The Irish standard., 1900-12-29
THE BOERs GAINING SYMPATHY.

THE BOERS GAINING SYMPATHY.
There is a pcrceptiblc tendency of
late on the part of the American press
to sympathizc with the Beers. The
cartoonists are strongly pro-Boer and
so are the humorsts. Newspapers
which formerly manifested Anglo
Saxon proclivities and said harsh
things of the Dutch patriots have now
changed their tone. They were misled
by London correspondents and mag
ined that the Outlanders around the
Johannesburg mines were deprived of
their civil rights and subjected to per-
secution at the hands of uncouth
and semi-barbarous clodhoppcrs.
The American correspondents, like
Arthur Lynch and Richard Harding
Davis. have disabuscd them in Il great
measure Of the erroneous opinions they
originally entertained of the Beers and
now comes Il revulsion of feeling
against the British brigands in South
Africa. The Tacoma Ledger, which
was formerly anti-Boer and prohibit
ish. has recently had its eyes opened
to the truth about the AngloBoer war.
In recent issue it says:
In the beginning Of open hostiiities
the world was led to believe that the
British cabinet was making war be-
cause the outlanders had been perse-
cuted by the Beers, oppressed, taxed
and permitted no voice in the manage
mcnt of their own affairs. On this
ground much sympathy was aroused
for the British cause. TO vindicate the
course of Chamberlain, and incidental
~ to quicken the demands upon his
factories for munitions of war; volun-
tccrs came from the lttermOst colonies,
While from every quarter of Great
Britain they poured forth faster than
they could he utilized. They went to
Africa by the scores of thousands.
were misrrahly led slaughtered like
sheep their titled generals outmancu-
vcred and OutfOught at every point by
the unframed Beers. inspired only by
love of home and the determination to
secure liberty or die rifle in hand.
Even the women went out on the firing
line and many an intrepid matron
stood by her husband and her sons
where the bullets flew thick.
In time numbers began to tell. The
ovcrpowcring forces of the British
swept away the visible opposition. No
more Beers came within range. There
was nothing to do but to apply the
torch. and by its light put up prans OF
victory The plumbers of the Tugela
were forgotten. Mcthucn. Gatacrc and
the other hlunderers were accorded Il
share of the praise. Then Roberts, the
good ''Bons'' of song and story started
home to undertake new hOnors. On
the way ne made the speech which be-
traycd tho pursuit Of a sinister policy;
tipped the administrative hand.
But the Bocrs had not been subducd.
They rallied. whence nobody knows.
but with determination as firm as ever.
aud the British who had stayed to ac-
ccntuatr their mastery over the simple
r,i1-, Il ir,oI IN rl, ~ InsJn-
ratrly as in the beginning. Roberts
may he Il soldier. Kitchener Il terror
before whose grim attack the forces
of the Mahdi melt. and Butler bull
dog, sacrificing his men by hattalions:
but there is not in the English army IL
general such rs Dc Wet. There is not
Il tacticiun who is to be compared
with tho stolid. unkcmpt Botha. Had
these men been in charge at the begin
ming England would have had Ma
.nba hill as of old. and would have
found its quest hopeless.
De Wet has been cornercd again and
again. He does not seem greatly to
mind it. His latest dash when with
$500 horsemcn he went straight at the
British lines and through and away
was as picturesque and daring as any
achievement told in military history
Such men may he killed: they cannot
| he conquered.
! In the end Great Britain may win q
| fight that in the light Of Roberts
speech must be regarded as unholy
but the cost in blood and treasure has
.iot been paid The world has reached
a stage at which it does not wish to
see republics crushed merely because
they arc republics. or people eNtin
guished because. frcehorn and valiant
they refuse to bend the knee. At the
present the outlook is dark for Britain
and it is darker because they went into
the struggle with the sympathy of civ.
ilization. In large measure they have
lost this sympathy in the tide Of ad
! miration that has arisen for the Beers