The Jamesburg record., 1900-08-18
The Power of Public Sentiment.

Lord Salisbury has been called on
in the House of Lords to explain the
note of alarm which hesounded some
time ago in his speech before the
Primrose League, when hereferred to
the accumulating per1ls which
threatened the national safety. His
Lordship explains according to the
press reports, that his alarm was
based on the fact that the feeling on
the part of foreign nations towards
Great Britain could not be dismissed
from the minds, as in the lung run,
governments were influenced by the
feeling of the people. 1t is signi6-
cant that the British premier realizes
the sentiment of detestation which
pervades all civilized nations in re-
spect to England's corrupt, brutal
efforts to annihilate the two republics
of South Africa Perhaps not since
the days of Warren Hastings and his
unprovoked plunder of India has such
adeliberate, wanton and inhuman war
been waged as that now carried on
by Great Britain for the subjugation
of the Dutch farmers of South Africa.
The British cabinet must be aware of
the aversion which is felt toward their
government by the people of other
countries; but it is something of a
surprise that the existence of this re-
sentiment against the barbarous Eng
lish policy should be admitted so
candidly. 1t may be the manifesto
ton of guilty conscience. They
know the wickedness of their course
and might as we'll confess that they
have been judged by mankind and
found guilty of the most unjustifable
criminal aggression of modern times
So far, the jealousies and rivalries
of the nations have prevented effect
being given to the judgment of civili-
zation and this pirate among nations
has been permitted to act with free
hand. To the everlasting disgrace
of our present national Administra
ton, the United States of America
has appeared in the role of friend and
backer of this robber of the weak.
We have been placed in the position
of menacing any other country which
might attempt to interfere with the
spoliation of the Dutch Republics.
The English rulers understand that
in the long run, governments arein
fuenced blythe feeling of thepeople, "
and they will be made to further
realize that in this country, in parti-
cular, the feeling and will of the
people cannot be perpetually defed.
The people will find way, in spiteof
Hay and Hanna, to give expression
to their sentiments. It is we'll that
Salisbury at last recognizes the power
of public opinion. With the secret
aid of our Bureau of Education, an
English effort is being made to create
sentiment here favorable to the
British in this struggle of might
against right. But sentiment, fortu
nately. is not formed in the United
States in that way. People here base
their opinions upon open public in
formation and discussion and the
professors and teachers of America
will treat this attemptto corrupt their
opinions with the contempt it de-
serves.
We may well rely on public senti-
ment to correct the wrongs which
this Administration has perpetrated
against humanity in its support of
English aggression. If we are yet
worthy the name of free people, we
shall in November remove from power
the party which has thus betrayed
and trampled on the noblest traditions
of our Country.