The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-11-24

courageous partisans. The feeling in
Holland could not he more intense if
the republic had been Dutch colonies
wrested by force by the mother coun-
try. l believe, therefore, that the ar
| rival of President Kruger in Holland
will produce an explosion of senti-
ment which will electrify Europe.
Already the Dutch have taken bold
step in providing President Kruger
! with warship in which to go to
Europe. They have valiantly resisted
the menaces of England consequent
upon that action, and they have noti-
fed the English authorities that any
interference with the Gelderland will
be treated as an act of war.
This sounds little overstrained, but
there is no nation in so critical Sit
uation as England is ut the present
moment, and there is Il profound rival
ry between England and Germany on
the subject of the eventual possession
of the Netherlands. England has no
hope of ever selling Holland, but she
has great fear that eventually Ger
many may incorporate that territory
into her dominiOns, and that, in the
words of Napoleon. Holland may be-
come a ''loaded pistol pointed at the
heart of England" The Dutch know,
| f1,n,. fn, 1,pf 1,n Of
land will never be carried beyond the
phase of !: hluster.
When Kruger arrives in Europe, the
question will be brought on the tapis
of the ratification by the great powers
of the annexation of the republics,
and Il situation extremely awkward
for England may be created.
None of the European powers will
ever ratify such an unwarrantable VIC
lation of the rights of nations, and
particularly of their own great inter-
ests in South Africa.
know that during the progress of
the war the pourparlers were very
actively engaged between Russia and
France on the one hand and Germany
on the other to form coalition in or
der TO present joint note which
would have stopped the war.
The emperor of Germany, however,
would not join in with that combina-
ton. That would have been an active
step which might have resulted in the
European war; But it is much easier
to resist the demands on the other
hand for the step necessary to the rat
iiication of the seizure of these terri
tories.
When President Kruger reaches
America / believe the reception he will
get will be more astonishing than any
thing that Europe can offer him.
America is the country Of big things,
from cyclones to huge political move
ments, and the vast majority, mine
tenths, / am informed.) of the people
of America sympathize with the Beers
A colossal magazine of sentiment is
here
The coming of Kruger will be the
spark which will cause it's explosion
There is no country which is more
materially and directly interested in
South Africa than the United States.
I have in other articles entered into
the question of the vast and growing
trade between America and the rcpub-
lies; l will not labor on that point
again. Suffice it to say that the field
there was as much open for American
enterprise as if those republics had
been anneXes of the United States.
1 notice by the kilograms in the pa
pers that which I anticipated would
happen. British manufacturers
alarmed at the growing power of
American commerce. and unable to
compete on fair terms, are combining
to compel the British government to
put up differential tariff which
will be like a stone wall to keep out
American goods.
That is, however, only one aspect
of the question.
Tho American people. until quite re.
Gently have been entirely mislcd with
reference to the causes of the war. the
character and habit of the Beers, their
degree Of enlightenment and tho
capacity of their government.
But American correspondents have
been down there and the words Of men
Of great ability and of fearless out,
SpollennesS. such as. for instance
Richard Harding Davis, have already
done much to set matters in their true
light. I myself have been special cor
respondent of English Journals and
know how systcmatizcd is the cam.
paign of Justification of the English
press in all matters relating to their
great national interests. or where they
must pander to the prejudices Of the
mob. But l could never have believed
that it was possible to flood a country
with such mass of fragrant lies and
villainous calumnies as appeared in
the case of South Africa.
l have been so struck with the i'm.
mcnse power which England yields by
virtue of having control of the cables
that bovn collox1 tho tolorrn nj, tl,n