New-York tribune., 1900-04-05
BRITONS. BOERS AND RUSSIANS.
A PICTURE OF THE FUTURE IN INDIA AND ENG
LANDS COURSE THERE.

PICTURE OF THE FUTURE IN INDIA AND ENG
LANDS COURSE THERE.
To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: have been subscriber of The Tribune for
many years. Its opinions have usually seemed
farer and more nearly correct than those OF other
newspa pers,- and when they have differed from
my own ii has not hitherto seemed necessary to
protest. 1 have protest to offer now so far az
The Tribune is concerned but I venture to ask
portion of your valuable space.
| Of those who do not hate England. but do
not approve her war Of conquest against the South
African republics. 1t is urged that the Beers are
corrupt that they cruel to the natives that
they oppress the Outanders, that they have broken
solemn pledges, and that therefore they deserve to
be deprived of independence. How long have such
faults been sufficient reasons for overpowering
ones neighbors and annexing their goods, and who
would escape the proposition carried to its
logical conclusion? Turkey is VIGOROUSLY corrupt
but she remains independent. Our own dealings
with natives have not always been blameless
and Italian and Chinese Outlanders have been mur
dered within borders. America well as the
Transvaal has broken her pledges. Will England
then-"the whipping boy of the world'-deprve us
of independence because of our misdeeds?
Whatever guilt may attach to other nations, the
Beers. independent people, are doomed. Asi-
tation and mass meetings can accomplish nothing
Even We're our Government to abandon its
position of correct neutrality and go to the length
of declaring war in their behalf, the Beers would
be benefited thereby The British purpose is
already almost accomplished, and soon the Union
Jack will be hoisted at Pretoria The captives will
be lined up wall and shot; their punishment
will be refined. They will be permitted
live, and a few If they promise be good will
receive minor positions in the government of
State all their The mailed fist, in It's
silken glove, will be always present to prevent
accidents and the world will be invited to behold
victors and vanqushed dwelling in peace and
amity.
Great Britain is doubtless technically within her
rights in annexing the territory of her opponents
but the question may properly be asked, How will
she feel when her position is reversed-when her
children the conquered? Will she bow
new conditions as meekly as she now expects the
Beers to do?
1t may seem somewhat far fetched to assume that
Great Britain-"Mistress of the Seas'-is likely to
suffer the loss of territory yet it will surely occur.
be it soon or late. Ursa Major is neither dead
nor sleeping, nor has anything occurred to impair
his strength. Although he has hitherto appeared
quiescent, there abundant signs that shortly
he will be found much awake. Only, be it remem-
bered. he does not take the world into his conf
dence or explain his lords and gentlemen after
much searching of heart that he fights from
philanthropic motives and not for his own advan-
tage.
The Bear knows what he wants and means to OBJ
tain it-by diplomacy If he can, by arms If he must.
For generations he has desired India, and India
he will have. Months his Transcaspan rail-
way had pushed its way within seventy miles of
Herat. and it is quite possible that the gap is
already bridged More than John Bull has
intimated that the occupancy of Herat will be
the signal for The late G. W. Stevens
the situation clearly when, shortly before his
DEATH he wrote:
Russia has just finished railway that
brings her within week of Herat. If that road
is not for aggression, what is it for? The
best way out Of the & tangle is to make it , clear
for Herat seeing that it is not theirs and they
the thought o British people! For in the long
it is choice between this-,conscrption for ser
else the loss of India altogether.
to fight Russia could not invade India
through Afghanistan an at present - Therefore
her you are wantony throwing away your
only good card in the game On the other hand
First, in the valley of Herat: next, in the
of India. and once you have discarded your
winning
With troops and railway but seventy miles
away Herat is already virtually occupied; yet
there is no war. Russia is corrupt Transvaal,
populated largely by Outlanders and blacks. No
understands this better than Great Britain
and she will be loath declare war against a
nation whose army far outnumbers her own and
whose resources practically inexhaustible. So
when Russia appears at Herat John Bull will
hem and haw and-shift the chip to his other
shoulder. That is. he will protest but will explain
that it mistake to suppose had drawn
dead line at Herat. and that the line is really
located sewhere-perhaps Chitral or the Khy-
Der. Eventually there will be war; India will not
be given up without fight. How long the strug-
gle will endure cannot be foretold Germany NAV
or may not again be neutral for a consideration
and the supply of Irish fighting men NAV or NAV
not equal the demand. The result however is Ger
tain Russia does not love war: she infinitely pre-
ferS the victories of peace: but in her ewes il is
kismet-not so much matter of military conquest
of manifest destiny.
In the end. when the Russian flag shall float
over Calcutta and Simla. and the last representa-
tive of the British Government shall have been
escorted to his steamer, let hope that the Brit
ish remaining in India will remember the lesson of
the South African war: that they will submit
gracefully to the inevitable, and. with Mahometan.
Hindoo and Cossack live amicably as true and
loyal subjects of the Little Father even as they
now expect the vanquished Beers become loyal
SUBJECTS or the queen: SUBSCRIBER.
Bridgeport, Conn. March 2S 1900