The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-10-18
AFRICA-OF HUMAN INTEREST.

Inc messenger catcneS up a few
trands Of opinion and report as to that
prolonged and agonizing war in Africa.
1t is now regarded as a fact, quite ap-
parent to observers and readers, thai
the unfortunate, unwise, unjustifiable
war has swallowed up British glory,
If r it is very bad, very worrying to-
the confident and proud and really brave
Britains. 1t really appears as if death
or disgrace has been the fate of the
generals who go to that land of shad-
w and of graves. AT last the British
| public, as h Messenger gave intima-
ton on yesterday, has awakened to
the sin of the war that is being waged
against the remnant Of two prosperous
republics but a little while ago-some
two years. A dispatch from London to-
the Philadelphia Record says that sol
aroused are the public that a revolution|
might follow the wav of popular feel
ing, were it in any other country than
in England. Thus far the silly, merci-
less war has cost the people of Great
Britain bout $500, 600, 900. But that is
not great as it seems, for the American
NNAA oAAN NOSo al
that sum in each years appropriations.
The last congress piled up we'll NIGH
81, 25O, 100000 for but two years, congress-
men have become almost as ~expensiveI
articles for the American family as al
two years var to the overtaXed British.l
Think of the fact given recently by theI
Messenger as to British government
bonds or ''consols." We have not thel
figures before us, but they have fallenI
from s114 less than five years ago toI
a little yer s92 now.
The Londo letter to the Record says
that this is heard: go to Africa? Not
If 1 car help it. 1 would die there or
come home ~disgraced." This is theI
light in which a British officer sees
the war in South Africa.
The public view Of the situation inl
Africa is becoming less and less char-l
liable. The correspondent writes:
There is fierce public indignation att
the inconceivable Ievity and ignorancel
with which the enterprise was begun,I
and the criminal stupidity with which,
it has beer conducted. The openingI
Of the third years campaign is sig-l
nalized by the publication in both thcl
lingo and the anti-war press Of retro-I
spects of the governments war, theI
record fully justifying the gloomiest APP
prehensions."
1t is a known fact that since Lord
Roberts sent out his cheerful messagel
to h anxious British public that the
war was over, this war has continued,
and recently, with increased vigor, and
has cost 5000 lives, $1,000 casualties,
and $3.50. 600. 900 in money. according tol
the dispatch. President Kruger, now
safe in Holland is defiant as he was
three years ago. The special tells:
But as his defiance was received
with shouts of laughter then, it is to-
day received with something akin tol
fear. The old ~patriarch's dread pledged
to the world that England should payl
a price tina would stagger humanity
is now or nearly everyboy's lips. The
proclaiming of martial law throughout
Cape Colony is h browning blunder of
h British policy. An iron curtain OF
rigorous military censorship has now
been drawn Over the South Africanl
c~onflagration."
And now that the cruel war; is not
over" but continues with ~unabatedl
pluck on the part of the Beers and in
creasing cruelty and vengefulness on
the part of the British, the dissatis-
faction at home increases, and there
is a disposition to blame Genera Rob
erts for his roseate prophecy that never
was fulfilled. The opinion is en%tertain-
ed by some in England that the war
will have to go on and possibly for two
years.
A question naturally arises as toI
what Botha and the other Boer conf
manders will do in regard to the ex-
treme measures adopted by General
Kitchener. Will they strike back, Civ
ing and eye for an eye n a tooth for
g tooth? The Washington Post with
~pertinency
.The CHASTITY comedy speaks for it'll
self. No comment could do 1t justice