it:
body polite has been gangrenous fol
centuries, it may seem impossible thai
even chains could have held it together
And there are many thinkers who hole
that nihilism---with all its horrors
proves the inherent soundness OF tn,
Russian people. Perhaps it does. Gu
OF the corruption may spring new life
And bankrupt Russia may retire de
feated from Central Asia to begin ;
new life 'oi its people, by its people
for its people
RACE COMPLICATIONS IN Tim
sHrrRAGE pRnRIEM