Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-05-22
TWELVE PAGES.
TUESDAY. MAY %. 1900.
ENGLAND HAS FORGOT.


The description of the scenes in Lon
don. when the relief of Mafeking was
announced. can hardly fail TO excite
wonder in this country. despite the Pre-
cedent jubilation when Ladysmith was
rescued from the investing Beers.
Americans did something In the way of
celebration on account of both Manila
and Santiago. In each of these con-
hicts. however. 1t may be said that the
apparent disparity in numbers and
arms was not such as 10 make the con-
test ono sided. while at Santiago the
Spaniards had a decided advantage In
position and in the numbers engaged.
1t was Il fair and square stand up fight
in which. man for man. American was
pitted against Spaniard. and that the
American won, and won brilliantly, was
certainly sufficient to justify pride and
enthusiasm. even in those Of his fellow
countrymen who ike TO see the game of
war played in accordance with the rules
of fair play and no favors.
Englishmcn have always been boast
full of that sDortsmanlike instinct
which seeks no advantage OF an oppo
nent and which glorics in n triumph
only when snatched from the contest
wherein the chance and the hazard are
equal as between the contes tants. The
world has been given to understand, in
history, in song and in story. that there
burns in the English bosom n spirit
which viii permit no Englshman to
stand idly by and sec n small man
bulled and beaten by Il half-doZen
larger ones. In such case the figure
that has been conjurcd up for the adj
mlration of the rest OF mankind is that
of the Englishman, burning with in
diEraton at such outrage, rushing
headlong into the fray without hesita-
-tieH-and without pausinE to count tho
cost. 1t Is n most chivalrous and adj
mirabe figure and i'm justice be it said,
is not without foundation in fact. as
well as in tradition. 1t is no very eX-
travagant picture Of the Englishman of
the day of Raleigh or of Pit of the
Englshman Of the better sort. the
Englishman who has been at once the
most vir.le and the most cven-handcd
OF men.
Beside this figure how dwarfcd and
mean, how tawdry and cortcmptibie,
is the figure of that Eng'shman Cor
American either. for that matter) who
can find in Il victory of seven or eight
Of his own countrymcn over one Boer.
a matter for wild hurrahs and insane
frothings! Surely. surely. the breed
must be running out. Surely a com
parison Of Chamberlain to Pitt does no
Injustice to the Englishmau Of their re-
spcctvc periods Pitt. who sternly re-
proved injustice wrought by an insane
monarch to the American colonists:
Chamberlain. the willing head of a
stock jobbing three-ball conspiracy
against the lives and homes of n free
people-these two stand MS types of the
Englishman of yesterday and the Eng
1ishman of to-day. Indeed is the old
liberty-lovirE. God-fearng. heroic Eng
land passed away. It's sceDtrc has
been replaced with Mr.. Tcnnyson's
Cheating yard wand" it's Pitt by its
Chamberlain: its stern love of justice
and fair-play by the cheap exultation
of n bully in n bully's trade.
Lest we forget" sang Mr.. Klpling:
England has already forgotten what
has chiefly made England worth re-
Numbering.