Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-10
Showed Mettle in Past.

1t may or may not have been impolitic
but it was not necessarily an act of weak
ness. There is more vigor in Lord Glad
stone than is generally supposed
He was not a brilliant success in the
caplnet, 1T is true, but he showed on
more than one occasion that he had met
tie and could take a line of his own and
Keep 1t. Unless the government had
credited him with more ability and
strength and character than he took the
trouble to exhibit to the house and the
public they would scarcely have given
him the very difficult task of inaugural
ing the South African Union. But 1t is
very unfortunate that his first exercise
of the royal prerogative of mercy should
bring him into violent conflict with CO.
lonlai feeling. Unless there are unusual
mitigating circumstances there will I'M
doubtedly be an influential demand for
his recall. The South African view is
that governor general might commit
with lmpunlty almost any error of judg-
ment other tnan one affecting the safety
of white women.
\ South African who has occupied a
nigh official position in Rhodesia is prac-
stones clemency. He says: Lord Glad
stone does not know so he is rushing
blindly toward disaster. Possibly-prob-
ably, / should say-he will be acclaimed
III Wis SouhtiS Tie savior or the OBJ
Observation-Disclosures, being somewhat
devoid of virility. may not understand
that this is question of sex rather than
one OF politics-but his action will have
terribly 1ar-reaching effects. Hitherto
the high commissioner has not interfered
In such matters; he has left them to the
discretion of his local advisers. The in
prevention of a politician-and the peer
age does not suf1lce 10 cover the identity
or Herbert Gladstone, the home secre-
tary, who made way for another man
of more energetic temperament-will be
resented strongly by the Rhodesian pop
ulatiOn.
Association With Beers.
so far Lord Gladstone's time had
been spent chiefly among the Beers, or
in those colonies where the Beers form
the preponderating element Evidently
he has failed to realize that Rhodesia
is essentially British colony; that in
Rhodesia the memory of the surrender
Of MajuDa is one of shame, not of glory;
that Rhodesians are community of
clean-lving, self-spporting Britishers,
determined to keep out the BOer tradi-
ton, determined to make their coun-
try, and keep their country, an integral
part of the British empire; to allow the
Proclamation of no Boer premier; that,
In the very probable event Of another
duel NdI, ISlOucSld, our COuHlTy, Will De
the bulwark of the empire, SO far as the
north is concerned.
Cape Colony has the native vote to
consider. Cape Colony has given the
vote to the savage and the semi-savage
Cape Colony allows the savage to buy
the vile Cape brandy distilled by the
Boer wine farmers Cape Colony is the
predominant partner in the union. And
if that savage is hanged in Rhodesia,
the native vote in the Cape may go
against the party with which the pres
ent government is identified
And the end of it all? Lord Glad
stone will be acclaimed as the friend and
protector of the downtrodden native
races. The heather in his blindness
will become more interesting than ever
to his friends in England. and the COL
lecting boxes will be ratified with re-
neWed vigor. whi.e-and this is the point
of all pOints--the heather. the savage
and the barbarian will assume that he
can assault 81 white woman with i'm
punity; that the English have given way
to the Beers to such an extent that they
no longer dare protect their own wom-
en-, and that an EInglishWoman is to
be the prey Of any man strong enough
to beat down her resistance.
1.-The savage will die, however, de-
spite the /repr!eve, because he has com
mitted the objectionable sin, and be-
cause north OF the Limpopo river the
word of a governor general counts for
very little, or for nothing at all In.
RhodeSia men fear neither yiScounts'l
nor chartered directors: they are con-
tent to serve the God of their fathers
and guard the honor of their women"