The Timaru Herald. SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 1902.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 11659, 18 January 1902, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 1902.

The people of Wellington appear to have been very much in earnest about their meeting to protest against the Continental slanders concerning the British nation and the British Army in the conduct of the war in South Africa. The meeting was attended by thousands, and the Theatre Royal was altogether too small to accommodate the crowds. But one gathering was not sufficient as an outlet for the general enthusiasm which the occasion "evoked, and there was a subsequent open-air meeting in front of the General Post-office, from the steps of which appropriate and energetic speeches were delivered by the Premier, Sir Joseph Ward, and others. We thoroughly sympathise with the feelings which called forth these demonstrations, and perhaps it is as well that the Imperial Government should have such proof positive of the sentiments which prevail in the colony; for there is no doubt whatever that the speakers at both meetings expressed what is felt throughout New Zealand, except by a miserable little disloyal minority, at whose head we may perhaps place Mr Barclay, the now thoroughly discredited member for Caversham. But granting all this, we believe that there is some danger of these expressions of dissent and abhorrence being allowed to cover more ground than properly belongs to them. The great bulk of the Continental slanders have emanated from the gutter press, especially of Germany, and cannot fairly be accepted as expressing the opinions and beliefs of the intelligent and better informed sections of the community.. Undoubtedly the Continent is against Britain on the general question ai the war, and would be well pleased if the struggle ended without the Transvaal and the Orange Free State being deprived of their independence. Foreigners have a right to hold such views and to give voice to such aspirations. In the great struggle between the .Federal and Confederate States of America, the latter had a very strong and outspoken backing in. Britain. Perhaps the bulk of the nation favoured the Southerners, and their success was very widely predicted. So in the war between-France and Germany, the former had many warm and outspoken partisans in Britain, and it was not deemed discreditable to hope for and predict Teutonic disaster. *But it is one thing to uphold a cause in a legitimate though perhaps illogical manner, and quite another thing to endeavour to create a feeling in favour of it by the promulgation of hideous falsehood and slan- I der. The latter method is that which the glitter newspapers of Geimany adopted, and it is well known that they were handsomely paid by the Boer leaders for playing such an ignoble and detestable part. Bet us admit that the Continent does not like Britain, and would not regret her humiliation ; but at the same time it is only just and politic to draw a distinction between national dislike kept within bounds, and a venomous hatred which stops short at nothing, and charges a great country and a brave army with countenancing and committing deeds at which all honest people stand aghast. Something on this, subject we already said when commenting on the proposal to boycott German goods, j Our remarks upon that occasion are to a large extent applicable to the general and hysterical outbursts which, are now being indulged in against Germany. We hope that the prevailing excitement will die oufci and that friendly relations, will; be maintained between the two countries. Tbe liars and slanderers can scarcely.be brought to justice,-, though the German Government might have done something to impose restraint upon them; but it cannot improve the situation, and it may do. a, considerable amount of mischief, to include in one sweeping denunciation the whole German nation on aceount of infamous wrong-doing on the past of a base, filthy, and venal minority. In another, column of this- issue of the '"Herald," and under the saaie heading as cite' Wellingt-am meetings, will be found aa. account of a. similar and fjofually enthusiastic gathering in Dun,~ edin.. We need not mention tine proceed-ings-more particularly, except to. say that we: thoroughly endorse the views of tae. speakers. Our remarks generally are to. be: taken as a warning against confounding tlas guilty with rjie innocent, but it does, not appear thai? the speakers- either at Wellington or Ifcmedin fell iiito that error. I