The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-09-16


thing that happens there you may be sure
1t Is of some moment. A little battle
which occurred the other day ont there re.
suited in the killing of 2,7OO tribesmen,
while the English loss is given as 90 men
and officers
And 1t is not gentlemanly fighting
either. The tribesmen pay no attention to
martial etiquette. They have no time TO
bother with prisoners. White giaours or
native troops are shown no distinction,
but are mercilessly put to the sword. The
English have to adopt the same methods.
There are seldom any wounded. The sur
vivors are either we'll enough to answer
roll call or else they are irretrievably de-
| ceased. As kipling sings it:
When you re wounded and lie on Afghanis.
tan's plains
And the women come out to cut up your re.
mains
Just roll to your rifle and blow out your
brains,
And 90 to your God like a soldier.
Tommy Atkins fully understands this
by the time he has served in northern In
dia many weeks, and he acts accordingly,
| showing no mercy. 1t is hard for us to
understand what bloodthirsty beings these
| tribesmen are. For centuries they have
lived In these wild mountain Businesses,
following robbery and brigandage as q
business and indulging in homicide as IA
pastime. When other excitement fails,
they make war on each other just to keep
their hands in.
Before the English came they depended
on swords, spears and antiquated muskets,
but their white rulers have taught them to
use martins Their weapons are now of
the best, for what they could not afford to
buy they stole, even If they had to chop a
sepoy in two to do it. These are the men
| who have risen against English rule.
Back of them are the priests; back Of the
priests that amiable and cheerful cut
throat, the ameer of Afghanistan, and
back Of the ameer-well, the English say
| the czar Is back Of him.
This, however, leads up to an explora.
| tion of that complex puzzle, the eastern
| question, which has brought gray hairs to
| generations of European diplomats and In
whose mazes the ordinary American might
wander for months without getting any.
| where. 1t is definitely known, however,
that Russian ozars for century back have
cherished the ambition of some day march
ing through the Khyber pass into India.
AS for the ameer, he is playing his cards
very close. His Paythans caught the Eng
lish in trap once, and Khyber pass ran
red with the blood of 16, 500 British fight
ing men, but the English paid him back,
taking life for life, and few for interest
So he does not want to soc the redooatf
marching on his capital again. 1t. does
please him nightly, however, to see the
hill tribes gathering, leaving the British
ranks and firing from ambush on the col
| ors which they have SO often defended.
England's situation would not be &c
serious were the Afridis the only rebels
but they are not Other tribes, Just al
warlike and some even more valorous, are
rising to the summons of jehad, or holy
war, which 1t has been rumored has beer
proclaimed. II the jehad Is really on, the
British flag may never wave again at the
entrance to the Khyber. Among the 300,
600, 900 Asiatio subjects Of 1.-THE widow al
| Windsor so, 900, 900 are Mohammedans
and England knows what 1t Is to have hei
native troops, who are largely followers o.
the prophet, turn their arms against theii
officers. She has not forgotten that bloody
page in her history whose title Is Lucknow
| CHARLES WARNER