Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-03-24
Britain Won't be Happy When the
Beers are Conquered.
HERPLExIMc PROBLEMS
VIII Impcrntivcly Call for wiso settle-
ment vanqulshcd Can Find no Home
Remote From Their Foes Much Hard
Campaigning SIN confronts Invading
Columns.

ties in South Africa, says q London cor
respondent Of the Chicago Chronicle.
Whether or not the turn of the tide in
dictates a speedy end of the war the
wisest cannot now determine. One
thing only is certain-the cost bids fair
to far exceed the compensation. No
one here doubts the result of the con-
flict; in the nature of things it can
have but one termination. The heay.
lest battalions will win. irrespective
Nof the merits of the cause, and the two
Boer republics will be wiped off the
face of the earth. But will the Boer
people be subjugated? Everywhere
we hear negative answer. That some
of them will tender nominal al
legiance to the crown Is doubtless true.
but the great, mass of burghers will re-
main as ever the bitterest foes of the
empire. 1t is not in the nature Of the
Dutch to forgive q wrong and to meek
ly kiss the hand of the smiter.
Sagacious statesmen do not look for
loyalty either In the Transvaal or in the
Orange Free State. If the Dutch re-
main there the Government will of ne
cessity have to maintain large army
OF occupation to keep in subjugatlon
the rebellious feeling of the people,
and this will be part OF the cost
Great Britain will have to pay for con-
quest. 1t Is not anticipated that after
peace is declared there will be haras-
sing outbreaks against the authority
of the crown. This is not the Boer
method. There will be no outbreak
until an opportune time arrives for
a general uprising that Will be certain
of success. This occasion will arise
when Great Britain has her hand full
In some other part of the world-in
conflict with Russia, mayhap, over con-
troll In Asia, and may occur sooner than
most people imagine. For the bear is
already treading dangerously near the
lions Indian lair, the Cars troops
being already upon the Afghan frontier.
That Great Britain has been much
enfeebled by the pending war does not
admit of doubt She has been COM
PEELED to put in the fed the largest
army known in her history. 1t will re-
turn with glory enough. perhaps, but
terribly enfeebled. Many of the ablest
officers In the empire have fallen, and
where are the men to take their places?
The best regiments in tho service have
been cut to pieces. Their ranks may
be filled, 1t Is true, but not with such
men as are now sleeping their last
sleep in the South African veldts The
rising generation OF Britons Is not equal
to that OF the present or former years
There is too much commercialism in
the present age to allow room for a
race or fighters. The profits Of success
In trade are far greater than those Of
fered by either the army or navy. while
the glory of successful business ca
reer is almost as highly esteemed as
are honors won on the field of battle
There will always be good fighting
material in Great Britain, but the trait
Of pugnacty. so essential in good SOL
q Tnatr lie limo III,
years pass.
SAPPING BRITISH MANHOOD.
And here 1t may be instructive to re-
Ter to a matter that is forcing itself
upon public and official attention, and
which is contributing in no small de-
gree to the degeneracy of the British
nation. y number of bills have been
introduced in Parliament looking to-
ward the better control of the LIQUOR
traffic and the suppression of intern
perance. 1t has been stated on the floor
OF the House Of Commons that intem-
perance is sapping the manhood of the
nation, and that paupersm, insanity
ana crime directly traceable to indul-
gence in alcoholic drink, are increasing
at n terrible rate. These are not mere
assertions. They are sustained by sta
tistics from the poorhouse and prison
guardians in every part of the king
dom. More important still, the charges
are proved by the reports Of the med
zeal staft OF the army. These latter are
particularly relevant at the present
time. 1t is alleged that less than one
sixth OF the men who applied for en-
liStment in the army for service in
South Africa were of sound physique,
and In n large majority of cases the
bodily defects OF the volunteers were
found to be due to indulgence in al
NJ a .
pronounced disabilities so traceable
were imperfect heart action, impair
lnent OF vision, lack OF sufficient lung
power and a variety Of nervous com
plants of sufficient seriousness to in
terfere with the efficiency OF subjects
as soldiers. These facts were surpris-
ing enough to the medical examiners
Ihcy sought to account for them in
some other way. but, try as they would,
they We're invariably forced. to the con-
cluslon that intemperance, often habit
ual through generations. Is responsible.
n member OF the House from the
northern part of England, In which the
chief mining districts lie, contributed
his evidence the other evening to that
of the army medical boards. He stated
that the mine owners found it neces-
Sary nowadays to employ three men to
do the work formerly done by two. and
attributed this impairment OF working
capacity 10 a physical degeneracy,
caused chiefly. If not wholly, by the
drinking habits Of the mine workers.
y leading metropolitan journal notes
the same thing in other industries and
calls attention to the fact that in the
Sheffield factories the best work was
done by teetotalers, and that absti-
hence from drink is being required in
many departments of this industry as
q prerequisite for employment.
t, ,,,r~ a II ~