The times., 1899-11-02
THURSDAY. NOVEMBER ?, 1899.
Briton and Roer.


Because the British arms ia Natal have
suffered some temporary reverses, no one
assumes that. therefore. they will rot lie
triumphant, or that the objects OF the war
N South Africa viii not be accomplished
in the end The alarm over the present
situation which appears to be felt b. The
English populaee is hardly serious. If We
were TO investigate il closely We should
probably find wounded vanity as the only
basis. This feeling is not TO be wondered
at. Tor. as one Of the Queens Fetirei gen
erals observes. such a thing as a British
brigade capitulaung in the open fed has
been unhesrd Of since the sun. nder Of
Burgorne
The charges reported TO have b en- nads
by Lord Wolzeley against Lord Ian 56owne
the British Secretary Of War if true. show
Jhat imperial Interests lave b-en badly
managed. ard a policy Of murderous ina
tivity maintained in London To- the Tast
year That policy. whoever may be re-
spolsible for IT., Eas led 10 ths use ess
slaughter, weurdiug. or capture Of many
braFe officers and men, and his problb.y
doomed a gallant little skeleton army to
defeat All this is humi.iating 70 Bri.i
pride. ana eXasperating TO a nstoaal p-b-
lic. many OF whose members have vacant
chairs at their Ecsrthstoucs. ard angus d
hearts. 10 show for official incapaclty CT
Indifference. But. the past cannot be re-
called M ranks viii c-ose Up. the b1El
HII blow aud Tommy atkins VII ind his
7.sy 20 Pretoria. cIl the sane
e0gs var ia which England is enga5eL 1t
is war Tor the very prime PIES fos which
our .ora.atneIs fought at Lexington,
Bunker Bill Saratoga, and 70 kt5wn. Il
lly E.an questions this in his mind. le- him
ausiyze tie causes Of the quarrel
Iho oppressed Ouuanders entered the
Transvaal just as our forebelrs entered
The colonies. without opposition. and rathe
with the welcome OF tle p-orrie arg.
When the Outlanders developed The re-
sources Of the country, wrested wealth
with hard labor from reluctant nature. be-
came numerous and wealthy and almost
entirely supported the state. their Beer
overlords OF the Pretoria olig8rchy deter
mined that the status quo was a pleasant
one and that they should forever b. denied
civil and political rights, and remain in
q condition Of helpless seIfdom. In ana a.
gous circumstances, the Ame ian coon 5sts
revolted and secured justice. They were
iu a better position tc night the battle fer
freedom than their Ouuander followers
have been. Oppression in the American
colonies had never gone the length cf
denial ot civil rights, OF Of the right 10 own
firearms, and, otherwise, the struggle was
easier TIE dowutrodden OutIa1ders
could only suffer and pray their pr mt ma
1lon TO succor them
There Is not an American today who IL
asked which scheme Of civil -zaaol he
would prefer 10 live under the Boer with
its religious Intolerance azd prescription.
and its treatment OF ali non Beers as hated
beiots. or the British, with its free self
government, tolerance, and respect for
human and property rights, wEo wol-d not
instantly pronounce Tor the latter.
II Is for the paramountey Of that liberal
Christian civilization in whose broad and
kindly view Catholic. Prolezts4t. Jew.
BrahmIn, and Buddhist are all eq ally en-
titled 10 live work, and prozDe-. tat the
little band Of Britons al Ladys-.ta and
the forIorn hopes at Kimberley ana lIai.-
king are Offering their lives II is because
the establishment and Derpetuation OF
Anglo-saxou civilization and institutions
in South Africa depend upon British VIC
tory and the suppression OF Boerish bar
barism that the fight must go on inexor-
ably. There can be 10 halt, and no inter-
veuuon that might involve a continuance
OF the old conditions. The obstructive
forces OF fanaticlsm, ignorant selfzhness,
and brutality must be crushed, once and
f0r al.