New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-01-07
NEWS OF TWO CAPITALS.
LONDON
REACTION AGAINST NEWSPAPER AT
TACKS UPON THE WAR OFFICE.
THE ENGLISH PRESS IS SLOW TO ACKNowL-
EDGE THE IMPORTANCE OF sEcRE-
TARY HAYS OPEN DOOR NEGo-

TARY HAYS OPEN DOOR NEGO-
TIATIoNs-~JAMEsoN RAID
DISCLOSURES
copyright; 1900: BY The New-York tribunal
IBV CABLE TO THE rRIBUNE-l
London. jan 6.-The excessive and wanton
criticism OF the military authorities by the black
press has recoiled against Il: the generals IN
the field have=keen spared. but sniping has been
going continuously against the Minister'S
the War Office and the Headquarters stan.
This undseriminating fusiIlade against officials
who are labOring arduously at their posts and
doing their best. even II some Of them have
blundered-and failed to forecast the magnitude
of the stSuggle in South Africa and the unique
defensive tactics OF the Dutch warriors Is be-
ginning to excite indignation and contempt
Lord-Lansdowne. who is the chief target for
The Daily Nails quick-frers. may have his
fal5ts head OF the overworked War once.
bHF he has sent both his sons Lord Kerry and
Lord Charles Fitzmaurice. TO the front. and has
<ciled increasingly. Lord wolseley Sir William
Butler, Sir John Ardagh and other military
=men who have been under fire from the black
press cannot violate official decorum and defend
themselves
This kind Of warfare is unfair and un-Eng-
llsh. and is reacting against those who are con-
Quoting 1t, especially when they enmeshed
in their own polemcs over artillery and driven
into a furious onslaught upon the military writ
ers Of reputable journals official hirelings.
The Ministers may have made the mistake Of
working too steadily and delivering too few
speeches; certainly there many things to
which they could direct public attention with
good grace. Whatever miscalculations were
made at the outset OF the war, the nation was
as blind and infatuated as the Ministers them
selves. The largest English army ever put into
the field has been carried to the ends OF the
earth with perfection of system and detail. and
the United Kingdom has not been denuded OF
battalions.
When the war opened there seventeen
! Infantry battalions in South Africa and seventy
at home; there will be at the end OF this month.
apart from cavalry and artillery. seventy-six
battalions Of infantry regulars in the field and
seventy-three in the United Kingdom. This
astonishing result has been secured by calling
out the reservists, by leaving line men under
age at home and by stifening detachments
with militia The barracks are full they
were when the war opened, and the third line OF
defence has hardly been drawn upon If a
dozen battalions of militia have volunteered for
foreign service fifty more remain in reserve; IL
1900 volunteers and 1900 yeomanry cavalry
have been allowed TO enlist for the war. there
remain behind 100000 citizen soldiers for
future emergency. The War Office and Head
quarters Staff clearly deserve credit for the sys
tematic operation Of the mobilization scheme.
and Old England. puIsating with patriotic ardor.
is long way from being at the end OF her mill
i tary resources.
In the momentous crisis Of imperial fortunes
the English press has been too closely preoc-
cupief with the in South Africa to con-
centrate attention upon the remarkable success
of the State Department In obtaining a col
lective guaranty from the Powers for the open
door principle in the Far East. The Times
bay-a haau
appreciative but most of them have been silent
and reluctant to admit that the United States
has rendered England a great service which
| fully balances any obligations incurred during
the war with Spain through the friendly offices
of English diplomacy in thwarting European In
terventiou in Cuba THE Economist" to-day de-
clines to be convinced by vague reports from
Washington that President Mckinley has won
diplomatic victory. and secured the guaranty
of equal trade rights IN China for all nations;i
IL doubts the conversion of the European Powers
to the open door principle. questions whether
the Americans will use force to maintain
! that policy. and winds up by insinuating that
the JniteI States is In a doubtful position in
Puerto Rico Cuba and the Philippines on the
essential principle of equality of trade rights.
Nothing short OF a surgical operation win ever
put into the heads Of certain English doctrnaires
the truth that Americans have carried into prac-
tice for hundred years Lord ROsebery's and
/ Mr. Chamberlain's dream of Imperial federation
with free trade inside and a common tariff out
side and that when Puerto Rico and Hawaii
were annexed that system and the Federal Con-
stitution went into operation as they had done
with Jefferson's purchase of Louisiana and the
acquisition of California These purists grumbls
about Puerto Rico and are blind to the essential
facts that the acquisition OF the Philippines
! marks a new departure in American policy IN
dealing with dependencies which cannot be
States in the Union; that the Paris treaty OF
Peace virtually assures the open door pohcy
there and that the state Department mas Sc
cured from European Powers recognition or
the principle which the Foreign Office was un-i
able to command during the protraeted nesota-
tions. The suspicious Economist" which dis
trusts America when she is rendering England
a great commercial service. neglects TO state
whether the Foreign Office here was prepared to
use force after the complete failure OF its open
door diplomacy: il did not use force In Europe.
! hut obtained the compulsory session OF a harbor
and territory on the mainland OF China
| Lord Salisbury is not embarrassed with much
/ newspaper advice respecting the complications
/ which have arisen the seizure Of German
/ ships and American foodstGffs in Delagoa Bay.
/ When he settles these questions without guar
! reuing with two nations whose friendship he
has no idea Of estranging. the journals viii be
/ provided with proper cues and have more to
+ say. There are two essential points which do
not entirely escape observation here. One Is tnas
i DeIagoa Bay cannot be hlockaded as neutrsi
mort and that Portugal ought TO be the Power
/ 10 deal with questions Of contraband goods ana
! neutral obligations although British cruisers
are relieving the Portuguese officials OF these
Ia fhar a.