The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-05-29
AND BOERS.

Jean De Bloch, author OF The Flu
ture Of War" thinks that the time has
come when England will find her own
interests best served by hating her
armies and making peace with the
Beers. This recommendation he. bases
on political military and moral con-
siderations. Touching the military
reasons for putting an end to the
conflict, he says (writing in the North
American Review for May):
II say nothing now Of the future
necessity Of the two races living side
by side in South Africa on the prin-
ciples Of give and take l pass over
in silence the powerful arguments
against the war which the compare
tive statistics OF births and deaths
in the Transvaal supply, whence it
appears that the future is to the more
prolific race of the Beers. | rely
solely on the fact that weak as the
Beers are numerically. they are en-
abled by the most modern
TO hold their own while defending
their country against INVASION, and
'iN 80 Wv ~ I'I 80 O.
TO render the entire upshot of the
war utterly indecisive. If that be
true, do not the material interests
Of England. no less than the ethical
mission which Great Britain is ac-
comprising in the world. point to the
necessity of Sheathin0 the SWOrdo
From the mOmen the invasion Of
the lranSNaal proper begins. and Eu-
rOpean troops venture into the heart
Of the South African Switzerland,
every hill and hollow Of which may
be transformed into IN impregnable
fortress. the fortune of war will ne
cesSarilv change once more. and the
gloomy outlook of last December and
January Will dash high the hopes
and evoke dread fear anew. This is
not prophecy but logic: rot clairvoy-
ance but insight. Smokeless powder.
puick-firing rifles and artillery. and
the scientific construction Of en-
trenchments car he utilized by a
clever people to such purpose that Il
determined force Of defenders may
successfully hold its own against an
invading army eight times larger than
itself"
The New York Press. however.
takes a very different view of the con-
tfIct and its final result. 1t saws. re-
counting the benefits to come to Great
britain from it:
The war, III spite Of early disap-
pointments, really has continued the
national life of the British empire bv
Il century at least. 1t has recalled
the obligations OF nationality to colo
nIes that were drifting far from the
mOtherland. 1t has called the atten-
ton Of her rulers 10 lax methods in
army regulations and 10 an ancient
armament h continuance Of which
might have meant disaster in a con-
test with a foe numerically greater.
It has cemented the empire. and in
the accomplishment of that the price
paid fades into insignificance."
And the st. Louis Republic drops
a tear for these brave people who have
struggled so m%anfully yet, many
think, so hopeiessly for liberty:
The final act of the crushing of the
TWO HOer republics and the establish
ment of British sovereignty through
out South Africa will be full Of
pathos. The Transvaal and Orange
Free State have appealed in vain to
the WOrfds civilized nations for help
IN their extremity. All that is left
them now IS to die fighting. The
promised spectacle should be viewed
with humiliation by the christian
powers 1t will reflect no credit upon
Christianity or c%ivilization.'
On the morning that the Boer dele
gates called on the Secretary of State.
Secretary Hay first received the Brit
lSh Ambassador. He was received
first and officially: the Beers later,
and unofhcially. The man who does
not believe there is a secret under
standing between this administration
and England is dull to the point OF
stupidity.