New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-17
DIPLOMATIC ANALOGIES
IHE IRANSNAAL AND VENEZU ELA-AN
ENGLISH MONROE DOCTRINE IL
SOUTH AFRICA
London, January s.

uSh' NiSNcidiUS venezuela message EiNUic0 n
blaze of Indignation and resentment IN England;
and now there is 4 siInilar explosion over the
German Emperor's letter to President KRUGER
The interval has been 50 short that one can
easily remember some Of the cynical things
Cleveland's offences against English IDEAS OF
proprety and the fitness of things He meant
less than he said.'' his language was ..unCtp-
lomatc he was without experience of E,-
ropean methods and usages. it was an instance
of "over-emphasis," It was also I. fragrant illus
tration OF lingo electioneering" When the
comments of the English press on the En-
peror's dispatch to President Kriiger are crit
icay examined. the same powder seems to have
been used twice. The Emperor is apparently
as untutored savage in diplomacy as Prcsi-
dent Cleveland and an anti-English lingo OF
the same stripe
While the Empcror's dispatch has caused as
much irritation in England as President Clcvc-
lands message. it has been accompanied by less
bewilderment The English people knew moth
ing about the merits of the Venezuela boundary
dispute when the question was suddenly pre-
sented to them possible cause of with
the United States Repeng instantly the
Presidents proposal that an American commits
sion should determine the true boundary of a
British colony. they began to study the ques-
ton in detail and speedily asccrtained that Lord
Granville had virtually agreed to arbitratc all
the territory in dispute and that instead of an
irreducibe, historic Schomburgk frontier. the
Foreign Office within the last seventy years had
set up no fewer than seven lines. In the
Transvaal episode there only one source
of bewilderment-Dr. Jamesons motive in in
vading a State whose autonomy was guaran-
teed by Great Britain. Ignorance of the gen.
eral subject there none. The English We're
more deeply interested in what going
in South Africa than in any other portion Of
their Empire. They knew their ground when
the Enperor's unfriendy dispatch was pub
lished. They were irritated and angry. but not
bewdered.
What the Emperor wrote to President Kriiger
was this: Il express my sincere congratulations
that. supported by your people and without APP
pealing for the help of friendly Powers. YOU have
succeeded by your own energetic action against
armed bands which invaded your country as dis
turbers of the peace. and have thus been enabled
to restore peace and safeguard the independence
Of the country against attacks from outside
UNDERSTOOD AT ONCE.
If the English had not understood the Trans
vaal question they would not with one accord
have resented the EmperOrs unexpected inter
vention. They perceived at once the significance
of the message as proclamation that the Trans
vaal was an independent Power that the British
claims Of suzerainty were Of no validity, ana
that Germany stood reauy at any moment -
make an alliance with the Beers and TO protect
their rights. These differences were as offensive
as President Clevelands recommendation for the
appointment of an American boundary commits
sion to determine the true divisional line be-
tween British Guiana and Venezuela. The Ger
man Emperor according TO the English view,
had no race rights TO champion, since the Beers
were not German, but Dutch settlers. and he
had no case in international law. since the Trans
yaa by the Treaty OF 1884 had resigned control
of it's foreign affairs and pledged Itself not TO
make any alliance or treaty with any Power
except the Orange Free State. without the con-
sent of Her Majesty's Government; yet, after
prolonged consultation with his Minister'S ne
had deliberately affronted England and inst-
gated Chauvinism in Germany. Chauvinism was
anti-English feeling and could not be readily
distinguished from American Jingoism
What made this indignty even more n'olerable
than President Clevelands message, as the Eng
lish regarded the matter was the fact that their
own Government had taken the side OF 'he
Transvaal against the fbusters Of the Char
tered Company and was Loyalty supporting the
conventions made after Majuba Hill. Mr.. Cham
many or any other Power. He had at once re-
undated the action OF the Administrator Of the
Chartered Company and had taken active
measures 10 have him proclaimed as a rebel
against the Queen The Emperors dspatch was
sent when DR. jameson prisoner and when
the Colonial ONCE had exhausted its resources III
discreditng his movement and in counteracths
II I'm every possible way. The English consid-
cred that they had been nsulted BY the SOW
ereign Of a friendly Power when they had the
consciousness Of having acted we'll ana OF nav
ing resisted the temptations OF predatory d.
plomacy John Bull does not like t. have ms
face slapped at any time. The discipline IS es-
nacia,Iv irving when he has been vrtuous and
self-denving In the Transvaal anair ms lace
was fairly luminous with self-estecm at the mo-
NV. ,,b.n tho German Emperor Haunted the
dispatch in front O. II.
7, is noesible however, for even virtuous ana
lawabiding man to have wicked, piratical part
ners President Kriger goes behind )r Jameson
and finds the Premier OF Cape Colony, MI. Cfci
Rhodes: the Chartered Company. with royalty IT,
self connected with the Beard OF Directors ana "
greedy swarm of stock spectators ana s"'""'e'' D.
who have been managing the haihr circus i'i "
year or more He does not believe that IT. JAM
s,n ,.o,ld nave crossed the frontier and mace a
dash for Johannesburg If there had not o'ch d
conspiracy with many ranll'lc atiohs'
Beers AND GERMANS AGREE.
Tee German press takes the same view MI
Rhodes with his Chartered Company had op'h
forcing the British Government TO accept sen
of vast extensions Of territory in Africa Inc
Transvaal stood in the way OF the Sou'h AN
confederation Of which the ambitious rrei"'''
has been dreaming This raid was poiu d"
tempt 10 bring on a revolution in the '"''
whore the Beers were outnumbered iou - o'
by the English. 1t failed because the as''a''