The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-05-03
WILD SPECULATION AS TO WAR
WITH GREAT BRITAIN.

scare between Great Britain and the
United States over the Clayton-Bulwer
treaty will no. work. Great Britain
has quite enough to amuse itself for
the present over the war il Is pressing
against the Beers. Our own country
has quite enough to engage its power
and money for the time being in lis
two years war against a people who
never injured it. So it is idle to
try to trump UP IN appeal to bloody
arbitrament" between the two Eng
disappearing countries over the old
treaty or the self-willed action Of the
American CONGRESSMAN action that has
been severely criticised by many lead
ing newspapers and is not at all pop
ular with millions of American voters.
1t matters not what the congress may
say or do as to the treaty, the British
government will not go to war over
it. 1t would take ten dollars where it
takes one now in fighting h Beers TO
carry on a war against a great people
like the Americans. 1t would take a
million men or more instead of a
260, 900. 1t would be a gigantic BUSH
ness to engage in and something
more important and vital to Great
Britain than the old treaty of a half
century ago must occur before it will
engage in a tremendous war with a
people. who forty years ago put over
900, 900 men in armies and navies, and
that too, when the population was
less than half Of what it is now.
Mr.. Stead thinks hat his country
would rather fight than be snnbbed
England has had opportunity to en-
gage in war but waved the opportun-
ity. Read Green and learn. But the
Englishman makes a point relative to
the Dutch Beers. They are looking,
he opines, in the wrong direction for
help. They expect or hope that Great
Britain will become embroiled with
Russia or France or some other great
European nation. But Stead says that
it will be with the United States and
that help must come in that way. If
war should occur really We feel
almost sure that the Beers would re-
tain their independence and England
would be glad to get out of South AZ
RIGA. Tens of thousands of Americans
would b. certain to go over to the help
of the brave men fighting for liberty
and independence.
Stead thinks the Beers will keep on
fighting in hope of help 50 oon as u
congress takes the Clayton-Bulwer
treaty in hand again. We do not dis
cuss again the character of the treaty
or the rather bad conduct Of the con-
gress. While a majority of the people
as a necessity, there are a great many
who desire, hat the ngres shall act
honorably, decently, judiciously in
dealing with it.
There is a belief that congress will
not dare to revoke the treaty without
Great Britain's consent. There are
many in this country who think hat
Britain will not submit tamely. Time
will show how all his will be. We
agree fully with the Philadelphia Rec
ord in the view that "to prevent a
threatening clash by all honorable
means is the prime duty Of statesmen
who conduct the international affairs
of their respective countries. In doing
sc they are bound to tax into account
national prejudices and settled pub
lie opinion even though it he whimsi-
cal. Secretary Hay is, therefore, we'll
employed in ~endeavoring to negotiate
a new treaty in which the views of
the senate are to be harmonized. if
possible. with the maximum Of con
cession that Great Britain can be in
duced to make.
1T is said hat the British govern
ment is prepared to let the Clayton
Bulwer treaty go by the board, and in
part to n~eutralize the projected canal"
Let there be no war between the two
great Anglo-Saxon powers. Let peace
prevail and Justice be done though
the Heavens fall The Beers must
not rely upon serious trouble between
the two powers to help them in their
great straight. They will he proba-
Oily QlSappOlnteu.
The Philadelphia Times says that
there is in fact a great deal more feel
ing among Americans on account of
the war with the Beers, whose de-
fence appeals to our sympathies, than
on account of an obsolete treaty that
nobody clearly understands or greatly
cares about. The negotiations for the
abrogation of treaty were bungled last
year. but if the time comes it
appears to be actually in the way or
practical purpose. we have no doubt
that it "a be properly disposed or
| without requiring anybody to eat hum
| BILE pie"
Caught q Dreadful old.
4 NFa~;n- Knoto roorooa- Gov IN AZ