The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-08


it seems to us, to pass the Hepburn Nor
gan bill and stop right there.
british Atrocities in South Africn.
Hereafter it will be impossible for our
British cousins to find fault with criti-
| cism, here or in Europe, of their Wey-
leresque and Armenian atrocities in South
Africa. Leaders of public opinion in their
own Pariiament-men like Lord Rosehery
and Sir Eenr: Campbell Bannerman-de-
nounced the Kitchener policy Thursday
in language si-onger than any foreign
critic has yet used.
We may now appeal 10 the declarations
of British public men to justify us in
pointing the finger of scorn at a Govern
ment which disregards the commonest in
| s;ircts of humanity in waging a war Of
| outrage. arson, and starvation upon the
wives. daughters, mothers, and sisters Of
| gallant enemies.
| 1t was, perhaps. shrewd subterfuge
! that Mr.. Baifour. Government leader in
| the Commons. resorted to, when he showed
that the burning of farms and the destruc-
the lifting of cattle. swine. and fowls,
was entirely sanctifed by the United
States regulations for soldiers In guerrilla
| warfare. published in 1899. Possibly the
point was well taken, as far as our Gov
eminent and its supporters are en-
titled to offer objection to methods they
have embodied in our military system. But
he - ,.-in 6or
acQuit Great Britain of inhumanity be-
cause its course is offcially sanctioned
by our War Department.
In this connection we must insist that
a distinction is IN he made between ,he
State and its people. We do not believe
that majority of the inhabitants of the
United Kingdom are in favor OF the Tur-
kish war practices of Kitchener. any more
than are the citizens of this country Gov
ernments may ignore. condone, or even
perpetrste crimes which the people under
them regard with helpless rage and hor-
ror So ii was with us in 1897. when the
Mckinley Administration was in open part
nership with Spain in crushing out liberty
in Cuba; when our navy was used TO as
sist Weyler in his hellish war upon virtue
and innocence Then we had presented to
Us the spectacle of Spanish Legation
which. in the cynical words of Dupuy de
LONE, did not spend thirty thousand dol
lars a month in Washington for nothing
on one side, and the masses of the nation
almost ready TO revolt against executive
authority open TO the suspicion of in
iuence from Madrid
All men know what happened in conse-
qnence. The Maine was destroyed in Ha-
vana Harbor through Spanish official
treachery. That Was the straw that
broke the back Of the camel of popular
patience. The Administration no longer
dared defy. the lightning of national
wrath, and, unwillingly. grudgingly and
with no heart in the business, bent its
head to the storm and went TO war. In
like way We are inclined to think that the
cold blooded berserker policy of Lord Sal
isbury will one day melt before the fire of
and International Indignation.
The day is past when any Government, no
matter how strong or great, can safely |
defy the conscience of all mankind.
This may be considered as especially |
true of powerful State, like Great |
Britain, brought to condition of shame, |
humiliation. and ruined military prestige |
by the Vaccinations of clique of poIiti-
cal adventures. led by the worst repre-
sentative Of that type in all England: by |
the captain of industry"
whose Manchester corporation. In the
h.c do mil h,
arms and munitions of war to the Beers
and to the Chinese, but who has been
equally prudent in allying himself with
Cecil Rhodes and the noble company of
South African land and mine grabbers,
against the people to whose offensive and
.ributed ION the side
The Transyaal and Orange Free State
markets for arms and war material have
,een closed out. The Chamberlains have
Nothing more to hope from that quarter;
nut they may have some interest in the
devastation of the country and the exter-
nina ton of the Beers in order that gold
md diamond mining operations may be
esumed and extended by their friends.
Without interference from the old possess
ors Of the soil.
1t is sad situation all around 1t is
nc that cannot be long maintained with
Ut making trouble for Great Britain As
urely as the sun rises the day will dawn
n which one or more OF the great Powers
all say: In the name of God and his per-
ecuted. tortured. outraged creatures in
outh Africa. this war Of rapine, loot. and ,
avage vengeance must stop! If we had
patriotic and old true-blue American
in Washington that day
,ould be tomorrow. The peopIe n,
his country are not easily stirred
hey have learned to submit TO things
hint of which would have driven
leir grandfathers or their fathers to
rms. But they demonstrated, in the
onths preceding the Spanish war, that
ley have hearts and blood In them. The
of the Beers in blood and fire I
i'll not go on forever unnoticed The
lies and tears of the prosecuted. home +
SIS Dutch women and children in South
frica will not be forever ignored. The
itchener saturnalia must come to an {