New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-03-18
Clifton Springs. N. Y. March 6. 1900
MIR. sTIcKNEY's UNCONSCIOUS HUMoR


MR.. STICKNEY'S UNCONSCIOUS HUMOR-
To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: To an appreciative mind no Intentionally
funny book is quite amusing az solemn ana
serious one. full of unconscious jokes To this lat-
ter class belongs Albert Sttckneys recently puo-
Hshed 'Transvaal Outlook"
Mr. Stickney has bestowed great pains and STUDY
on a demonstrat ton entirely conclusive to his MIND.
that the British hopelessly defeated In south
Africa. and can never possibly win any important
victory. His book Is divided into four sections
evidently prepared at different times. At the out
he informs that section one was written
during 1889: liberal allowance must therefore he
made for its sanguine predictions. which. I'M
fortunately have failed to be realized The greater
part of the book Is devoted to elaborate demon
stration. by of statistics. measurements.
diagrams and maps. that the British troops could
relieve either Kimberley or Ladysrlith. that
their communications would be entirely cut off. and
both their men and horses speedily starved 10
death After q general and detailed denunciation
of all British officers imbecies. with a CORE
spending Iaudation of the Boer commanders, Mr.
Stckney proceeds to forete magnificent operations
the part OF the Beers. resulting in the utter de-
structiOn of the British.
Having got so much of his book into print. ready
for binding. Mr.. Stckney suddenly stops the press
and prepares section four of his great work In
this he acknowledges that. contrary to all his pre-
vious predictions Kimberley has been relieved
But this does not in the least alter his estimate
the British relief of Kimberley Is a new disaster
for the stupid British. and a magnificent piece Of
strategy the part of General Cronje. for whose
mastery tactics in thus leading poor Roberts into
a new trap. he has unbounded admiration. There
upon he breaks into a fresh rhapsody of prophecy
to the impossibty of the British doing any
thing further in the midst of which evidently
chilled by little later he says that IL Rob
erts succeeds in getting to Bloemfonten he will
find 1t another Moscow The relief of LGdysmith
he still regards practically out of the question
With all the emphasis OF doube-size capital letters
he announces that the British ARE already at the
end of their resources in men,"
Unfortunately for Mr.. Stickney's reputation as a
master of military strategy and political prediction,
vincibie Cronje like John Phoenix of old, firmly
planted his nose between Roberts's teeth and
securely seated the deck of British ship. he
defes Kitchener to mortal combat. And before
at any retail General Butler had relieved and
entered Ladysmth. and the British were shipping
$1,000 men.
OF course Mr. Stickneys able work is peppered
all with fierce denunciations OF British greed
and laudations of Boer simplicity, sweetness and
onslaught upon Chamberlain; and Its last line.
printed in the largest capitals suitable for gro
GERS advertisement, consists of one wild shrek.
GoldI'
Those who have for thirty years known and ad-
mired Mr.. Stickneys entire freedom from all
cenary considerations and his exclusive devotion to
the cause OF philanthropy will feel thrill of sym
of the British people, who, alone among all the
nations of the earth, continue their sordid pursuit
of wages, fees and profits.
Mr. Stickney's missionary work, however, should
be carried further. and he should labor for the
hearty approval of both Mr.. stickney and myself.
have just declared their determination have
gold quite as emphaticay as any ether nation ION in
New-York March r. 1900.