The Portland daily press., 1899-12-28
JOHN AND JONATHAN.
They Are Pretty Good Friends Nova
days.
(London Times. }

AT u tlUuf WI8u tut Nonbtutnt NAuk1
with denunoiations Of this country, evil
IDENTIFY written by persons who have never
taken the trouble to inform themselves
concerning the facts Of the struggle In
South Africa, IL 10 very cheering and re-
freshing Of the English people to note the
sympathy and the Intelligent compre-
hsnsion manifested In the United States.
We should prize this American sympathy
In any case, but 1t beco mes doubly crate.
ful when IL 10 manifs silly based upon de-
iiberate and well-inforinsd judgment Of
the essential merits Of the quarrel, ss
we'll as upon recipr ocatlon OF the kindly
feelings with which we in this country
regard American aims aud enterprises.
Our colonies have shown In the most IN
mistakaole manner what Is the verdi,t OF
communities within the
Empire. They have amply confirmed the
Judgment Of the psople Of this country,
and have thereby indefinitely strengthened
our moral position in the eye Of the
world. But our satisfaction could not
have been complete had the great Eng
l,sh. speaking community outside the En-
pirs withheld sympathy and appreciation.
Happily thru Is no reason to fear that IL
will withhold either. The bulk Of Ameri-
can opinion Is ranging itself rs heartily
upon our side In the present quarrel ss
was English opinion on the side OF Amer
lea in her crusade against misgovsrn-
ment In Cuba. In both cases there was
room for misconceptions. and In both
oasis the political aptitude fostered by
free speech and free institutions has en-
abled the mas OF the people In England
ard In America to disregard the super
floial aspects Il the questions. and to
penetrate to the essential and permanent
conditions. We say the macs Of the peo-
pie because In both cases, as must happen
In all cases OF the kind, there IL
minority, vocal out Of proportion to Its
mere husks Of tho controversy. There
were a tsw people In England who. In the
case of the war with Spain, were con-
tent with senti men talisms about q power
full state attacking = weak one, and with
techuicslities concerning the right Of the
Americans to interfere In the affairs OF
another nation. There were, II we re-
mem Der Alright, one or two Americans
unfortunate enough TO meet only these
people In their travels In this country,
und ready accordingly to maintain that
British sympathy was with Spain. 80
there are some people In America who
ssntim en- talizs about weak communities
and repu blican forms Of govsInment. and
who never get any nearer the fundam en-
tai facts and Lernensnt conditions than
MIR. Courtney or MIR. Morley. Also there
are unfortunate travelling kngiishmen
who mistake these Intellectual persons for
the American people, and who tall las ac-
cordingly that American sympathy IL
with the Beers.
nnt In, t,ot tho nnininn
the community here and In Americ, has
been formed upon the broad issuef. The
English people saw that America stoon
Tor freedom, good government and pro
grass, while Spain represented inoapacity
In administration, the oppression OF
subject races, and the sterilization and
bankruptcy of q codntry posse ssinR all
the elem IT'S of wealth and prosperity
They did not trouble themselves about
parchments, II there were ally upon which
International 5urists might assert or deny
the right of this United States TO put an
end to crying evil nc thsir gates. They
did not enter into minute analysis OF the
negotiations. or inquire whether Presi-
dent Mckinley used the new diplomacy
or the old. They saw that great and
kinured people, speaking their own Ideals
language ana pursuing thar own Ideal
Of government and of life. had come Go
the conclusion that the Cuban survival
from the miuule A yes coulu nob pe tciDt-
ated any longer. They accordingly gave
their sy mpathy to that kindred people.
and counted themselves happy that they
had 1t In their power to IN AXE SYM athy
useful by giving pause to those who were
Itching Co intsrfere. 1t Is the same In
America today. The American people
are not blinded by the accident that the
Transvaai calls itself n republic They
know that every essential attribute OF
republic Is wanting, that the govern
ment is corrupt oliParchy, TINT the
ajori5y of Ike Inhabitants hsvs no
rolitical and hardly any civil rights, that
the disfranohised end oppressed majority
have yet to pay practically ali the ex-
penses of the administration that OF
presses them, and, finally, that the Boer
government sta3dina for all that IL retro.
gressive and impossible is armed TO the
teeth and prepared to extend It's sway
over the whole Of South Africa. They
know that England stands for the equal
laws, the individual freedom. the liberal
opportunity, and I he enrgeiic progress
which make up their cwD republican
ideal and as England pumped for the
United States so do the United States
now plump tor England without regard
te ha hniaa IitiAa a