The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-02

Military operations in South Africa
have developed special nuisance.
known as the war expert" who raw
ages at his unbridled pleasure the col
umns Of the daily press. This person
Is the only man in the world who
knows how II all happened and why;
who could have made 1t turn out quite
differently II he had been consulted,
and who is prepared to direct govern
ments and military commanders in the
way OF victory II they will follow his
sapient advice. He Is the fully de-
veloped type of which the country gro.
Gerry store orator Is the fiedgiing; and
he is prepared to settle the destinies
Of men ana nations with gratuitous ON
niscience.
pestiferous specimen OF the kind
is the gentleman calling himself Win
sion Spencer Churchill. whose prag-
matte conclusions are cabled to this
country daily. in order that both hem
ispheres may be enlightened by his wis.,
dom. We do not see how the world
could worry along without Churchill In
these trying times. He has taken the
empire under his wing. He explains
each morning to the slow and moody
Briton where ne stands: consoles him
in afiiiction with the reflection that his
troubles are not beyond remedy, be-
cause he has Churchill who will stand
by him; explains the past and unfolds
the future a. the guide, philosopher and
friend of the nations He Is a sort of
vorld-censor, and sets the mob agape
because they do not for the moment
realize the proportions OF his colossal
ecotsm.
The value OF this form of expert tes-
timony' will appear particularly from
a late review OF the situation. After
telling us all about the reverse OF Butler
In his kind way. he sets us straight In
our notions with this oraeular deliver
ance. "Splon Kop Is not IA disaster.
Neither suns were lost nor unwounded
prisoners made. II was simply bloody
action. In which Judgment in the EN-
emys intrenchments was effected. but
which proved uutenable.''
Now here is information that we
could never have obtained without the
ala and Interpretation. OF an expert
When severe engagement is had and
All occupied position has TO be ahan-
dcned with a loss OF upwards OF e.o90
men killed. It is not disaster" Far
from it. 1t is only a Bloody action. !"
which Is as different as can be- II the
Beers had captured a gun or two, or
II they had surrounded a detachment
Of a dozen men and marched them on
TO join the others Ia Pretoria, then q
would have been disaster But II all
Rulers army had been wiped out. and
the Beers had not cared 20 drag their
guns away but left them standing on
the Geld. then Il would not have been
a disaster but a bloody action Now
We know Just where we are.
One VI the ssverest penalties OF a mill
tary reverse is the rsse 81 the upstart
Critic. We were So uniformly success ful
In cur war with Spain that We heard
Httle from him. but be was fairly burst
ting with information and anguish 10
lmpart IT, tie did tell as all about the
defects in our eommissarist ami The
cause Of them. lie has been very severe
on otis. poor fellow. ard he stll has
views II any enc win listen % them.
Rut It is I'm unhappy and disturbed Eng
land that he luxuriAtes. and now chas-
tens. now consoles. always advises. The
lea estate OF the British public is seen
| in its suonilssiveaess TO the brilliant