The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-12-28
THE ERA OF THE MEDDLER.

If there is any one thing in which the
well-balanced American believes more
strongly than another it is the right of
the individual to mind his own business
in his own way so long as he does not
infringe ON the rights OF others or dis
turb the peace and happiness of his
neighbof. LatteI1y, to be sure, there has
grown UP an eXhuberant crop of societies
and organizations of one sort or another
which have gratuitously undertaken the
regulation of the universe and that vary,
according to their methods and
persistence. between the limits of the
bore and the insufferable public NUS
ance.
Recently, however, the doctrine, art
and use of attending to the business of
others withcut their consent is receiving
a vastly wider application and is sought
TO be injected as an established princi-
pie, grounded on precedent, into the dig
nified code of international law. Instead
of societies for the prevention and sup
preston of everything from a smoking
cigar to smoking chimney, we are to
have nations for the regulation of the
affairs of others, intensifying the mild
and general .suzerainty' or 'protectorate'
of other days into tyranny that finds
no detail too small for ats pestiferous at
tention.
1t is a doctrine as dangerous as it is
distasteful, justifable only in a limited
way and in great Emergencies. We inter
fered in Cuba only when Spanish rule
had become such an affront to civiliZa-
ton and such am offence against humani-
ty that it was intolerable and dangerous
to the United States. And now this
justifiable interference is sought to be
erected into precedent that any nation
may NEEDLE in the affairs of another
according OF the taste of the former. In
stead of sail governments derive their
just powers from the consent of the
governed" we now have .all govern
ments exercise their powers at the suf-
ferance of their larger neighbors.'
Take the case of the Transyaal. We
are told that the Beers are slow and
Backward that their government is not
really republic; that their civilization is
300 years out of date. And this is COM
placently given as ample justification for
nbuS
the New York Times says:
1.-The Transvaal is not republic of l.b-
erty and law. Compared to Paul Krugers
Government Tamnany Hall is Il mag
nifcent illustration of freedom and ma
jority rule The substitution OF British
rule for Kruger's rule would give the
people of the Transyaal their first ex
perience of Government under which
the rights of the individual are protect
ed by law, where liberty is guaranteed"
What business is it of Englands or Of
ours whether the Transvaal is a ''repub-
lie Of liberty" or not? 1t appears to be
such a republic as satisfies these who
have established it and who are govern
ed by it, who have carved it out of a
dtotIL anu ucltHuti IL TIC SAY
age blacks and the land-grabbing and
insolent English. The Beers have estab-
lished such a government as they want
just as we have done in this country; our
government has always been obnoxious
in form to the monarchies of Europe
fbut they have never undertaken to de-
stroy it on the simple ground that it was
not to their liking
The plea that England is right in the
war because the Transvaal refused to
make citizens of Englishmen ON terms
dictated by the latter is too shallow to
be seriously considered. We have not
only refused to make citizens of China
men but have actually refused them en-
trance to the country. Every nation mas
the indisputable right to fix such natural
ization laws as it deems necessary to its
interest. Natives of other countries are
given the privileges Of citizenship not
as right but as a concession from the
State. If the foreigner does not like the
conditions he is at liberty to get out. The
doctrine that the country from which he
comes can compel another to make him
into a citizen is too preposterous to be
seriously considered save by the adyo-
Gates of the new doctrine of international
meddling.
All men are born equal, but the major
ity of them find ii. easier to slide than II