The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-04
CONTEMPORARY EDITORIALS.


!
Boston Post.
In considering the chances OF the South
African war II should be borne In mind
that the EngIishmen OF this generation
have never been engaged in fight with
white men except once. THAI was when
they tried TO wipe out tie Boer iesu3lis
In 1880 and failed. During the len.ury
they have laced white men In bate oIiy
three times besides this; once IN the war
OF the allies against Napoleon, once in ouf
war of 1872 and again in the Cr.mean wa.
The last OF these ended iorty-hve vas
ago. All the practice In warfare Will b
the British army has had has beea in
\ conflicts with dark skinned races, iniesior
/ in organization and far Inferior in e4uip-
ment. Its wars have been wars for the
most part against savages--AtgEans,
Egyptians, Deryishes Slkhs, IA is Bur-
mese, Indians. Chinese, Maofis, Ashlntees.
ZuIus. Abyssinians.
! Now again Englishmen eind themselves
lighting white men, and II IL scen to be q
different thing altogether. The Bees are
! of the same race as their antagonists.
They know military science They have
the use of guns and proje,ii'oj som o.
which are as effective as those usei b. tn ,
British And, as Paul Kruger sad when
he accepted Joseph Chamberlain's cha
lenge they interd to make G.eat Britain
pay for the Transyaa price that will
stagger humanity.
Skilled and Reckless Liars.
Philadelphia Times.
or all the latter day liars that We know
of the press censor at the front is the
least skiiful and most reckless. This is
probably due to the fact that lying Is no,
part of the curriculum Of miliiar?
school and that, therefore, n Is an
amateur at the business. We Of this com
try have had some experience of the geh-
tleman of the Philippine campaign, bat
in pure aud simple mendacity the CENSOR
at the Manila end of the ocean cable colld
not hold candle TO the Brtisher who
manlpulates The news from the seat o!
war in South Africa. Seine of those arith
metic cranks who can tell to a nicely how
many fve-dollar bills 1t would take 10
cover the United States an Inch deep has
figured out that, according 10 the British
censor, the Beers have already lost close
10 $4,000 men and that at Mafeking, for
instance, the only British loss has been
one mule and the demolition of an old
camp kettle.
The British military censor. TO whom
cold and hard facts seem an abomina s,
may feel justified in killing off Beers by
| the hundreds. He argues, probably, tha.
the British are in Ladysmith or Kimberley
or Mafeking for the express purpose OF
Strengthening the burghers and that II they
fail to do SO by the sword he has per-
feet right TO do it by the pen. But can he
not do it more artistically?
! e a n I.
| A Coming Production.
Laredo Times.
Next Monday week, just nine days from
today, congress will convene and then the
country will be one vast audience of spec
tators. as it We're, with the floors OF COR
gress 80 the stage and then seventy mil
| lions of people will watch the play with
undated interest to see what the rendition
| will be in the great imperialistic plot, to
! say nothing of other very interesting feat
ures which may be expected TO crop out
! here and there in the great play. AS to
! whether the big audience will he largely
! pleased or largely displeased with the
! performance, remains to be seen, but one
Thing is certain, AMI that is that they will
| be very attentive.