Rensselaer Journal, Volume 10, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 May 1901 — England's Most Serious Problem. [ARTICLE]

England's Most Serious Problem.

The popular illusions respecting the seriousness of the Boer war were naturally accompanied by miscalculations as to its cost. Just before the war broke out, Mr. Stead’s prediction that “we shall get off cheaply if it does not cost us tnore than 10,000 lives and £20,000,000” was considered as ridiculous as his other warnings. But some time ago the bill already exceeded £100,000,000, while a moderate estimate of the present cost puts it at £2,000,000 a week. As to casualties, the official returns up to the end of December reported 51,687, including 12,158 deathsh- It is by this time clear that in his speech at Carnarvon Oct. 6, 1899, John Morley made the right retort to the sneer that he was a Cassandra. “Cassandra’s prophecies,” he replied, “happened to come true.”— The Forum.