Los Angeles herald., 1891-09-15
SQUARE OLD JOHN BULL-HE is AT HIS
OLD TRICKS.

OLD ThICkS.
The fact that we claim the liberty of
criticizing England by no means indi-
Gates that we do not admire the bound
less pluck and cheek of that nation. In
truth, we have often wished that the
United States had tithe of her gall.
The telegraph advises US, on appar-
emily reliable authority, that England
has landed force of blue coats at Sigri,
on the island OF Mytilene, belonging to
Turkey, on the coast of Asia Minor,
within twenty-seven miles of the He'll
espont. In view of the fact that she
seized Egypt, the Island OF Cyprus, and
pretty much everything of consequence
in the Medite rranean Sea, there is moth
ing to wonder at in this last perform
ance. England wants the earth, and at
times it looks very much as if she were
pretty sure to get such share OF 1t as she
may elect to grab. The tight little,
right little isle has just as much claim
to Sigri as she has to Gibraltar, to India
and to divers other valuable possessions.
England for ages has kept Exeter Hall
for the purpose of preaching hands off
to other people, while she has steadily
gone for everything in sight herself.
She has been the Tartuffe of nations.
And why not? Her claim to be the
prescri ptive prize looter of all ages has
not been seriously disputed. The only
country that could have met her on the
high seas, the United States of America,
has stupidity seen its navy and merchant
marine melt and disappear like snow
fake under a hot July sun. When Eng
land was telling us, through Exc er
Hall, what naughty thing African
slavery was, she was waging a fierce
war with China to force the opium
raised in her East Indian appanage into
the Flowery land. That land of liberty
so ealle d-and generally truly SO ex-
cept as to Ireland-has run things with
high hand for ages. This Sigri episode
is only recent manifesto of her deter
mined policy OF rule or ruin.
While there is nothing new in this
Sigri incident it is highly significant as it
stands. Taken in connection with the
recent Dardanelles diplomatic episode
it is really the most conclusive sign
that war is imminent in Europe,
and on a most colossal scale. The mill
tary maneuver OF the great powers
and which will be great powers after the
arbitrament remains to be seen-tbe
prodigious concentration OF Russian
troops on the borders of Germany and
Austria, the steady Russian policy OF
withdrawing her gold deposits from the
European financial centers, the excited
speeches of the Emperor William and
the collected and calm outgiving Of De
Freycinet, all show that the crisis is
imminent and practically near at hand.
1t will be such war pageant as Europe
practically the whole world-has never
seen. There have been collisions that
were quite as fateful, perhaps more so.
Such was that at Tours when Charles
Martel hammered back the Moslem
torrent which was rushing over Europe.
Such was that when John Sobieski saved
Vienna from later tide of Moham-
Redan invasion, and with Vienna saved
Europe. Perhaps equally grave was
the issue at Lepanto. But in the num-
bers engaged, in the discipline, momen-
tum and the inevitable carnage, the
coming clash of arms will be absolutely
without a parallel.
And as this panorama of blood is
about to unfold itself, how magnificent
is the position of the United States ?
This country is trying to hold nobody
down; but, on the contrary, after hav-
ing freed the last bondsman in it's
ample domain, it has opened its door,
and kept it open, 10 the oppressed OF all
nations. There is something poetical in
the attitude and purpose of this country.
The mission of the nations just now
would seem to be to kill each other.
Ours is to feed the famishing and succor
their suffering.
There is perhaps in such mission
something higher than the role of a
conquering and absorbing nation. Our
drum beats may not be heard all round
the world; but, whenever the stars and
stripes are seen, that inspiriting stand
ard will be hailed as the friend and not
the enemy of mankind.