The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-02-28

UNI appropriate
celebration of the anniver-
- sary of Majuba Hill simpifies
the problem of the British
campaign in the Orange Free State and
makes probable an early siege of Pre-
toria. So long as Cronje's command
it, it was an expensive clog upon the
forward movement of the invading
corps. There is good reason to believe
that the British commander could have
forced an earlier cap(tulation, but he
had to deal, not only with the enemy
in force, hut also with the peculiar
attitude of public opinion which has
regarded with satisfaction every ex-
hibition of ferocity by the Beers yet
has denied to the English the military
right to make reprisals in kind
Had Cronje caught Roberts In the
trap which proved Cronjes own undo
ing. there would. 1t lis safe to believe,
have been no fine scruple in withhold
ing heavy bombai dment. Either the
British army would have had to sur
render Immediately and uncondition-
ally or else it would have been shot at
and pounded by the Boer guns until no
alternative but surrender was left.
This is war. War is not a pastime Of
courtiors. AS General Sherman said, it
Is hell. But the war which Lord Rob-
erts has had to wage is not simply a
pitting OF strength against strength but
wary and polite use of strength so
as to avoid the Offering of pretexts for
foreign Intervention or diplomatic em-
Darrassment. In estimating the signifl-
canoe of Cronje's surrender this cir
cumStance needs to be borne in mind
1t tends somewhat to offset Lord Rob-
crts' superiority of strength
The defense OF the Beers has been
magnificent. Their courage can never
again be questioned. Nor has their
Generalship been inferior. The STRAIT
csy of Cronie's retreat is admitted on
every hand. The strategy of his hold
ing out for a sufficient time to enable
the other BOer forces to perfect their
plans OF future resistance is apparent.
These qua.iries command universal adj
mlration ana viii operate to soften the
ultimate terms of peace, Eut it cam
not be overlooked by those who are
disposed to pc fair in This matter that
the necessity for all this slaughter was
forced by Boer obstinacy in refusing.
in the first place. 20 deal justly ana
enntahiy with the English speaking
people whom they had invited TO take
up "a residence within Boar territ Try
and whom they aflerwa"d mis-gov-
erned outrageously.
1t would be the policy Of wisdom 70.
| the Transvaalcrs to anticipate the in
! eVitab(e by early Overtures for peace
| England in the end is bound to over
| come resistance by force. Having gone
| So far she could not now do otherwise
4 policy by the Beers Of mere dogged
| opposition would cost many more lives
| and much additional treasure. but 1,
| could not avert the imperious necessity
! which is uron England to free South
! Africa of olisarchic oppression and to
! open all the territory from CapatoWn
| To the Lmpopo to equal justice ami
| equal rights. We indulcc 70 hope. how
ever, that this fact will be appreciated
at Pretoria. The Beers have set thei,
/ stubborn heads for war to The last
ditch and they will persist simply to
! their own more thorough undoing.
| Democratic Chairman Jones has
| mapped out a scheme of action for the
coming campaign with features calcu-
lated to please everybody with politi.
cal hobby. In other words, he is will.
| ing that the followers OF the various
BRANDS of Democracy may think wha,
they please if they will only vote fol
Mr.. Bryan.