The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-02-07

tOOHn4cail1boS WlGH regard w Luo VoAS-
zuelan boundary or the Interpretation Of
President Monroe's doctrine. have
been deeply and painfully impressed by
the different attitude, the different mode
IN which we on this side OF the. Atiantic
look at the question of war from that
which appears to be taken by some sec
tions of the American population upon
the other side. To us speak for my
self, and 1 think I speak for those whom
am addressing-the IDEA of war with
the United States of America carries
with 1t something of the unnatural nor
ror of civil war. (Hear, hear). War
with any nation is contingency to be
avoided at almost all costs, except the
| cost of dishonor, but war with the United
States appears to have an additional hor-
ror of its own born of the fact that those
whom we should be fighting are our own
flesh and blood (Hear, hear, speaking
our own language sharing our own civil
iization. (Cheers. feel, SO far as can
speak for my countrymen, that our pride
in the race to which we be long is pride
which includes every EngliSh-speaklng
community in the world. Clear, hear.
We have domestic patriotism as Scotch
men or as Englishmen or as lrlShmen.
or what you will. We have ali Imperial
patriotism as citizens of the British En-
pire. But, surely, in addition to that.
we have also an Anglo-Sa patriotism
the whole of that great race which has
done SO much in every branch of human
effert which has produced free institu-
tions and free communities. (Cheers). /
have sorrowfully to admit that this view
does not seem as yet to be shared by the
English speaking people in the United
states of America. Large sections of
them, at all events, if I may judge from
the reports in the newspapers-which is
all that have to judge by-large sections
OF them seem to regard d war with this
country as thing to be lightly INDUCED
in, an exhilaratlng exercise, a gentle ma
tional stimulus To me that is
terrible. la distressing, and a horrible
point of view, and do not believe. and
l will never believe. that it is the point
OF view that will be permanently adopted
by any large section in the United States.
(Cheers) We may be taxed with icing
ldealists and dreamers in this matter.
would rather be an idealist and a
dreamer; and look forward with con-
hdence to the time when our ideals will
have become real and our dreams will be
embodied in actual political fact. Clear,
hear 1t cannot bu5 be that those whose
national roots go down into the same
past as our own, who share our language
our literature, FOUR laws. our religion
everything that makes nation great
ana VINO share in substance Eour instltu-
tions-it cannot but be that the time will
come they will feel that we and they have
q common duty to perfom, 8 common office
to fulfill among the nations of the world.
(Cheers.) The time will come, the time
must come, when some one, some states
man of authority, more fortunate even
than President Monroe, will lay down
the doctrine that between Englishs peak.
ing peoples war is impossible (cheers)
and then 1t Will be seen that every man
who by rash action or hasty rword makes
the preservation of peace difficult, or it
may be impossible, has committed a crime
not only against his owD country, not
only against that other country to whom
he has invited war, but against civivliza-
ton itself. May no English statesman
and no English party ever have The re-
sponsibility of that crime heavy upon
their souls!
have been almost inevitably compelled
to dwell tonight upon topics, .disquieting
topics, topics it may be full of difficulty
and Of menace for the future; bit think
not. beseecb you. that at this moment
take pessimistio view of the future Of
the country. Speaking for myself, I do
not believe that public opinion on either
side of the Atlantic or in Europe will
permit the outbreak of a war whose end
no man .can foresee. (Hear, hear, and
cheers.) l would not have you, there
fore, leave this room under the impress
sion that am prophet of evil things or
that look forward to dark days for the
Empire OF which we are citizens. That is
not the case. (Cheers.) We, after all,
have no cause of quarrel that I can dis
cover with any nation. large or small,
powerful or insignificant, upon the face
of the world (Cheers.. We desire no
mans territory. We wish not to interfere
with any present interest or any legiti-
mate ambition which any State may pos
sess. Our own work within our own
sphere is sufficient for us. (Cheers.)
That will tax our energies to the ut-
most, and that win supply to statesmen
all the material which they may require
for the most energetic labor for the devel-
opmsnt of Britain and of the British
Empire. aBut if it needs must be that
war should come; which I do not believe
Il do not think that it is contingency
of which we have at the present moment
any special reason to be afraid (hear,
hear)-the British Empire is not like the
Spanish Empire of the 18th century,
helpless hulk upon the waters, Tempt
ing depreciation by its wealth, but I'M
able by weakness to beat off the depreda-
tors. No, gentlemen, there never was a.
moment, believe, in the recent history
of this country when the British Empire
was better lighting machine than it is
ergetic efforts of successive Governments,
principally of the Unionjst Government
(hear, hear) which existed between 1886
and 1899. and the Home Rule Govern
ment which succeeded them between 1899
and 1895, chiefly through their Efforts in
the last decade or more, an addition has
been made to the fighting power of the
Empire, of which the Empire itself, 1
believe. is unaware. (Hear, hear) I do
not think that this force will be called
upon to act, but if by any lnischance-
if by the madness of peoples or the am
bition of rulers-it should unhappily be
that We have again to do what our fore
fathers did before us-namely, to fight
for our country-I do not believe for
one instant that we shall be found un-
prepared, or that the result of that con-
test will be other than it has been in the
past. or that we shall come out of it with
diminished glory or diminished power
cloud cheers.l