The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-31
Held at Bay BY Two Of the Smallest Re-
puhlies on the Face Of the Earth,
Longing Eyes Turn to America for
the Good Will Which in the
Past Has Been Almost Scorned
Papers and People on All Sides
No Longer Make Any Attempt
to BelittIe the Desirability of
Securing the Friendship Of the
Greatest Nation Among AL
Powers.

NS0se>e>-e
Greatest Nation Among AL
Powers.
copyrighted. 1899, by Associated fress3
LONDON, Dec. 30.-It is strange TO
note that as the New Year dawns Tor
Great Britain the greatest army sne
ever put in the field remains passive
in South Africa, held at bay by two
of the smallest republics on the face
of the earth; while at home, in slpte
of the large volume of trade and APP
parent prosperity, her financial inter-
ests are in a state of instability not
seen since the Barring crash. All Eu-
rope is yelping at her heels, ana the
necessity for Americas friendship Is
recognized on all sides. Papers ana
people that for years have been READY
with a jibe for Americas good Will now
no longer make any attempt to bellt-
tie the desirability of securing her
friendship.
America" says the Globe Us
ually humorous at the expense OF all
things trans Atlantic, with crop OF
542, 10000 bushels. is especially in a
position to help US"
The economic shoe already begins to
pinch the military foot Not very Sc
riously, but enough to suggest grave
cogitations as to what would happen
if Great Britain were at war with
great Power The fact that the Gov
eminent has chartered so many trans
ports has resulted in rise in the price
;c icip
and bounds to famine prices. 1t is such
unpleasant results as these that silence
the scoffer at things American, ana
induce such vituperative publication
as the Saturday Review to say: The
Americans have had their eyes open
as to the possibilities Of a foreign
policy, and are taking a sounder, besides
a cooler view of the situation. They
are not less friendly to US than be-
fore, but the insincere element has been
eliminated, and has left a reliable sub
strata of good will Which contention
the Saturday Review under different
circumstances would doubtless hav
constructed into damning evidence of
the insince1ity of American friendship.
1t must not be inferred that this
view is held by many of the sincere
English friends Of America, who now
point at what they are pleased to term
it's great friendship as proof Of what
they have always maintained.
With such a serious outlook for the
coming year, it is hardly surprising
that articles appear under the head
ing, Are we decadent?" and similar
strains.
On nfI &c CIT n
small section of the press and public
which devoted its energies to sense
lessly abusing the Beers, and prophe-
sying the speedy entry of the British
into Pretoria. Yet, on the whole, the
organs voicing the better class of opin-
ion face 1900 and it's eventualities in
South Africa with an even-minded un-
hysterical determination that compels
admiration. That there will be a day
of reckoning for some one is certainty
that even the most guarded and con-
sentative do not try to conceal. Wheth-
er it be Lord Lansdowne, Lord Wollse-
ley or General Buller,it is impossible to
tell. But all the information obtain
able at present and the gist of criti-
cisms point to Lord Lansdowne having
to shoulder the onus for the terrible
mismanagement.
While Great Britain feeds contented-
ly' upon long special cables showing
American friendship, the Boer agents IN
Europe believe sentiment in the United
States has been gradually turning Boer-
ward, until the time is now ripe to de-
velop it into material effect. Under this
impression the Associated Press learns
that they are contemplating dispatching
a special mission to the United States
for the purpose of influencing public
opinion, possibly by open meetings, and
by personally assisting the efforts OF
those in Congress whom they believe
friendly. Moreover, they consider it
advisable to offset what they declare
has been a systematic campaign of
John Hays Hammond, the American
engineer, who Yves a member of the
johannesburg Reform Committee, to in
f1uence Washington opinion. If the
plans now under consideration are car
ried out, the mission will include very
prominent Boer agent and a pro-Boer
member of the British Parliament, who
intended to sail this week. but was pre-
vented by what is thought to be a tenn
pOraTy QlICu III lIle iSclIIeAlS. InelT
desire is to affiliate themselves with no
particular party, but influencing polit
ical and public opinion to secure at
least an offer of mediation from the
United States.
A representative of the Associated
Press has made careful inquiries, but
failed to find any circumstances to war
rant the belief that such an offer, how
ever made, would receive the slightest
consideration.
The British Government is threatened
with coal famine, the most serious
Of recent weeks Unless
the conditions improve many Industrial
concerns depending on the coal supply
may have to suspend operations before
February, as their margin of profit is
rapidly being wiped out The root of
the trouble appears to be the with
drawal of so many Golfers to take their
places in the ranks of the reserves.
Wages have gone up, but labor is hard
to find. The normal Christmas conges-
ton of traffic aggravates the situation,
while the Government need of fuel for
xoccolc ona ~,