The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-02

Cousin Jonathan Makes Continental
Flesh Creep.


Correspondence London Mail.
A night or two since i enjoyed the almost
forgotten experience OF hearing Great
Britain spoken of in friendly tones.
Around the large center table of the cafe.
which is at once our home and the club In
this little German town, were grouped
French, Germans and Spanish visitors. To
these, later on. joined himself a
l use the word In its L. S. meanins-and
a typical one; quiet, educated, self-con-
Jained, but eloquent and instinct with that
dry pawky humor which grows down
The latest newg from the front had just
been posted up, and had, of course, re-
opened the eternal subject of the war, and
for hours flowed a ceaseless stream of bit
ter words, often in French, more often IT,
German, but always TO the same effect
the probability of an European coalition
against England after the exposition.
contemptuous references to our petty army;
to our nation. great only in her wealth
and brave only to the weak" and all the
stock diatribes OF continental hate. L nave
long since ceased disputing with them; on
the understanding that the name of the
Queen is never mentioned disrespectfully
they are free to Kill all England with their
mouth" without disturbing my piacidity;
but the Yankee seemed interested and,
about midnight he began to talk; because
of his Nation, he was listened to in COM
p~arative quiet, though his conclusions were
very unexpected.
"Messieurs," he said. quietly-and the
down East drawl chung even to his we'll
phrased French-'you have remarked many
times that this war will cost England very
dear, but you Will pardon my observing
that It will cost YOU other European ma
lions still more dear. England has been
sleeping very comfortably, satisfied with
her toy army. and feeling secure behind
the bulwarks of her tremendous fleet. She
is the first of you to taste a land war un-
der modern conditions, and the bitter
ness of the draught has driven slumber
from her eyes. All your papers have
goaded her for months as to her inabil-
ity to wage a land war in Europe II 1t
were necessary; you have all been walk
ing around with chips on your shoulders,
tempting her to knock them or as we say
in the United States.
'H you had rested quiet, England might
have gone to sleep again, and her sons
have still remained in their marvellous ig-
norance as TO your real feelings. But, as
things are, you will now learn the power
of that long purse. This war Is but an
episode; 1T will pass, but South Africa Will
never again pass from British control.
And you will see the English armies grow
and grow: you will see her bayonets bris-
tie as thick as pines in an uncleared for
est. You say all England's army Will be
wanted to prevent rebellion in India and
her colonies, but / tell you those colonies
will raise armies, not to rebel, but to
guard their own shores and to fight their
mothers battles If need be. Your own jour-
nails have sown the dragons teeth, and
each taunt will raise an armed Englishman
against you: and now for every British
uniform ordered you nations must order
two. Those of you who groan under tax
alton will groan more, and the mesneS OF
your CONSUMPTION laws Will be drawn still
closer together to hold you all In their net;
your widows sons may have to serve, and
you may not be able to buy your years
exemption.
you tell me of your huge armies and
vast ornaments. You need them Yester-
day / was at Vaals"-(many of my read
ers will know this little frontier place close
to ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1 saw, amid
the plantations, the three pillars of stone
placed triangle-wise, and In the center of
them the iron post bearing the Belgian
lion and crown. / could step from Ger
many to Holland, and from Holland to Bel
GUM. If E~ngland's neighbors could step
like that over into her farmyard she would
nave five million men to take care of her
cattle. Now. / am myself no great admirer
of England; her lions pull her chariot
through with little regard where they
plant their paws; but 1 tell you they will
never stop until Great Britain pulls the
reins. You yourselves know best If you
could agree together to arrest those lions
and rifle that chariot: but by the Eter-
NAL as one of my countrymen used TO
say, some of you would get so terribly
clawed if you did that you would never
look the same again.
This was the substance of his remarks.
1t seemed to rather damp the spirits OF
most of those there. From the spires of
hour OF two, and ii was considered too late
to argue in reply. l should have liked TO
applaud, but it would have been rubbing
salt into wounds, so i contented myself,
British-wise by asking the down-easter
what he would drink.