The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-04
Engiand'S Weakness.


worthy Of the name. The Tory party
came to its last lease of power largely
as a result Of popular discomfort with
the wane of English influence in CONT
mental affairs. What we should call a.
strong foreign policy has always
been, and always will be, dear to the
heart of the Englishman. He cannot
forget the glorious days of his coun-
try's history when she dictated to other
nations, and longs for their return. He
believes that England should be the
arblter Of Europe, and resents with
desperate indignation any confession
or weakness or any yielding on the
part Of his government to the demands
or designs of other powers.
Little inclined as England NAV be
for war it is not to be doubted that
her people would welcome the outbreak
of hostilities at any time, rather than
to yield their prestige or place in the
councils of the powers. 1t was because
the Gladstone government was suppos-
ed to have done this, because of the
counseled evacuation of Egypt and the
tate of Gordon, that it incurred an I'M
popularity almost equaling, if not ex-
ceeding, that attached to it's advocacy
OF home rule. The now familiar word
Jlhgo came into common use to de-
scribe the men who held that neither
humanity nor the rights of an alien
people nor international peace should
be allowed to interfere with the win
ming of glory by maintaining, through
force of arms if necessary, the head
ship of Great Britain and its right to
dictate terms to other nations. 1t was
believed that the return of the Tories
would bring back the era when English
cabinets and English ministers directed
affairs all over the globe, and when
no treaty of peace could be signed any.
where unless it's terms were satisfac-
tory to Englard's premier.
a test has been made, both Of dipIo-
matte skill and of standing among the
powers, in the recent developments in
China. 1t appears from these that
England has been at once outgeneral-
ed and overawed. Russia has secured
the withdrawal by Great Britain of
English influence in China; and, how
ever discreditable the work being done
there by the European nations should
q Gil fhn L
mand their share of it. Russia and
Germany are working with feverish
haste to fasten their grip upon China
and, at the very moment when they
are strengthening their position and
extending their power over an effete
and decrepit nation, England, yielding
abandons the field. Unless English
sentiment has changed vastly, and the
unanimous outburst of Indignation in
the English newspapers does not indf-
cate that it has, this action must be
disavowed and countermanded, or al
most any majority in parliament would
ed.
Taking it altogether the English
people have every reason to be dis
gusted and Inundated with the foreign
policy of Salisbury. He has added no
luster to the English name. He has
arrayed England against the Chris
tians of Crete and used the English
arms to uphold the hated sultan. He
has made a botch of the government
of India, in whose northern provinces
rebellion has become almost chronic
He has secretly sanctioned operations
in the Transvaal, according to the gen.
eral belief. which he would not have
dared to confess openly. Now. when
there is a great concerted movement
in Europe for the partition of China
all his maneuvers have ended only in
isolating England from the other DOW
ers, and abolishing her influence and
her part in the great transactions Of
TIL. day. The English people are most
sensitive to this sort Of failure. 1t
touches their pride more closely than
mistakes in domestic legislation and
economy. There will be new vigor in
the next assault upon the government,
and it would not be surprising if even
the great Tory majority should yield
to the awakened disgust Of the public
and its demand for a change that shall
restore to Great Britain her place and
reputation in the conduct of the world S
affairs.