NOTE AND COMMENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 3675, 27 February 1899, Page 4

NOTE AND COMMENT.

America, as we always expected die would, from the inherent the qualities of the dominant position race in her mixed populaat the : tiou, has broken away from Philippines, the trammelling traditions of the Monroe Doctrine, which, during the Venezuelan boundary episode, it apparently afforded her such pleasure to flaunt in the face of England., That the situation'‘in’'the'‘Philippine Islands, at present invested by American forces under General Otis, is serious is evident from the cable messages to hand. A thorough knowledge of his country ' and its climatic conditions—as adverse to military' operations undertaken by white men in- the rainy season as- the west coast of Africa, apparently—will enable Aguinaldo, the uncrowned Idrg of these savage islanders, to carry on-a protracted and "annoying guerilla warfare calculated to try the endurance of the troops and the patience of American taxpas r ers to the uttermost: Hut (loro will be no' flinching on ■ America's part. Mr Whitelaw Reid, in the speech which Tie -has just delivered at the banquet in honour of Lord' Charles i Beresford, gave expression to the thought that is at present in the minds of . most people of the Anglo-Saxon race when he said that Groat Britain > and America in union would prove irresistible in' shaping the commercial future of the Far. East.

In her determination- to make herself mistress of the Philippines A 'and dictate her turn terms noMiNAXT to the fierce Tagal«, people. America is only'Carrying out , ■■■■■■’ ( jier 'manifest destiny, as representing n portion* o'f tlio coming dominant people of the-world—the Anglo- - Saxon." ti Those who know ’America can always’’ rest’ assured that when- history is to he made file Anglo-Saxon, element —which stolidly meddle with domestic or municipal politics, leaving them to tlie' Irish '...professional'- .ward! politicians, with a genius fotf organ!'Atioh, and nien v of -Itiehard Groker’s stamp —will come to the front as irresistibly as the predestined man of t.;e luur in all grayo, crises-steps out from the ruck : to take -unquestioned control of anation’s . policy. ' Those' who' have seen tho youth of America at’ Harvard, Yale and 1 the - great military ' tnliriing college at West. Point;.and those who have paced the quarter-decks of her men-of-war or been through an affair with the Sioux or, Apachb on, the Indian frontiers, recognislj the type—the. many-sided, but un- - mistakable—which is to be found every- , ‘ whero; iiv thb" world,- frCni, the burning ■' 1 ” plains' of Upper Egypt to the steaming Ever ■ glades of' Florida, and everywhere r bearing the' stamp of tho men of destiny. It cannot be doubted that the future of American- Colonisation will resistless depend largely upon the expiunciples. tent to which the Governmeilt of the United States recognises those, principles of justice, freedom and humanity which have always and everywhere marked. British progress. This characteristic ofAnglo-Saxon aggressiveness "is-in marked contrast to the Russian typo. f ,Take -Yladivo'itoek, fpr example, whero not a single non-Russian merchant is to be found, 'and contrast it with the British concession at Hankow, where',' under the' security .of tlie flag, ’the .principal tea r merchants aro Russians,- who, - under a free constitution, are becoming- ■ more English 1 in their ideas!-than the English themselves-on the subject of political and commercial liberty. It may well be asked—Under tho sheltering aegis of which expanding and overflowing face will the weaker nations of the world some day work out their ends in restful security ?■' It cannot be under ; tluj Slavonic race, wedded to exclusive dealing—a policy which lost their colonies for ever to the..gallant but .unhappy Spanish people/ 'Tfrmust h'e niidef'tho Anglo-Saxon face, which, wherever it goes, carries the gift of a free constitution, local self-government and the doors of commerce open to the world. Aguinaldo and his followers will rage for a time; hut ere long they will follow ; the example' of the islanders of Negros and make submission to a rule which, . when properly known, 1 will commend itself, as British rule- has done. among boriginal races elsewhere,’hy its justice ,nd adaptability.

Among the-proposed city improvements is one which cannot fail to

HOT , SALTWATER BATHS.

recommend itself. Wo refer to that having for its' object i the establishment of hot salt-water baths. The ■ tonic' effects of such baths

are too’well 'known-to require description. With, busy men, to whom timo is mone}', the-system is apt occasionally from carelessness •in ’ diet and other causes to' run down, and they are tempted to have recourse to drugs or liquors in- the" shape of “pick-me-ups.” The effect of ;■ these is transient; and a reaction invariably ' follows, leaving the patient more depressed than ever. Then is the" .psychological moment in which to adopt a course of treatment in which hot salt-walor baths play an important part. , The volume of supply of seawater in London is assuming huge proportions, mainly’ in order to' meet the demaud for these tonic and invigorating baths—the properties of which, were so well known to the Romans and so liberally utilised by them. For a “used-up” business .man, or student suffering from “brain-fag,” thermal baths such as wo lifivo at Rotorua, Te Aroha and Hanmer Plains are about the worst thing in which he can indulge. The change of scene arid climate, coupled with the rest, may do him good; hut the baths, if he takes them, and the insipidity of life in these tame resorts will largely,'operate.

his excursion. Hence tho great advantage of having at.our doors-the meats' of enjoying hot baths with the valuable, natural properties of sea-.wator added. r iho “Madame Ilachcl” bath at Rotorua would probably bo speedily eclipsed by hot salt-water baths, for it is said that women find that uo . preparation for the shin softens arid clarifies the cuticle like hot salt-water. ■ All classes of the com-,' in unity ought therefore to insist upon the speedy completion of the Mayoral Hchomo of municipal reforms.