The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1910-06-22
ROOSEVELT ON EGYPT.

ROOSEVELT ON EGYPT.
Two noted Americans, temporarily
sojourning in Europe, have taken ad.
vantage of Mr.. Roosevelt's England
in Egypt" speech in London the other
day to try to even up some old scores.
Mr.. Bryan remarked airily before a
British Y. NJ. c. A. meeting that
travelling in foreign countries he did
not discuss the politics of those coun-
tries because, as an outsider, he did
not regard himself as being sufficiently
informed. He added that as guest
of foreign people he would account
it poor repayment for their hospitality
to descant on controversial subjects
which bis entertainers understood bet
ter than himself"
Mr.. Bryan's remarks are particu.
larry interesting as coming from man
who has said more and known less
about large number of vital subjects
in his own country than any other
American in public life We can remem.
Der. Mr.. Roosevelt spent the better
part of year under conditions which
gave him opportunities for close study
of the character and results of British
rule in eastern and northern Africa. If
We were of gambling turn of mind
We would be quite willing to bet that
I. K. has ten times as much practical
knowledge Of the political situation in
Egypt today as Mr.. Bryan-to take
only one instahce-had on the subject
of government ownership of railroads
when he made a certain famous speech
in Madison Square Garden some years
ago.
MIR. Hearst is much put out at the
stand Mr.. Roosevelt has taken in re-.
gard to the Egyptian situation. He
asks: "Since when has it been neces-
sary to urge England to govern with
rod of iron and sword of blood? In
dia, Ireland, Egypt and South Africa
are broken with the former and wet
with the latter
We take it that it is very generally
acknowledged by England's best
friends that the English policy in Ire.
land has been a blot on a colonial re-
cord that 10 modern times has been
generally creditable. On account of
the interest of many of her noblemen
in Irish lands, England's policy in
Ireland has been based, to a consider.
able extent, upon selfshness. Her
policies in India and in Egypt, on the
other hand, have been largely altru-
istic. The tremendous system of irri-
cation that has been built up under
English rule in Egypt will last as
monument to English efficiency in
colonial management long after Tom
my Atkins has left, or been driven out
of the country. Fit had not been for
England Mahdism, with all the horror
that name implies, would have spread
to the shores of the Mediterranean in
the closing years of the nineteenth
century.
Some time in the future the Egypt.
ian fellah may be able to govern him.
self: He certainly was not able to
govern himself twenty-five years ago.
and it is not at all plain that if given
a chance he would prove able to gov.
ern himselftoday.
Mr.. Roosevelt is an unusual man.
No other American, perhaps, would
have made such speech as he made
in London on Tuesday. However, he
had been asked to speak-and it is
part of the Rooseveltian philosophy
that when he is expected to speak, he
is expected to say something. If he
said it in a way to make the shivers
run up the spines Of those Little Eng.
lsnders" who are today somewhat
more than usually influential in Brit
ish politics, We do not see why that
fact should pertube Mr.. Hearst and
Mr.. Bryan so deeply.-Cincinnati
Times-Star.