The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-30

journals for greater forces. and their
discomfort with the premature disband-
ing Of the Colonial troops. or with Lord
Roberts statement that not a man can
be spared from South Africa.
Julian Ralph has of late been attacked
by pro-English and pro-Boers, 1t appeas S,
and he defends himself valiantly and
says that by his impartiality he will
earn the disapprovai of the microsc 1ptc-
headed, insect-brained people" This 3
sweeping, and is very severe on myself
as well as few Americans who were
formerly his admirers. Julian Ralph is
such a genial individual his intentions
are SO good, and the result is sometimes
so contrary to mis- Intentions that explain
atoms should be diligently sought. I
have been reading his later, articles, and
dukes and duchesses and titled .peopls
generally dance about his pages in so
free and volatile a manner that I fear
his judgment is obscured in consequence.
He speaks of London as this vast c tY
where dukes and lords and countesse5
roam about He mentions room IN
Bloemfontein where dukes and lords
now sit and toll with pens" and one can
even feel the gusto with which he de-
scTibes Lord Roberts with his staff CT
famous noblenep." At Winston Churc-
hills lecture he is delighted with the
rows of dress suits and gay gowns.
from princes to pugilists. and I Incline to
like the pugilists best; but that. I dare
say, is 'insect-brained.' There must be
g special sense in that admira ticn fer ar
istocracy and noble dress suits ana ft
must be very delightful TO the posseszor.
We, on the Beer side, could never. enjoy
the intoxication arising from contact
with titles. and this should always o..
accounted to us in mitigating our cen
domination. We. were only among our
equals And Sc. it happened, possibly,
that we took false views, of things.
In Crenje's fight at Paardeberg, fer ex-
ample, We heheld heroic band of men
holding out against tenfold odds. pounded
at day and night Tor fortnight in on,
of the most terrific bombardments known
to history, rained on, flooded out till the
swollen watercoursee carried hundreds of
dead horses, dead oxen and many dead
men on its stream; famshed. yet fighting
on till their ammunition. had been. ex-
pended, and yielding finally to the me-
liable with a dignity which. brought an
expression of admiration from Lord Rob
erts himself. In Europe and America,
Cronje was called ''the Lion of South
Africa
Mr.. Ralph writes: 81 never dreamed
that there were on earth such filthy,
dirty tangle-haired wild-eyed men exist
ent If | were at home and saw one such
Wy L
live L would turn back and warn my
people to take in their linen off the line,
Compare these words with Conan
Doyle's description Of the men he admir-
ed, and admired more for, the travel
stained, battIe-stained marks that dis
tlnguished them. Mr.. Ralph himself. in
? second thought, would hardy care tn
make such a comparison.
Among those who have earned The hest
reputation from South Africa, Mr.. Rich
ard Harding Davis should be placed in
the front rank do not say it because
he advocates the side for which fought
but because he has looked at facts on
poth SIDES, fairly and squarely. and he
has not been carried off his feet by the
superficial aspect of things He went out
to South Africa Anglophile; he followed
the operations of Lord Roberts army
and then he proceeded to the republics
where. with no reason to form n bias
he came to a deliberate Judgment of the
justice of the war and the cha.A ter of
the military operations.
7 One of the best types of war. ceresnoyd
ents is George Lynch, who has recentiv
added in China to the laurels gained in
Cuba and South Africa His art IS a
simple one. He gets to the very front
and thence relates facts. There is a
bluntness about his narrative which has
been of detriment to him. for they are
~ ohI9 luz Jul SuSy READ ike. truth
He saw the war on the English side; he
was taken prisoner. and Afterwards re-
leased by the Beers; and he said that
the war was unjust. On his return to
Durham. his license was reseinded
And that reminds me of the conditions
under which modern war CORRESPONDENTS
work with the English army They are
in the first place under the operation of
the mutiny act. Only a limited num-
bed are permitted TO accompany the
army. and the officer commanding makes
the selection. 1t is stipulated that tho
correspondent have written permit ev-
cry time he wishes to go on the field
OF action or visit the advance posts. The
military censor, however. furnishes news
of what is TRANSPORTING. The censor has
the right to retain. expunge. correct. or
even amend what seems to him just:fi-
able These regulations are not SO oner-
Gus as they appear: for. generally speak
ng. tho public wishes to hear only the
bright side Of their arny's exploits. and
the correspondents are quite In accord
anee WITH that view.