New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-22
ENGLISH OPINION
CHANGE WROUGHT BY DEwEYS VIC
TORY-CROSS CURRENTS IN OXFORD
AND LONDON SOCIETY-AN AL
LANCE BASED ON SELF
INTEREST
London. May II.


ard censorious, expressions o. sympathy for
s. ain were heard on every side; and American
residents ins,inctively felt that their country
disliked by large classes of educated and
influential Englishnen. This cold fit did not
last long. Admiral Dewey's victory senced
every contemp;uous reference TO the American
Navy. The mercantile community was reas-
sured b. the adoption OF the principles OF the
Declaration OF Paris and by The announcement
that tonnage dues woud not be enforced in the
United States against foreign commerce. Amer
lea doomed UP in the Far East as the possessor
Of the Philippine Islands and powerful ally
for England in China diplomacy. There was
q sudden reaction of public feeling in favor Of
America after this signal demonstration OF naval
efficiency and political capacity for taking adj
vantage Of a great opportunity in the Philip
pines
There are two sreat forces in determining the
course Of English opinion on foreign questions
one is moral obligation and the other is self
interest The spectacle Of an unsehsh nation
intervening in Cuba from motives Of humanity
appealed strongly 10 the sympa thies of the party
which Mr. Gladstone had inspired with sense
Of moral responsibility in human affairs. Those
Enslishmen who had been deeply moved by the
wrongs of Bulgarians Armenians Crstans and
termination of the United States to put an end
70 the appalling condition Of misgovernment in
Cuba. Those Engllshmea who have been in the
habit Of sneering al aitruism and sentimen-
talism and Of tustifying their own Government
in supporting the concert OF European selfish
ness were repealed by this display Of moral
earnestness in America II not until Ad-
miral Dewey proved that the American Navy
was an effective fighting machine. and that the
United States became the possessor 0. four hun
dred islands between FOrmosa and Borneo that
selfinterest interviewed 10 attract these anti
sentimental and closely calculating Englishmen
toward the American side. The United States,
with a well-handed. effective feet and with the
hight Of conquest over a valuable group OF ISL
ands in the Far East. were suddenly converted
into future ally OF great utility in readjusting
the balance of power
In this way the two forces Of moral obligation
and self-interest are now operating together TO
influence English opinion in favor OF America
Humane sentiment is attracted by an atrustc
campaign for the liberation of Cuba, which is
IN accord with the sensibil!ties Of od-fashioned
English conscience. Self-interest is attracted by
the promise of an Anglo Saxon combination in
The Far East which will be Of tremendous ad-
vantage 10 England In conjunction with these
two forces is the irresistible logic OF the depen-
dence Of England and Europe upon American
food supply. The war has not lasted three
weeks. and every Continental country is re-
minded by bread riots. rising wheat markets and
distress Of the masses that 1898 is the 1ftieth
anniversary OF the Revolutionary year. Eng
land understands to-day what she has been
slow to learn during half century OF Free
Trade. that her chief danger In time OF war VIII
be the failure Of her imported food supply and
that a friendly America is vastly mere important
to her than alliance with any Continental
Power. Whether Englishmen are influenced by
conscience or self-inter-si. they cannot fail TO
be Impressed with the significance Of the fact
that they never have more than a ten weeks
supply Of wheat Speculation and high prices
are now rendering this dry statistical fact elo-
quent and pictorial.
A HOT FIT NOW ON
a hot fit has followed the cold ht The Eng
nsh press to-day has not unknd word for
the American people. Liberal journals enlarge
upon the unselAsh mission undertaken for the
sake OF humanity in the West Indies. Conserva-
tive journals invite America 10 remain in the
Philippines permanently and TO cooperate with
England and Japan in counteracting Continental
tntrigues and aggression in Asia The move
ment for an international alliance has received
a tremendous impulse In England where II was
regarded at the outset strange vagary OF
American sentiment and impulse after the
Venezuela Message. with it's menace OF war
upon kin acros. the eea- Protests are heard In
some quarters against the conversion OF mis-
sion FOR the deliverance Of Cuba into a cam
pagn Of conquest in the Philippines; but there
in q general conviction that the occupation OF
the East Indian group will be the logical guar
anty for the payment OF war indemnity when-
ever peace with Spain is negotiated Public
opinion. with some minor exceptions TO which I
shall refer below. is now with America IN the
war with Spain. and is setting strongly IN the
direction Of alliance In the near future
HOSTILITY IN OXFORD.
One hostile quarter Is oxford. have learned
from a trustworthy source that only two or
three Of the influential educators there are IN
sympathy with the United States. The dons
and students by immense majority are hos
tile critics OF American institutions, and are
outspoken in their hope that Spain VIII ad-
minister a large measure of discipline TO inflated
American pride. This lack of sympathy Will not
surprise any one who is familiar with the at
mosphere OF that University town. oxford Is the
most conservative and reactionary centre or
English thought and is fairly medieval in It's
tendencies II is the natural home OF lost
causes Slavery was defended there thirty
years ago during the Cvi War. 1t is not
strange that Spanish atrocities and misruie
should now find apologists and eulogists among
the narrow quadrangles and dimly lighted
chapels
Another stronghold OF antiAmerlcsn feeling
is the West End OF London Especially Is TINS
true OF the exclusive and smart sets. whose
prejudices and sympathies are against every
thing American. There can be no deep reflection
upon or accurate knowledge OF the causes OF war
over Cuba In that section Of London society
Not principles nor policies. nor morals are taken
into account by jaded and cynical pieasure-seek-
ess. who are lacking in earnestness and thought
fulness and are suffering from sheer safety OF