Cheering Them Up.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 297, 23 December 1901, Page 1

Cheering Them Up.

A friend has sent us a copy of the Bloemfontein Post, containing an article on the subject of “ Cheering us lip,” which is founded upon a recent speech by Lord Salisbury. It is admitted that it is quite right to deprecate senseless pessimism—even, allowing that it is a little difficult at times

to define when senstiess pessimism logins and justified pessimism ends, but it is added ti at it is by no means easy to maintain r. uniform cheerfulness under me strain of tire .indue

prolongation of the war. Then we are told that those who ore suffering Iron: the continuan.’e of hostilities cannot be expected to display the patience and calm endurance winch we find so admirable in, let us say, the inmates of the Boer refugee camps. The fortitude of these i;ei p!>; really am.-'.z-ing. They eat their meals, sleep their slumbers, submit 10 the free education of their children, permit them selves to be emerurret! with spoc -s, indulge in tenuis, croquet, and ether beguiling pastimes with hardly a murmur.

“Their exit uplft." states the Post. “ should certainly stimulate us, but somehow it his hithuto failed to Jo so. The explvviLuii no doubt is that the war is h.:...’.!y made so pleasant for us, for mu: wives and belongings, as it is for the tv Wes and belongings o( our frieid i> e r??my. It did not. for example, occur to General Lo us Botha to er.ttrti-n our poor kinsewn the loyalist refnisees at the coast towns with a gymkhana on old Mr Kruger’s birthday m October, or io Christian De Met to gi'e them an al fresco fete on the anniversary oi evPresident S- : *> ns natal day in Sep tember. But. wo cm* Prate His Majesty the King’s Birthday in November by organising some elaborate sports for the amusement and delight of the wives and children of the men still in arms against us. We must not be supposed to he grumbling ; on the contrary, while heartily endorsing the sentiments of His Excellency, the Deputy Administrator, we have every hope that the experiment will bear excellent fruit, and we only allude to the incident to suggest a reason why impatience—not pessimism, we refuse to be pessimistic—is a little more naturally to be looked for on our part than on the part of those who still count themselves our enemies, but whom we are only too anxious to acclaim as our friends.”

Continuing, the Bloemfontein Post states that nevertheless the speech will serve as a tonic that was badly required, because of the discontent and resentment brought about in commercial circles by protraction of the war. The Post then declares : “ We believe that things are indeed going well with us, despite isolated disconcerting incidents which might seem, but quite erroneously, to point in a contrary direction. Let us therefore, tighten our armour of patience, and await with sure hope the relief which every succeeding day brings nearer—advice that some of our confreres on the home papers might adopt with comfort to themselves and advantage to their readers.!’

One expression of opinion that is of a most pleasing nature is that in regard to what is likely to happen when the war is over. On this subject the Post states :—“ So far as we in this country are concerned, there are not wanting indications that once the hatchet is buried the probationary period that must elapse before the privilege of self-government is conceded us will not he'so long as was at one time feared. While the guerilla, war has been proceeding the consolidation of the Civil Government has been progressing steadily, its foundations have been securely laid, its scope extended, and every preparation made for expediting tlie era when local autonomy can safelv be entrusted to the inhabitants of the r.ewlv-acouired territories, , . .The two occasions when he spoke attest the welcome fact that we are making perceptible progress in the Fulfilment of that desire.’ Such an expression of opinion from a journal so well able to judge is cheering, and we must all hope that it is fully justified. _