The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-12-15
THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA.


At the beginning of the British-Boer war
the Journal remarked that while the Brit
ish would undoubtedly succeed in the end,
the Beers would probably give them an
might be considerably prolonged. 1t is be.
ing prolonged to an extent that must cause
humiliation as well as mourning through
out Great Britain. Thus far the British
have not gained a single material success
in the war, and they nave met with So
many disastrous defeats that the govern
ment and people may well begin to ask
themselves when the tide is going to turn,
or If it will turn at all. Not in a hundred
years, scarcely in modern times, has Great
Britain's military strength been put to so
severe a test or the prestige of the empire
been more seriously threatened. 1t is evil
dent that the British authorities greatly
underestimate the military strength as
well as the fighting qualities and mobility
of the Beers, and that they were ill pre-
pared for a war such as they are now en-
III INV
ever. that they did not begin the war, and
perhaps would gladly have postponed it
until they were better prepared and had
more troops in Africa. 1t is evident, also,
that the Boer government realized it's SUI
perior readiness, and that, war being UNI
avoidable, the sooner it began the more
u%nprepared the British would be and the
better chance the Beers would nave of
gaining important and perhaps even de-
cisive victories. In this view of the case
President Kruger's ultimatum, which was
couched in terms almost insulting TO Great
Britain. and which was doubtless intended
to precipitate war at once, was a shrewd
move on his part. The advantage gained
by precipitating hostilities several weeks
before British achievements could reach
Africa, thus enabling the Beers to infiict
some severe blows and bottle up the Brit
ish forces I'm Mafeking, L~adysmith, KIM
berley, etc.. has been followed up with
great energy and decided ability. The
campaign which the British thought would
be a victorious march to the Transvaal
capital has been occupied thus far in de-
Tending British territory from Invasion and
trying to relieve ~beleaguered towns in that
territory. Even this has not yet been ac-
complished. and in trying to accomplish it
the British have suffered some of the most
disastrous defeats in their history.
The Journal does not hesitate to say
that in a broad view of the case, and con-
sidering the interests of civilization and
the worlds progress. it's sympathy in the
present struggle is entirely with the Brit
ish. 1t is better for Africa, better for the
United States and better for the world
that South Africa should be and remain
under British rule than under Boer. One
can admire the bravery and stubbornness
with which the Beers fight for their sup
posed rights. including the right to enslave
the natives and Cypress and disfranchise
foreigners. but no one can point out any
prospect of gain for the worlds progress
in their success. The success of the British
in South Africa is as clearly in the interest
of civilization as is that of the Americans
in the Philippines. And in each case the
national honor and the prestige of the
Anglo-Saxon race is equally involved.
Having taken up the gage of battle
thrown down by the Beers the British can
no more afford to stop short of a complete
establishment of their supremacy in South
Africa than the United States could to
haul down the American flag and with
draw from the Philippines. In both cases
the stake is far too great to permit any
doubt as to the determination of the SUI
perior power to win. If the Americans had
suffered as serious disasters in the Philip
pines as the British have in South Africa
they would simply redouble their efforts to
turn defeat into victory. So will the Brit
ish. They will win because the prestige
of the empire. if not the empire itself, is
at stake, and they cannot afford to lose.
Their ugly quarter of an hour is being
prolonged to a degree hat must be very
and humiliating to them. but
they will turn the tide, and when it turns
it will run very strong the other way.