The Evening Star FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 1904.

Evening Star, Issue 12094, 15 January 1904, Page 4

The Evening Star FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 1904.

Au> colonial patriots must deplore the retirement of Dr W. H. Renascent Fitchett from the editorship Pro-Boerlsm. of the Australasian edition of the 'Review of Reviews.' Dr Fitchett has done splendid work, both as journalist and as author, for the cause of Empire and Freedom; and his withdrawal from the 'Review' would be matter for regret in any circumstances. But the worst part of the change is that the Australasian edition is now likely to reflect the craven disloyalty and antinationalism of Mr W. T_Rtead, the proprietor of the 'Review'—the Englishman, forsooth, who invoked the curse of Heaven upon England during the most anxious days of the war, and told a gang of malignant anglophobists at Paris that he despised the country of his birth. Of course, our regret is not shared by the faithful pro-Boers: faithful, that is to say, after the fashion of Laancelot, whose "honor rooted in dis- " honor stood, and faith unfaithful kept him " falsely true." On the 7th inst. we published a paper on this subject signed by Mr William Hutchison. Wo are always loth to refuse the use of our colmnns to re-specta-ble writers who do not withhold tiieir names from the public, whatever we may think of the views they express; and wo should not trouble to criticise Mr Hjttchison's latest effusion if he had contented, himself with a reiteration of his peculiar opinions concerning patriotism in general and the Boer War in particular. But we do think it well to protest against his subtly and saponaceously implied assumption that time has justified him and that the people of New Zealand are rather inclined to be ashamed of their share in the patriotic movement of four years ago. It will be sufficient to reproduce one passage of tins insinuating homily. "During these

"■yea»rE of oxeary war, all the drearier that " the British lovs of fair play and free speech "was smitten to the dust (except in each rare " cases as the one here quoted), nothing was "heard but stories of the bravery and mili"tary aptitude of the winning aide, and of "the cowardice and worthlessness of the "losing side. Y» victisl Men know "better now. I like LI to say it, but ha "the height of the excitement New Zealand "was perhaps the mostc-rtrageous of British "territories in this regpect. Our citizens •"lost their heads. The wisest and most "tolerant among them forgot themselves. "Already, even now, they wrald not suffer " some of the things to be done which they "then applauded." Not a bit of it! We rejoice to believe that the same patriotic demonstrations would take place to-morrow if the occasion were repeated; and once more we repudiate the charge of national unfairness, and scout the notion that "our citizens lost their heads." If to give frank and unmeasured expression to 'the love of country and of freedom, and to prefer the cause of England to that of the enemies—if this be to lose one's head, the only pity is that the loss was not shared by Mr W. T. Stead and Mr William Hutchison.

" So great a charm is England's right That hearts enlarged together flow, And each man rises up a knight To work the evil thinkers woe." There were sluggards and rebels in the camp, .but let us not now be told that the sluggards and rebels were right while the alert and loyal patriots were wrong. Mr Hutchison reminds us of the incidents relative to the chief of the 'Hansard' stag, the projected visit of a pro-Boer Prohibitionist, and the editorship of the ' Outlook.' Needless to say, we take a keen retrospective pride in the knowledge that the ' Star' was p«mrinenfry concerned in the proper settlement of each of these matters. Wo deserved—and, indeed, we practically received—the thanks of the Prohibitionists and Presbyterians of Otago for helping to save them from the threatened ignominy of disloyal associations. "A pleasant state of things, was it not?' ironically observes Mr Hutchison. It may not have been pleasant for the barked disloyalists: the salient fact is that it was necessary and samtary. We need say no more. Mr Hutchison is an interesting writer; he possesses a consdderabje literary faculty, and a style which loses nothing in pi<piancy by being somewhat old-fashioned. But he cannot be allowed to misrepresent his countrymen with impunity; and we beg of him in future to "keep King Charles'* head out of the Memorial.''