The Saint Paul globe., 1900-12-23
IRE WEARY 0F THE WAR
BRITISH PUBLIC LESS ENTHUsI-
ASTIC THAN 1T WAS A
YEAR AGO
CREDIT TO WaOA CREDIT Is DUE
THE Willy DE WET RECEIVES
THE BRITONs' UNWILL-
ING PRAISE
}REDIT TO WHOM CREDIT Is DUE
FALLING BACK IN THE RACE
Learned Discussions in the Press
Over Americas Growing Pres
tige in the World
of Trade.

LONDON, Dec. 22-Gen. De Wet would
be, by far, the most acceptable Christ
mas box to the majority of Englishmen.
Though there seems little likelihood of
the wish being granted The desire for
the suppression of this wonderful Boer
leader, however, is accompanied by gem
erous admiration of his latest feat.
1T would be unworthy of the British
name, says the Times, ito refuse the
credit that is due feat of arms so bril-
OF De Wet and his men through the
British lines.'
Other papers take the same view, com
pairing the ride to Pringhaar Mex, with
the charge at Balaklava. In fact admira-
ton for the extraordinary daring dis
played by the Beers on this occasion al
most predominated over the chagrin at
the failure of the British officers to cope
with their opponents. There is spring
ing up a philosophic indifference to the
incapability of the generals in South
Africa Reverses have become the ex-
pected thing.
TWO CHRIsTMAsEs.
Last Christmas the country almost
went crazy over plum puddings and
chocolate hampers sent to the soldiers
on the veldt. This year they are not
mentioned. In fact the public is unalter-
ably weary of the long drawn out strug-
gle, whose only interesting features are
the sensational successes of De Wet.
This in no way affects the government
whose determination to fight to the bitter
end is evident from its decision to rein
force the already huge army in South
Africa. Several members of the cabinet
however, would be heartily grateful were
the Boer leaders to sue for peace.
CHINA AND THE CANAL
The Nicaragua canal still fails to
arouse any really deep interest here. as
it is thoroughly understood that Grea +
Britain will take no action in the near
future, and the Chinese negotiations are
regarded more in the light of monoton-
Gus farce than serious problem thanks
to the foolish understandings which have
arisen among the powers themselves. The
only quarter in London where the per-
formance is thoroughly enjoyed is at the
Chinese legation, in which SirSChih Chen
Lo Feng Luh, the minister of China
mourning secludedly for his brother. is
reported to be in a state of perpetual
chuckle over the attitude of Christen-
dom.
JEALOUS OF AMERICAN TRADE.
Once more the question of the day is
Americas commercial rivalry, which
throughout the week has been forming
the basis for long analytical articles in
written by engineering and other ex-
perts, which detail the results of recent
trips to the United States under the
headlines, wake up, England" why
we are falling behind ETC., reiterating
that the English manufacturers lack in
itiative and are absurd in their con-
serVatism.
ARTISTS TRADES UNION.
That dilletante class, the artists, are
joining the ranks of organized labor
Headed by Alma Tadema, group of
well known artists including Princaps.
Dfckse, Stone and Fultz, are sending out
circulars to their brethren urging the
formation of a professional union on
lines similar to those of the serial au-
thors. They expect to get several hun
dred members to pay a guinea each. The
object of the union will be to advance
the interests of struggling painters.
SCHOOL BOARD HAMPERED.
The decision of the queens bench court
declaring it to be illegal for the Lon
don school board to spend the ratepay-
ers money for teaching scisnce and art at
evening classes for adults has created
| perturbation. Some 5000 pupils are af-
! fected and the whole of London's educa-
| tional system must be reversed if the
house of lords upholds the verdict The
! speaker declares it is the most serious
disaster which has befallen education for
some time. Columns of comment appear
on the subject in the dailies Other
large cities are seriously concerned, as
they all have classes similar to those
Of London. The head masters of ax-
| pensive schools appear to approve of
| the decision, maintaining that the school
board is endangering the existence of the
secondary schools.
PRAISE FOR WEST POINT
At a conference of the head masters
of the great public schools this week
one Of the speakers severely arraignd the
| irritating educational methods the
schools were forced to employ in order
to pass boys as officers into the service.
A military correspondent of the Pail
Mall Gazette, criticizing the Sandhurst
and WcolWich methods declare that the
British authorities admit that West
Point is in advance OF anything in Eng
land. He describes the Democratic and
severely competitive system in vogue
there, saying:
Education at West Point is serious
| throughneSs rather than an extension of
attainments. Its principle is controlling
Of how to make use of it. Like all eX-
ceptonally good educations it is enorm-
ouSly costly, perhaps the most expensive
in the world. But in many ways it is
said to be by far the best. An exhaust
i've comparison of West Point with our
own military colleges as educational
mediums, is to the disadvantage of our
own institutions. The principal Industry
in the United States is education For
years past the Americans have been
| earnestly engaged in the business of dis
| seminating knowledge. If Great Britain
is to hold her own we must follow in