The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1902-06-14
vs Lsssas

LoQuacious individuals announce that
England has lost prestige by the war
In South Africa After thing has
been said q certain number OF times Il
h accepted as truth; and II facts con-
tradict the saying. 1t In true anyway.
and the chatterers reiterate 1t more
volubly.
It = true that the world IL round,
though 1t seems nat 1t u just as true
that the war in South Africa was not
Of England's seeking. that the Beers
hred on English troops first and that
previously to that time 1t was Kruge.
who cut short the deliberations and or
dered the cOmmandos into the field.
All these facts do not make any inn
precision upon the people who make up
their minds upon subjects without In
vestigation: and when contrary to their
wishes q collection Of facts h brought
to their attention. they dismiss them
- kings do unpopular courtiers. with
= wave Of the hand and sentence Of
exile. England did not persecute the
Boer farmers or drive them into war.
Kruger got angry and ordered out his
troops which he had been for years
arming with the best guns bought
with the money obtained from the out
hnders. Kruger himself u a sly. un-
truthful. greedy and short-sighted old
man whose obstinacy and lack Of busi-
ness foresight has deprived his country
Of autonomy. ss
1t h not true that the English army
has lost It's prestige by means Of the
war and its terrible losses. II there Is
one supreme lesson Of the war II Is
that the cost of final victory is
over q tride or even to right a great
injustice. A small determined army.
like the Boer army. can defeat an in
vading force many times its size by
means OF long range arms and a ma
tive's knowledge Of topography.
We knew before the war that the
Englishman was not facile or versatile
or quick to change tactics which he
had been taught are conventional and
the best possible in a campaign. De-
feat after defeat left the Englishmen
who were not killed on the battlefield.
still unconvinced that there was any
thing the matter with their way Of
meeting the enemy. The English SOL
diers in Africa fought with the same
logged bravery that Washington OBJ
ooruod ond odrnfrod Thov TONIGHT %
they will fight again, without the in
SEPARATION Of the moment and its indi-
cation. They fought as they would
fight on plain or in a billy country.
To the Englishman, fighting Is fight
Ing. whether the opponents are North
American Indians. or the French. or
Boer sharpshooters hidden behind rocks
six feet thick. The Englishman il the
same yesterday, today and forever. Yet
In spite Of his slowness and inability
to take suggestions from the topog-
raphy or from the enemy as to the
disposition Of his forces, in spite Of his
invulnerability to any suggestion from
whatever source, history records that
the Englishman finally wins.
Victory has been won at a terrible
cost Of men ard treasure in South AZ
rica. but the Englishman has won In
the interests Of civilization and truth.
Americans began to study the Eng
lish at the time Of the Revolution.
Washington's summary Of the English
officers character, his predisposi-
ton to laundering. his haughtiness.
and withal his bravery. Is as charac-
teristic Of the English fighting mento-
day a. IL was In IT'S