Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-10-16
BRITISH PRESS OF AMERICA
AND SOUTH AFRICAN WAR


An Incubus that fitted about an editorial
sanctum gazed with bieary orbs upon the
Geographic dispatches from South Africa
and he snorted out:
This is awful This is terrible! Those
bigoted, unprogressive, sodden Beers have
blown tram load of Sunday school schol-
ars to atoms. Civilization stands aghast
and shivers in her night shirtl
A plain American Citizen standing by
was alarmed.
oh" continued the Incubus, that
could shed a few quarts OF tears. Think
of it, friend; think of it! Several trains
full of dear little rosy checked children in
their Sunday frocks blown TO wienarwurst
1t will bring the contempt of the world
upon these bigoted Beers. 1 will write a
dcuble-leaded editorial that will curdle the
blood of humanity, telling of this gross and
outrageous act!"
But said the Citizen, "the train blown
up was not a passenger train, but an ar
mo-ed train, and no children were on it.
1t carried nothing but munitions of war
and soldiers-in fact a movable fort. The
dispatch you are reading there says as
much An armored train is as fit an OBJ
ject for attack as war vessel and if nom
combatants are aboard that is not the fault
of the attacking party; but in this case no
non-eombatants were on the train
No matter" snorted the Incubus II
will villify the people at every opportuni-
ty. will do all in my power to scandaIize
them before the world. / will feed on ner-
vines and let my imagination have full
swath-I am an administration Republic
can-I am an Notwithstanding mods.
I follow-I say. tell with Republics any
way!'
The Incubus then wrote a malicious
falsehood and put it in his editorial col
umn. His Geographic reports proved him
liar.
The moral support and sympathy of the
world is overwhelmingly with the Beers.
This country is no exception. Yet it must
be admitted that there are a few citizens
among us, one journal of some promi-
nence, and a few others of less respect
able type who. if they ever had any Amer
icanism, have long ago lost it, and now
openly champion Britain's infamous con-
duct toward the South African republic.
This little class is composed of the same
element that at present dare not read the
Declaration of independence and who could
States unless the story of the Revolution
and the War of 1872 had been expurgated
from its pages. The degenerating infiu-
ences that have wrought this result is ap-
pallng. These persons have Invested
themselves of Americanism and patriotism
to follow through the mlre of political
degradation, the aimless wanderings of
feeble and purblind executive.
This group will libel the Afrkanders
continuously for the simple reason that
it appears that it will meet with the silent
approval of Mckinley.
These imperialists will have much upon
which to fabricate and distort, as it viii
be almost impossible to secure accurate
news from South Africa, except through
long delayed letters. News coming from
Eatal is now under military censorship
Cape Colony, it is said, will soon follow
and then we will get just such news as
suits the purposes of the British govern
ment-we will hear of wonderful British
victories, and appalling Boer atrocities
something of the OTIS order-a mass of rot
and falsehood. BARON JONES.