The San Francisco call., 1899-11-02
THE BRITISH REVERSE.

! South Africa. The nations nave grown aCCus-
toned to Engands triumphant march OF en-
pre Since her loss of the American colonies she has
had no serious reverse Her policy mapped out
bv that British statesman who cried out: lhe road
TO greatness is in getting land Get landl Get land!
And never surrender single grain OF sand
In pursuance of that policy she has been getting
land in every zone and frequently with disregard OF
the rights OF its owners and its sovereignty But the
shadow on her path amply ustihes the craftsmanship
OF Blaine who said land should not be acquired by
force when it carried an indignant and hostile popu
lation Where England has been able to displace an
aboriginal race by planting her own people, under
physical conditions that permit their perpetuation
from generation to generation, her policy has
strengthened rather than weakened her. In Canada
New Zealand and Australia she has the moral and
physical support OF people of her own race and
blood who enjoy the benefit of her institutions. But
IN tropical India and throughout her conquest in the
torrid zone she rules sulen population, indignant
and hostile under vertical that bars out her
own blood.
Her present attempt is in reality to end duality Of
sovereignty in South Africa and make right of way
for Cairo to Cape railroad ground under British
control
In its execution she must wipe out the two Dutch
republics Their people in arms fighting for their
independence and their homes. If they are overcome
and their selfgovernment is destroyed the survivors
will constitute that indignant and hostile population
described by Mr.. Blaine.
So far the South African republicans have the ad-
vantage in the fighting They have the enduring ad-
vantage that is always with men who are defending
their homes against invasion. The United States is
beginning to realize what this advantage is, though
we are fighting weak and poorly equipped people
Spain defended her conquests against us only II4
days The Filipinos have withstood more than
twice that time and the end is not yet.
1t is easy to foresee the exceeding danger of Eng
lands position The news of her reverses rings
around the world In hither and farther India and
Ceyon the alien races she has subjected by force be-
gin to feel the sap OF manhood surge under the skin
II her situation in South Africa does improve her
Eastern empire may be in revolt from the Chitral
to Mandalay. Glencoe and Ladysnith may be TO
her what the Teutobergerwald to Rome in the
time OF Augustus, and the modern world may receive
lesson in the weakness of universal empire that
will inspire men to accept true that the meek will
inherit the earth not the strong.
The disasters which have far attended her CAM
paign against the Beers are dreadful when viewed
from the standpoint OF her prestige They are pitt
ful when considered from human point OF view
The Beers are utterly isolated, in an international
doctrine that few strong nations have the right to
divide the planet between them In the greed-gotten
Judgment of those who govern, weak people, free
souled but few have rights deserving the respect
OF the strong. So from capital OF any country
except Holland has gone an expression OF sympathy
under the seal OF power and authority The Beers
have only the sky above them and underfoot the
land they pioneered whereon their homes are built
They have gone out against Goliath of Gath and
their ammunition is from the brook Kedron. Among
the people OF the nations thrill responsive to
their courage and in applause OF their victories but
that is all.
England, with her thousand battleshps and her
prestige and the support OF the commercial spirit in
the United States holds the nations at bay. On her
side the reverses OF her arms are pitul too The
best she breeds the flower OF her gentry and
yeomanry, have gone against the republics as the
legions OF Varus went against Hermann We are
sorry for the errand which they were ordered and
lament their dead, fallen in such cause American
feeling rises to the throat the spectacle OF grim old
Joubert soothing the pillow OF General Symons,
closing his dazed eyes, and then from the scene Of
battle sending his sorrow and coincidence to the
agonized widow in far England.
Perhaps the best can wish now is that the
Boer victories be so closely followed by others as to
compel England to listen to requests for mediation
rather than that she should enter upon war OF
determination, exhaustive OF her resources and peril
Ous TO her er1Oire