The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-15

Gatacre and the deputation OF ministers
of Christian churches TO Sir R Miner In
the past General Gatacre has done splendid
service and received the thanks OF Par
lament He served with distinction in
Burmah and Chitral as well as in the
Soudan where he earned a reputation for
untirlng energy and special care Of his
men, yet at Stormberg he cOurted disas-
ter by a too ready acceptance Of what
proved to be inaccurate information, and
risked the safety Of his entire force by
pressing on instead OF falling back when
the mistake was discovered and the troops
were exhausted. For these and other
errors Of judgment General Roberts deem
ed it necessary to supersede him. While
every sympathy is felt for General Gatacre,
General Roberts action is considered wise
and salutary. and finds unqualified APP
proval.
There is no demand. popular or other
wise. for scapegoats or examples but it
is recognized that even a general should
not be superior to ordinary discipline, that
blunders should not be excused because
they happen to be committed by persons
in high command, and that a general who
has seriously blundered once should not
be allowed the chance OF doing so again.
The deputatiou of ministers to the High
I Commissioner in Cape Town. the represen-
tations made. and Sir r. Miners reply will
no doubt have an excellent effect upon re-
ligious bodies here. The tendency Of GER
tain sections Of those bodies has been to
depreCate the war. to regard Sir r. Miners
policy with anything but an approving eye
and 10 believe that they had the religious
opinion Of South Africa with them. The
latter idea is now conclusiyely shown to be
without foundation.
Admiral Dewey's Candidacy.
Admiral Dewey's candidature for Presi-
/ GENITAL honors is arousing considerable in
terest- British Ministers and public men
/ will watch with sympathy a contest for the
I Presidency between q Republican imperial
/ ist like Mckinley and a Democratic i'm
perialist such as Admiral Dewey is believed
T 10 be- What English public men do not
I like even 10 discuss is the possibility Of a
/ Bryan at the White House. The spec
{ tator' says today: BY rather an odd
/ series OF chances ii happens that the pivot
/ Of the next election viii be the relation Of
/ the United States to England.
The silver section OF the Democrats is
I convinced with some reason that London
/ is devoted to the gold standard and sus-
poets against reason that il always paying
money to bride American advocates Of the
( system. Bryan and his supporters, there
fore desire to discredit England. They
will there is no doubt. say savage things
about us and perhaps pass resolutions in
the Democratic convention calling upon
the Executive 10 intervene strongly in be
half Of Kruger. We shall have a shower
I OF hard words. and IL may be even diit-
( cult and perplexed argument to maintain
through Lord Pauncefote and the Foreign
Office.
The Spectator adds that the better
opinion Of the United States, including a
considerable majority OF the population,
is. on the whole, friendly TO the British,
and there is no love for the Beers as
Beers in America any more than there
Is on the Continent OF Europe, and that
az heart neither nation desires anything
except 10 trade in peace.
Prof MivaTts article in the North
American Review for April is much dis
cussed IN the Protestant press. though the
Catholic press is silent. Il is regarded by
the former as a well-nigh irrefutable state
ment Of the case for scientific truth as
against the authority Of Rome Particular
| stress Is laid on Prof. Mivarts conclusion
viz. that the Roman Catholic Church
must tolerate the Transforming process OF
I evolution. with respect TO many dogmas
or sink by degrees into an effete and in
significant body. composed of ignorant per
sons. mass OF women and children. and
2 number Of mentally effeminate men" BY
3 curious coincidence, almost simultane-
ousl! with the appearance Of Prof Miyart's