The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, NOVEMBER 33, 1901.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 270, 23 November 1901, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, NOVEMBER 33, 1901.

THE TIMES’ WARNING. The solemn warning which the London Times conveys to Germany sounds almost comical when we look nearer home and take notice of some of the brutal comments that are made. One day we read of the significant words from Lord Salisbury, pointing out that England is the only coiintry where during a great war eminent men are permitted to write and speak as if they themselves were a portion of the enemy; the day following we hear of the warning given by tho Times to Germany. It is true that no one in England has been permitted openly to advocate the assassination of a statesman, but some of the talk by eminent .men has certainly been calculated to encourage desperate men. Sir H. A. Campbell-Bannerman has thought it necessary to give a disclaimer in his own case. He denies ever having givon a word of encouragement to the I Boers, or of even having expressed a | word of pity for them, but if he can- ' not fairly bo charged with anything of that sort, he has certainly beon guilty of maintaining silence w'hen he, as a leader, should have spoken out with no uncertain sound. There is no doubt that tho attitude of some of our statesmen has oncouraged the Boers to keep up the struggle, and has led to them gettingassistance from other quarters. “ Eminent men have written and spoken as though they were tho enemy of the country,” and while this has been permitted, we nan surely hardly pick a quarrel with another nation because some irresponsible beings have boen a little more free in their language than have been some of our own eminent men. It Ls e disgrace to Germany that men should be allowed to openly advocate the assassination or any statesman, and as a matter of policy at least it would bo thought that the German Government would check it, but the fact remains that in the British House of Commons expressions nearly as bad. though couched in less bold language, have been made use of. It will be necessary to exercise more restraint in our own country before wo can say too much to our neighbors about the way in which they are to comport themselves. The warning of the Times is no doubt significant, as showing the attitude that is being taken in the matter by England, but it is not likely that it will lead to any national quarrel.