Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-10-24
A MENACE TO CIVILIZATION.


The announcement of an entente be-
tween England and Germany, guaran-
teeing the integrity OF the Chinese EN-
pire. doubtless created surprise in
nearly every quarter of the world. If
we may trust the London dispatches.
the mercurial Gaul tore his hair in the
approved fashion of the thwarted viii
liam. while the bewhiskered Russ paled
and quivered at the terrible prospect.
Yet on closer examination we do not
perceive that there is in the incident
anything to excite our special wonder.
In Germany. Emperor William Is the
unquestioned master. He divides his
time between pietistic phrases as to
crusades against the heather and an
ostentatious representation of Angus
tus Caesar. He signalized his Access
sion to the throne by Diminishing the
Iron Chancellor from place and power.
and but the other day Hohenlohe went
to the official block because age and
experience had brought him wisdom
and wisdom's caution. He did not APP
prove of Emperor William crying aloud
to his DICTIONARIES departing for China,
kill and spare not" nor was he. over
much inclined to the mailed-fist bust
ness in China. regardless OF cost or
consequences. Therefore, Emperor Will
liam will be his own chancellor.
If we turn to England we find the
Hon. Joseph Chamberlain the domi-
nant force and the commanding figure
in English policy. The somnolent Sal
isbury and the pious woman, now verg-
ing on second childhood. who are sup
posed to rule Britannia, no more perform
that function than Britannia rules the
waves. Chamberlains dictum- mot
one shred of independence shall be left
the Boer Republic"-has been for Il
year the inspiration of a war that has
drained England OF her men and
money, and that sees it's contamination
in the flight of the aged President of
benevolent assimilation") = of that
country and the Orange Free State by
the omnivorous British Empire.
What more natural and fitting. there
fore. than that these champion civiliz-
ers emperor William and Hon. Joe
Chamberlain) should make common
cause, on the modest supposition that
the world is. for the present. large
enough TO divide between them? Why.
in truth. should they not covenant TO
preserve the territorial integrity of
China, when it has just been demon
strated that the stealing in that EN-
pire of thrifty Celestials is of unpre-
ccdented quality and quantity? Surely,
it is nothing new for freebooters to
band together or TO deny their calling
and dissemble their purposes.
OF the worldwide significance of this
new diplomatic move it is scarcely
necessary to speak. An alliance be-
tween Emperor William and Joe Cham
berlain constitutes such menace to
civilization-should it's purposes be eff
fected-as we can parallel only by
barking back to the descent of the
Armada on England, or the threatened
submergence of Europe. at a vet earlier
period. in the weller of u Saracen in
vasion. II the twentieth century is to
begin under such auspices 1t is, in
deed. difficult to conjecture how it will
close. If there be anything that could
warrant this nation in making common
cause with any other who would join
it. surely it would be this threatened
ascendency of Germany and England,
the first under the direction of a crea-
true half mountebank and half tyrant.
and tho lott committed 70 tho bo,5.
of constituencies conspirator with
greedy stock jobbers and discredited
spectators.
Strength to the arm of Russia, or of
France or OF any other who shall I'M
dertake TO rebulle this arrogant and
presumptious cabal,