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Show PROTESTANTISM AND BOERS. Far-reaching Consequences of England's Eng-land's Attack On the Transvaal. (Ex-Minister llanotaux in the Paris Journal.) That race which is extending its influence influ-ence and its power is now confronted by another race and another expansion expan-sion question neither barbarous nor half-savage, but, ' on the contrary, Christian and semi-European. Fronting Front-ing the English advance we find the establishment and the possessions of the Dutch. There stand the true elements ele-ments of the conflict. Today everybody can see by the attitude at-titude taken not only by the government govern-ment of the Free State, but by that of the Afrikanders of the Cape headed by Schreinw. the prime minister of the Colony that the coalition opposed to British domination includes all who I are not English in those regions and everybody who stands by the Hollander.- ' - ' Now, it is no small affair for England to run up against the name and the great moral authority, especially in the Protestant world, of Holland. Among the countries of Europe, small and great, each one of which has had its hour of glory there is not one whose past is more illustrious or its present more estimable than Holland. In philosophy, in letters, in arts, in politics, in military and naval glories, the names of Spinoza, Rembrandt, William of Nassau, William of Orange, Tromp and Ruyter stand, in the front rank. For the services that she has rendered, Holland is entitled to the respect re-spect of all humanity, and especially of the Protestant portion of it. It is more than probable that if the United j Provinces of Holland had not resisted Spanish domination, and had not continued con-tinued against Philip II a struggle most unequal and heroic. Protestantism would have disappeared from the world. Holland is, therefore, the ancestor of Protestantism, just as she was the initiator in-itiator of the' liberal cause. It is for this reason that she should be treated by Europe with marked respect, but it is in opposition to the noble and pure Dutch tradition, in disregard of the Biblical and Protestant confraternity, and in hostility to Dutch expansion, that English aggression now arises in southern Africa. The situation is serious. Victory or defeat for England must be equally unfortunate. un-fortunate. In that distant portion of the globe the seamless garment . is bound to be torn. In Africa thiners move along slowly, and consequences are seen later on. Hatred and vengeance, ven-geance, perhaps, may be engendered in many hearts. But in Europe positions are taken up, necessarily, with more rapidity, and results are quickly developed. devel-oped. At the present time between the two great branches of European Protestantism, Protest-antism, prudent Holland! is extremely moderate. She treats with caution her great maritime neighbors and her powerful pow-erful continental neighbors. She lives, prospers and continues the even tenor of her way, keeping her redoubtable brothers always at the same distance. But her weight counts for something, and it would not take much to change the balance and break the equilibrium. Now. that is precisely what the conflict con-flict in the Transvaal is likely to bring about. The Dutch element in the en tire world is wounded to the quick. In its weakness and the natural desire to exist it seeks the support of the German Ger-man element, whatever may be the immediate issue of the present difficulty, difficul-ty, there will be produced one of those astounding evolutions of which Bismarck Bis-marck spoke, and the consequences of which nobody can foresee. Napoleon use to say that Antwerp was a cannon aimed at England. The remark is still applicable to the ports of Holland. If they should one day abandon their friendly neutrality, England would lose one of her points of security. . So goes on the world. Men are excited. ex-cited. Their passions rule them. They heap up reasons, precautions and deductions. de-ductions. But every game has its turning turn-ing point; every profit has its losses, and every success its catastrophe. Probably that is the-reason why the wisdom and philosophy of Lord Salisbury Salis-bury make him: still hesitate before sending England, and perhaps the world, into a contest in which the profits of the plungers might not be sufficient to cover the future deficits of the nation. |