The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-03-13
AT THE HOTELS.


The transfer Of sovereignty seems 10
have aroused the colonial spirit in the
Belgian nation" said James Gustavus
Whitley, consul general OF the Congo
Free State, az the New Willard, recently,
discussing the cession Of the Congo Fres
State by King Leopold TO the Belgian
nation.
The people are beginning TO think
fmperially,' e" continued Mr.. whitley,
and TO prepare seriously TO take up the
duties and privileges which 90 with the
white mans burden Now that the an
nexation OF the Congo is 'un fat accom-
pli.' even the anti-expansionists are In
clined TO avoid hampering the new CO
lonlal administration. and seem disposed
TO stand shoulder 70 shoulder with the
rest OF their countryTnen IN defense %
the colony against foreign aggression
from any source
a good start has been made under the
new regime. NJ Renkin has been Sc
lected as colonial minister. He Is a level
headed man. Of calm judgment. high abii-
ity, and quick decision. He is a man who
deals with facts. not with theories He
has done an enormous amount Of work
IN organizing the new colonial depart
ment and IN a few weeks he IS 20 sail
for the Congo. that he may have knOwl-
edge az first hand OF the country and
people whose destinies have been com
mitted to HIS care.
1T is rumoTed that II circumstances
permit Prince Albert, the heir 10 the
throne, VIII also 90 TO the Congo this
spring 10 inspect the colony.
: The international relations OF the
Congo 70 the other powers are. OF course,
affected BY the transfer OF sovereignty.
but the changes are more in form than IN
reality. The independent state OF the
Congo has gone out OF business. but all
its international obligations and treaties
have been assumed By the new owners,
the Belgian nation"
Edward Parkinson. OF London. IS at tho
Arlington. he has made an extended
/ tour Of Canada, where he is interested
in the lumber business. Speaking %
I Canada's national aspirations. he said.
The decision OF the government OF
/ Canada TO create a foreign Office OF her
own for the handling and disposal OF
I her own foreign affairs has caused the
/ people at home 10 become stirred ur. and
I has attracted their most serious atten-
ton II has, however, aroused no oppo-
sitiOn- II It did. It probably would only
do harm. We in England naturally rec
! ognize that such a step viii stin fur
/ Their weaken the ties which now so lightly
/ and loosely bind Canada 10 the mother
/ country There doesn't seem 10 be any
\ help for IT, Opposition 20 this desire OF
! Canada might sever the bonds altogether
What makes the dose very bitter for
Englishmen 20 swallow Is the knowledge
and fact that Canada wants 10 co her
own foreign business. IN order 70 be en-
abied 70 expedite intercourse with the
United States There have been q few
/ Englishmen with sufficient philosophy 70
see that Canada and the United States
/ had parallel destinies. but the average
/ Brito1 looks upon II as a case Of alien
ated affections, and would Ike 20 CO
something about il. II he only knew what
10 DO
II II were only Canada which Is slowly
drifting away from Us. it would not b
so bad. although it's serious enough; but
after one has once made a start all the
rest Of the colonies viii follow and de-
maud their own foreign Offices. Aus
tralIs yin be next IN line, and South
Africa viii be heard from before many
years
TT IS very serious question which
confronts English statesmen"
p. y Miller. a lumber merchant of
Sheridan. Ind. is AT the National. and
Il having expressed hopes for Senator Bev-
! erldee's early recovery. told the fellow
ing story about the senior Senator from
his state.
Senator Beveridge. in the course OF
an after-dinner speech IN Boston. said OF
i child labor: When We consider the IN
great men Iook upon the child labor evil.
we can't help wondering If these men are
so very great, after all
An orator was addressing an assem-
I blace Of the people He recounted the
PEOPLES wrongs Then he psssionstely
cried. Where are Americas great men2
Why don't they take up the cudgels in
our defense2 In the face OF our mani
fold wrongs. why do they remain cold,
immovable silent2"
q Because they're an cast IN bronze
shouted a cynic in the rear
The Panama Canal according TO Henry
F. Thorn. a banker and broker. OF New
York. who is ar the Raleigh. may prove
? the most colossal commercial blunder in
the worlds history.
The Panama Canal VIII experience Sc
we're competition from alternative routes
on the American continent ITSELF said
the New Yorker BY the time the canal
is completed the Tehuantepec Railway
across the Mexican isthmus TO the south,
and the Grand Trunk Pacific, with its
{ new port at Prince Rupert, on the north,
win be in fun swing Taking the Tehuan-
tepec line first New Orleans VIII be J. 81
miles and New York l1S2 miles nearer
/ san Francisco via the railway than by
the canal. while the saving on the dis
lance between Liverpool and San Fran
, cisco by the iron road is about SO miles.
as compared with the waterway Il VIII
be argued that in favoring the railway
breaking bulk is necessary. but the IA
! Cilities that are being provided al each
. end Of this transcOntinental line for
/ transshiDment are such as to reduce the
/ delay and cost 10 TIE minimum. which
in any event viii be less than canal
dues BY the new Canadian transconti-
mental railway. New York. Chicago. and
other prosperous Industrial centers IN the
north Of the States viii have their dis
lance to japan shortened by over 1.0o3
miles.
; The United States government Is, how
= ever, relying on the patriotism OF the
citizens 10 insure the prosperity OF its en-
iterprise. but whether much reliance can
be placed in patriotic sentiment as q
financial source is another question.
{ From the military point Of view, tho