The Minneapolis journal., 1902-06-26
BRITAIN AND GERMANY

In view of-the critical condition Of the
King of England, the relations OF that
kingdom and empire and the German en-
pire present matter for serious con-
sideration.
One of the last acts of the late Queen
Victoria was to secure from her grand
son, the Emperor of Germany, and her
son and successor, Albert Edward, Prince
of Wales, mutual pledge that they
would keep the peace between the two
countries. Since then these nations have
never been so hostile to one another.
Germany SO far as the people OF the en-
pire are concerned, has been especially
abusive of England and Englishmen, SO
much SO that the latter are realizing that
self-interest demands that some official
notice must be taken of the ceaseless at
tacks. The recent cruise of a German
squadron In Irish waters has led the
British press to discuss sensationally a
possible design of Germany to take OBJ
servations of the coast with view to fu
ture hostile action. The English king and
queen have been mercilessly caricatured
by the German press and, during the Boer
war, DR.. Leyds and the Boer propaganda
in Holland, did their best to intensity
the anti-English sentiment. In every way
this sentiment has been cultivated. Since
the close of the Boer war, which will give
the British government time to look after
interests which have been neglected, the
anti-English feeling shows no diminution.
The Pan-Germanic League, as it is called,
stands for hostility toward England. 1t
has encouraged the belief that the British
empire during the Boer war was hasten
ing to its destruction. Itadvocates the
intensive cultivation of German export
trade and the annihilation of British
trade abroad. 1t regards our country as
ar obstacle in the way of the trade con-
quest of the world by Germany, but the
feeling against us, bitter as it Is, does
not compare in heat with that borne to-
ward England. The German parliament
has voted immense sums to build up the
German navy, which ere long will com
prise some forty battleships of the first
class and about fifty cruisers Of the first
and second class, all Of the highest eff
cheney. The emperor himself has pushed
the building of this navy with the great
f est zeal. ~ >E-ql1
| ! It is evident that the Emperor of Ger
many would, in the present state OF mind
Of the majority of his people, do a popu-
lar thing If he picked a aquarrel with Eng-
land, where anti German sentiment is
sufficiently strong to Insist upon the talk
| ing up Of such challenge, but he has been
wise enough, during the Boer war, to hold
back the dogs of war, and it IS probable
| that the outcome Of the Boer war and tbs
great display by England of available
force and means of transportation in.
| cident to that war, albeit she showed
herself deficient in expertness in modern
tactics and strategy, will have con.
servative effect upon Europe and especial
ly Germany, where the people have beer
taught that the end Of the British EN-:
pire is near. 1t is noticeable that, while
to-day the undercurrent and oyercurren
of German sentiment isr hostile TO Eng
| land through commercial rivalry, the his
| tory of the two peoples shows that, from
Ethe earliest times, the relations OF En- 6
Hand with the German people were mos
| intimate and were largely based upon ;
solid footing of commercial interests ana
cemented by intermarriages Of the roya
houses. ~ ..'- =