New-York tribune., 1896-01-12
AN ENGLISH MYSTERY.
MORALIST'S DAY WITH A MORAL THAT
NOBODY CAN POINT-WHY THE ENG
LISHMAN is DISLIKED ABROAD.
London. December 81.

London December 81.
This is Morasis Day in England. Every
layman who can command a column a half
column of space in newspaper takes a retro
spective glance at the events of the year, ana
breaches a homily Everything of contempo-
raneous and human interest is reviewed with
judicial gravity and an air Of solemnity. Ev-
crything Is grist that comes to the moralists
mill on the last day of the year-the affairs Of
nations. the movement of politics. the course OF
trade. the disasters of shipping. the vcissitudes
OF stock speculation the progress of literature.
art and religion, the tendencies of the drama
and the fortunes of the sporting world. There
Is only one mystery Of the year that bafiles
the critical acumen of the reviewers. 1t is the
recent revelation of American hostility to Eng
land. Everywhere Engishmen are asking: why
do so many Americans dislike US when we are
conscious of no other feeling toward them than
that of goodwin?" Whether the Englishman
be Journalist with his homily to write for
the close of the year only an idle talker gos-
spng with a friend in quiet corner he finds
it difficult to explain this mystery
American unfriendness to England-and in
using the phrase l refer to what is probably
minority sentiment-ought not to excite 50
much astonshment il does. in view OF the
fact that Englishmen are disliked in some other
countries. For example. the French do not like
the English. French dislike of everything Eng
lish is shown in hundred ways. The English
man is conscious of a fall in the social tempera-
ture whenever he crosses the Channel. There is
a large and fiourishing American colony in the
French capital and il is overwhelmed with So
cial attentions and dsports itself without sus-
picion OF disfavor The English colony is small
er, less influential and in less congenal at
mosphere Many causes may be assigned for
clioh nOin al
way from the survival of traditions OF the Ma
poleonic wars to jealousy excited by the pur-
chase Of the Khedve's canal shares and the per
manent occupation of Egypt. With these 1 am
not concerned. but only with the fact, which is
indisputable, that the Englishman is not liked
In France. Indeed, this feeling OF National an
tipathy is so strong that the closest observers,
when they forecast a future European war, In
variaby mention England and France as the
probable contestants.
RUSSIAN ANIMOSlTY.
Then there is the Russian who does not seem
10 like the Englishman too well. For year or
more as to-day's reviewers tell us. there has
been concerted action the part OF the Euro
pean Powers for the purpose of putting an end
to misrule rapine. atrocity and massacre in the
Sultan's dominions and at one time the BRUSH
Prime Minister threatening him with loss
Of empire. and forecastng the partition OF Asiat-
ic Turkey: but ii has ended in a CHASTITY travesty
of practical craftsmanship and the moral force
Of Christendom has been paralyzed. How is tins
DISASTROUS dscreditable failure of diplomacy to
be explained? England was OutmanpeuVred by
Russia, say the reviewers. Russia, having lost
Constantinople through the intervention OF
England was determined to defer through Sc
cret intrigue the partition of the Empire until its
-t.. Of tod
prize could be clearly recognized and sanctioned.
The morasts may be right or wrong in their
summaries of the diplomacy of 1895; but it is un-
doubleday true that the Russian harbors re-
sentful feeling toward the Englishman.
Evidence from similar sources may be pro-
duced to prove that the German is the English
mans most energetic and successful rival in
controlling the commerce OF the world In cot
ton iron and nearly every other branch OF man.
y ufacture he is competing sharply with England
y and he is an active trader in all the markets OF
= the world, selling his goods in China. Japan,
South America and the East and West Indies
at prices which render competition mos ardu-
GUS He is jealous of the Englishmans COM
mercial prestige, and very angry whenever he
is himself put at disadvantage In trade in any
portion of the world. The German is phlegmatc.
but he grows red in the face when ne Is called
an Englishmans friend.
A curious illustration of his feeling toward
England has been witnessed this week. "A revo-
luton seems to be impending in the Transvaa!,
where the Uitlanders outnumber the Beers three
to one. yet are debarred from the exercise OF all
constitutional rights, and cannot obtain efficient
police regulations sanitary laws and educational
facilities British ascendancy over the South
African Republic will be the ulterOr aim Of the
revolutionists; and already the German press
gives warning that any internal complications
affecting the present form of government in the
Transyaal will seriously disturb the relations
OF Great Britain and Germany With the storm
signal flying in Berlin. the British Goverhiheh'
knows that 1t must act circumspectly ana eau
tiousy in South Africa as well as In NeheZuei"
The Englishman is more popular III i'ai! ina"
he is anywhere else on the continent Du' ~
can hardly be said to be a favorite even there
Indeed in view of the strong preJudlce "hc"
he seems to have excited among the leading ma
tions in Europe il is not remarkable that he
should have aroused dislike among certain class
es I'm America He has only to look around him
on his own continent in order TO realize that ne
has many unfriendy critics and outspoken ene-
mics.
ENGLAND STARTLED AND SURPRISED.
The sudden disclosure of a marked feel
ing OF unfriendness toward him in that part
OF the world where the Englishman was not
looking for enemies has had the effect OF star
Ting surprise. He felt kindly toward Americans,
notwithstanding their infatuation over protec-
ton and their queer ideas about bmetallism.
and ne has been astonished by the apparent
Willingness o. many of them TO rush into wal
with him over what he considered "a trumpery
boundary dispute" SO far from wishing for war
himself he can hardly tolerate the bare mention
of H. SO fratricidal horrible, 80 unnecessary
does II seem. Yet under the pressure Of excite