GENERAL BUTLER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 76, 26 March 1900, Page 3

GENERAL BUTLER.

THE MAN WHO WAS RIGHT.

General Sir William Butler, whose name has lately been in many mouths in connection with the Boer war, is one of the numerous company of gallant Irishmen who have rendered notable service to the British Empire. He was, it may be remembered, Com-mander-in-Chief in South Africa prior to the outbreak of war, but was recalled to England because of his supposed Boer leanings. Now, "Sir Wil- 1 liam—who, by the way, won fame and promotion by brilliant service on the Bed River expedition under Sir Garnet Wolseley —has never made any secret of his views as a patriotic Irishman, a devoted Catholic, and the ardent friend champion of the oppressed of all races and colour. A man so chivalrous and so just was perhaps out of place in a. country where racial hatreds were running high ; but nevertheless the loyalty of Sir William Butler to the British Crown ought to have been held above reproach. When things were going badly with the British generals in January last, it was Sir William Butler who was hastily summoned from Devonport to take part in a consultation at the War Office in regard to the progress of the war. "His estimate of the forces necessary for a war with the Boer Republics," says the Dublin Freeman, " was regarded et the time it was received as being based on a wildly exaggerated idea of their strength. Everyone is regretting now that his appreciation of the military problems in South Africa was not then given the consideration due to it." The London Daily News and Daily Telegraph have made equally candid acknowledgments to the General who, becase he appreciated what others then ignored and denied—the military and moral strength of the enemy—was denounced as " a maker of Pro-Boer speeches." In times of popular heat and passion, injustice is frequently done to some of the best men in the community. Not all are so fortunate as Sir William Butler in receiving complete and prompt justification.—N.Z. Timet.

THE COLONIES AND THE WAR—H W. MASSINGHAM'S VIEWS. The Morning Leader, which has lately been enlarged to ten pages, has' H. W. Massingham as its lead : ng political contributor, Charles Williams as military expert, and other old Chronicle men on the staff. On Wednesday Mr. Massingham, who has at least the merit of indubitable honesty, gave us the benefit of his views on the " colonies and the war." I had a sort of idea there was only one view myself amongst sane folks on this particular aspect of the campaign, but the ex-editor shows us differently. Note particularly the reference to " my friend Lord Beauchamp, if I may call him so." Publicists of the Massing-ham-cum-Stead order do love titles, and can seldom resist exhibiting a sample or so. Mr. Massingham opens this letter! by condescendingly observing that the] " interference " (sic) of the colonies in the war may not result badly, despite its manner and object. " In the first place;" says he, " no one who has followed the working of colonial institutions can have failed to sympathise! with the feeling of tenderness for the Old Country, which is the fruit of the ■wise policy of non-interference with the sell-governing colonies which was laid down earlier in the century, and from which even Mr. Chamberlain has, outside South Africa, not ventured to depart. In the second place, I think we may reckon that now that the colonies have helped to conduct the war they will help to settle the war. I note that Sir Wilfrid Laurier has already stated his view that the terms of peace ought not to interfere with any existing right enjoyed by the Dutch race, a sentiment which must imply that in Sir Wilfrid's opinion the independence of the Republics should be respected, but which is opposed to the clamor of the English Press; in South Africa, and to the opinion of «forwards. like Mr. Arnold White, •pho, as the result qt a war for

equality,' wishes to take away from he Dutch the free use of their own anguage. When the self-governing colonies understand that they are ighting against colonial freedom and lot for it, and against the majority of >ur colonists in South Africa, they vill, I hope, make their voices clearly ind strongly heard. At the same ime, we must discriminate. The levelopment of South African race )roblems last summer was no business >f New South Wales or Canada. ?rench Canada, in particular, which lid not as a whole approve of the lespatch of troops, has triumphantly olved a difficulty which Dutch South Africa has been forbidden to solve in >eace. She enjoys far greater power n Dominion politics (in her own proince she is absolutely supreme) than he Dutch have claimed in South Africa. She cares as little for what I nay call the symbolism of the flag as ihe Dutchman, and far less for the >erson of the Queen. She would not olerate for one moment the interferince which Sir Alfred Milner has set ip in the constitutional afiairs both of be Cape and of Natal. This is still aore true of Australia. I fail even o imagine my friend Lord Beauchamp, f I may so call him, playing the kind if pranks with his Goverment which Sir Alfred Milner has played with Mr. ichriener and his colleagues. It is he business of the Liberal party to iring these elementary facts of our jlonial system home to those who lave forgotten them through failing to ,pply that golden saying "Put yourself n his place." Not that they have teen entirely forgotten, The con- , ingents were not sent from Australia rithout opposition from the Labor >arties, and in South Australia, for sample, the resolution to send was >nly carried by the casting vote of the President of the Legislative Council. Che contingents, too, were many of ;hem paid at the rate of 5s a day, and ;hey consisted in some degree of those idventurous spirits who will go anywhere and do anything for 'fun'—and 1 to some minds there is no ' fun' like ' Shat of war. There is one other con- ' The colonies were swept into the net by the cunning hands : who made this war in order to pnt money in their purse.. The Uitlanders' agitation was started simultaneously at an immense expenditure in Capetown, London, Australia, and English Canada. The same lies were told to the colonies as to us. The fame fabrication of Boer atrocities went on there as here, emanating from pipers in the hands of the two or three South African syndicates who manipulated the war boom. By-and-by they will find out the truth, as we are finding it out. And then there will be a reckoning."—London correspondent Evening Star.