Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-03-04
ENGLAND'S
Present IS oIatiOn the
Es entIal Cause of Her
Lost Prestige.

-
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Even prior to the present war signs
! We're not wanting that the foreign pol
| icy of England was no longer guided
in the fashion at once safe and master
~, which has been characteristic OF
English methods as applied by the for
.nef race OF her statesmen Her for
eign policy seems now to be at the
| mercy of events, which moro capable
management would perhaps be able
to control or at least influence. She
no longer seems to have in view a de-
| finite end toward which she advances
firmly and inflexibly by the path she
has chosen for herself as that OF least
resistance, overcoming by combina-
ton of prudence and courage every OBJ
stacle that interposes barrier To her
| further progress. On the contrary, We
see her fling herself without rehcxtion
| into thOughtless and hair-brained ad-
ventures from the results of which she
is able to extricate herself only at the
loss of her dignity and her honor as a
nation. Alternately rash and timid,
at one moment she makes an impru-
dent advance to be shortly followed by
a cowardly and disgraceful retreat; we
| find her stirring up needless Difficult
ties for herself by taking up untenable
| positions which she is soon obliged to
abandon, thus continually exposing
herself to checks which are not ealeu-
lated to enhance her prestige or in
crease her influence. And it is main
| ly upon the prestige of former days
that England depends in order to
maintain her position among the great
powers of the world. The loss of her
prestige means England's ruin within
q very short period. And who can say
what will be the results when the
statesmen, upon whom she relies to
administer her affairs, seem quite I'M
able to foresee the outcome of the var
ious steps they take, when her course
seems to depend upon the little acct
dents of the moment, rather than upon
any broad general principles? A great
and worldwide empire, If it is to have
Z permanent existence, must be admin
.stered in a very different manner.
A striking instance of this inability
on the part of England to take d large
merited view of things, embracing the
distant future, no less than the present
moment, has been furnished by her
statesmen not perceive then in this
little boundary dispute there were
present circumstances that might in
volve her in serious controversy with
the United States; controversy now,
it is true, settled, but which might
have easily led to a war in which her
highest interests, including her very
existence, would have been at stake?
What excuse could there possibly be
for such useless display of Cbstin-
acy? Surely it would have been sound
policy to settle amicably this misund-
erstanding with Venezuela, while it
was yet time, in order not to furnish
the United States with any possible
ground of interference, which meant
another wound to her dignity, another
check in addition to the great number
that has recently fallen to her lot.
And this may also apply to the Trans
vaal where the final result is sure to
give rise to an understanding between
Russia, France and Germany, which
Will never allow her to rob the two
small republics OF the freedom they
have shown the world they were high
~ worthy of. 1t is quite certain that
in this matter Lord Salisbury has been
| completely at the mercy of circum-
stances which he was unable either to
foresee or to control.
Are these late facts merely isolated
circumstances in recent English his
tory? Indeed, within the last few
years numberless have been the occa-
sions on which England has displayed
the utmost imprudence; she has COM
mitted mistake with recklessness that
seemed to border ON insanity, and the
result of all this has been many a Bit
ter disappointment. Who cen reckon
the instances when, after having ad-
vanced she has been compelled to re-
treat; the instances when having
framed elaborate combinations, she
has seen them end in the most igno-
minious failures? No one who has
followed with attention the diplomatic
history OF Great Britain for the last
few years will not find any thing sur
prising in the present situation. Such
persons will recognize that one essen
tlal cause has been responsible for
EnglandS present isolation and for the
numerous checks she has sustained
therefrom. That cause is the contin-
ued occupation of Egypt in isolation
of the most solemn engagements. The
Scriptures tell US that righteousness
exalteth nation" England cannot
with justice lay claim to righteousness
or truthfulness as one OF her good
qualities; we all remember that by
the terms of her engagements her oc-
cupation of Egypt should have termi-
mated long since. But in defiance of
truth and honor, she seems to have
taken for motto the well known Mar
shall McMahons words at Malekoff,
Here am, and here | stay"
For the purpose of turning the at
tention of the powers more directly
concerned from the question OF Egypt
she has done her utmost TO create di-
versions of nature to render them
alarmed for their interests elsewhere.
France in particular has been the OBJ
ject of her schemes, as clumsily con-
trived as they were treacherous and
dishonorable. 1t is only necessary to
mention the attitude of the English
Cabinet with regard to Siam, the Con-
so, Fashoda and that much more mis-
chievous policy by which she entered
into relations, more or less intimate,
with Italy with the evident object 10
give grounds for alarm to France on
the side of the Mediterranean. thus