The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-11-29
ENGLAND'S CHANGE.

T HE seriousness OF the situation OF British arms
in South Africa is emphasized by Great Brit
aims notice 10 the powers that she is engaged
in war with the two South African republics
She brought on the war by the claim OF suzerainty
IN the internal affairs OF the Transvaal and began her
military demonstration in the claim that she was pro-
posing the punishment OF rebels who were in revolt
against her sovereignty and lawful jurisdiction. This
claim was in line with her policy of demanding OF the
Transvaal Republic certain changes in its purely in
ternal and domestic laws In its abandonment she
abandons the whole cause and provocatlon. She adj
mit that she had right TO interfere in the domestic
affairs OF that government 1t Will be observed that
her actual suzeranty the international affairs OF
the Transvaal simply the assertion IN South
African affairs OF an English Monroe doctrine, by
which she proposed that European Governments
should gain there a foothold, south OF the Zambes,
except the territory already in the possession OF PoT
tugal and Germany She aspred to the hegemony OF
South Africa in the same sense in which the United
States became the leader OF the Western Hemisphere
BY the Venezuelan message OF Mr. Cleveland. Her
notice TO the world now that she is not in pursuit
OF rebels TO punish them but is at with the two
independent republics notice that she is not out 10
recover jurisdiction OF her territory but to add
her possessions by conquest, that she desires to
abandon hegemony for conquest
This greatly clears the air and in definite sense
improves Englands moral situation, since 1t relieves
her OF the onus OF an obviously false pretense.
In Germany it is taken as opening the way to in
tcrcession OF the powers which may now intervene
in behalf OF the Beers without being impeached OF
hostility to Great Britain 1t is a settled principle
that when Government is dealing with rebellion
against its lawful authority any interference IS hos
tile and unriendy act We stood upon that principle
during our Civil War. and that the other nations re-
spected it was a prime factor in our final success
But when a nation Is bent on conquest, or is pun
ishing another nation for nraction OF settled rights
the whole aspect changes and other powers acquire
an interest and may exercise rights that utterly
absent when 4 rebellion is under treatment Having
materially rghted the position she must occupy in
history England now becomes subject to the action
OF the powers just as Russia did when her arms had
overborne the Turks in the Balkan campaign. She
had Turkey at her mercy; she could enter Stamboul.
she could expel Turkey from Europe. But England
and Germany and France interfered and made the
fruit OF her conquest an affair be dealt with by
concert OF the powers and the result the treaty
OF Berlin by which Russia forbidden take what
she had won in battle, and her dream OF port
the Bosphorus had to be abandoned. In that treaty
England was the leader. and she established prece
dent which she cannot disown with honor. She
stood, in the beginning OF this war, independent OF
European diplomacy and seemingly relied entirely
upon what she pleased to treat as sentimental
alliance with the people OF the United States. The
cause OF her sudden change is a mystery. 1t may
have been some recent plain evidences that the people
OF this country refuse TO be treated her allies.
And so It may that she feels safer in the hands
OF a European concert than in such American al
lance II this be that concert once established,
may make concessions to her that would project its
consideration into American pretensions in the Orient
that will bode good to the imperial ambitions Of
the United States