Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-12-27
NOT MERRY ENGLAND
BRITISH CAST DOWN BY DEWET'S
SUCCESSES.
THEIR GLOOMY CHRISTMAS
Beers Operations in South Africa,
Americas Commercial Rivalry
Gives John Bull the BIues-London
pc-"rs Comment.

London, Dec. 23.-General Dewet
would be by far the most acceptable
Christmas box to the average English
man, though there seems to be little
likelihood of the wish being granted.
The desire for the suppression Of this
wonderful boer leader, however, is &C
cOmpaniGd by a generous admiration
Of his latest feat. ct would be I'M
worthy -of the British NAME" says the
Times, TO refuse the credit that is
due feat Of arms so brilliant as the
unexpected dash backward Of Dewet
and his men through the British
lines" Other papers take the same
view, comparing the ride to Spring
Haas Mex with the charge of Balac-
lava. In fact. the admiration for the
extraordinary daring displayed by the
beers on this occasion almost pre-
dominates over the chagrin at the fail
ure Of the British officers to cope with
their opponents. There is springing
up q philosophic Indifference to the in
capability of the generals in south
Africa. The reverses have been ex-
pected. Last Christmas society al
most went crazy over the plum pud-
dings and chocolate hampers sent to
the soldiers on the Veldt. This
year they are not mentioned. In fact
the public is unutterably weary
of the long drawn out struggle, whose
only interesting features are the SEN
satiOnal successes of DeWet. This in
no way affects the government whose
determination to fight it out to the bit
ter end is evident from it's decision to
reinforce the already huge army il
| south Africa.
The Nicaraguan canal still fails to
arouse any really deep interest here as
it is thoroughly understood that Great
Britain will take no action in the near
future, and the Chinese negotiations
are regarded more in the light OF d.
monotonous farce than Of serious
problem, thanks to the absurd misun-
derstandlngs which have arisen be-
tween the powers themselves.
A more important question Of the
day is Americas commercial rivalry
which, throughout the week, has been
forming q basis for long analytical
articles in the Daily Express and
Daily Mail, written by engineering
and other experts, which detail the re
suits Of recent trips to the United
States under the headlines: wake up
England" why we are falling be
hind" etc, reiterating that English
manufacturers lack the initiative anC
are absurd in their conservatism.
Upwards of two years ago. says
the Spectator, Americans We're scan
dalizad uy the dismissal OF PrGsidont
Andrews of Brown university" and i
proceeds to draw a lengthy parable
with the case of Prof. Ross of Leland
Stanford university. In so doing the
Spectator holds to the claim that mon
eyed power endowing institutions tt
control learning is entirely fatal to the
very idea of a university, and remarks
that "a certain commercial atmOS
phere now envelops some universities
We would rather see Oxford and Cam
bridge poor and free than rich anG
shackled. If few trusts and million
aires are to have the way, economic
truth cannot be reached in some a.
least of the American universities. L
would indeed be a sad thing were
America, with her free political life, tt
permit any kind of intellectual tyranny
to raise its head in her midst"