The daily gazette., 1881-01-08
THE INFLUENCE OF THE
UNION ABROAD.

1
From the Nation.
| There was a somewhat naive OK
preston of the wonder thus raiset
in the London Spectator, the othel
day, in an article which bas called
forth much comment here, reproach
ing the United States with theil
failure to use the marvellous strength
now revealed in doing something fol
the relief of oppressed and in
competent races and nations else.
where. They ought, for instance, to
accomplish, or aid in accomplishing
the deliverance of Armenia, and
ought TO 60 down to Mexico and
teach the people of that country
bow to govern themselves. This is
hattering enough, but it reveals a
somewhat childlike conception of
the nature of the next step In politi.
cal progress to be taken. 1t NAV
be safely said that we are very near.
II we have not reached, the end of
all that war can do for Christendom.
The curse of Europe to-day, the
great impediments to its growth in
wealth and happiness, is the enor.
nous military armaments. The
amount OF wealth they destroy, both
through the taxation they make
necessary and the labor they with.
draw from the work of production.
Is prodigious. Barring the less of
lie, and the terror and confusion,
their effect on industry, even in
times Of profound peace, closely
resembles that of permanent and
costly war. Butevery nation farcies
it maintains its fleets and armies
either for its own salvation or the
dellverance of some other people.
and as a matter OF fact, every war
In our time takes sooner or later the
form OF war of deliverance. Even
The late Afghan war, which has cost
England over $l0O 900 600, which
would, If wisely used, have gone far
to extiuguish pauperism and dis
content in ireland, was represented
to be entered upon for the purpose
OF delivering the unhappy Afghans
from the Russians, which must have
seemed a strange theory to the
Afghans who were hanged and had
their villages burnt.
II, in fact, the European Powers
would next year give up all idea of de-
iiVering or saving anybody by force of
arms, and disbAnd or reduce their arm.
les they would probably give an impe-
tus 10 material progress, and through it
70 civilization itself, such as the world
nas not witnessed since the discovery of
America. The mischief Of war and OF
preparation for war is not simply ma
erlal, 1t is moral. Every war, even the
holiest, leaves behind from one To half
t-dCzen heroes-that is, men whose
skill III the art of de1truction SO delights
aud fasclnates their country that tbey
are durlng the remainder of their lives
III certain sense released from the one
ration OF the ordinary moral standards,
and are held up to the adm iration OF
yonth with comparatively little regard
70 their qualities or capacities as peace.
ful Citizens. Now, ii there be one ser
vice more valuable than another which
a republic like tue United States can
render to the world and to all races of
the world even to the AImen,ans. Al
This juncture, it Is the successful exbibi-
ton OF a Government without standing
armies, aud Of society which does not
make pets of fighting men.
TINS service the United States is now
rendering The million Of men we
should have to maintain if we underl ook
to "deliver" people by ''firing shot"
and whom we should probably In off
years use i'll depressing somebody or
quarrelllng with somebody, are in the
1elds and workshops, are married to l.
0OO,OOO women, and, according to the
best calculated probabilities, the fathers
Of two children each, making 4,OOO, 900
of persons left free in The pursuit OF
happiness. The 10000 or 10000 Off
GERS oil such an army, instead of loung-
ing In cafes or taverns, or flirting on
promenades, or passing laborious nights
ano days, and using bighly-tralned in
tellectual powers in devsing schemes
Tor the destruction Of the largest posi-
ole number of human beings in The
smallest possible space of ftime, are busy
supe' intending or facilitating the work
oi producing, transporting, aud distribu-
',hg commodities. THIS is a spectacle
absolutely without precedent.
~ ho'toh vi cOlOO' PUU mas ever before
presented 1t to the world, and there is in
t more hope and help tor the oppressed
han in all The fleets or armies which
now cover the waters or darken the land
IN any part of the world. 1t ls encour-
asenlent of the strongest kind to those
VINO live under this terrible military
oke to put an end to it, for 1t shows
that security and prosperity are possible
without soldiers. There, is, loo, a touch
of joyonrs and characteristic humer In
the way in which the American Repub-
lie celebrates its attaining $4,000, 600 of
popu alton by "breaking" the European
wheat, cheese, and pork market. This
mode of exciting hatred aud envy has
been hitherto unknown and marks more
vividly than anything else the beginn-
! ing Of political revolution. No force
that could be mustered on these shores.
and Ito fleets that we could put to sea.
could make the groaning nations Of
Europe dlminish their armies by one
c"mplny. But 1t is quite certain that
before many years the steady offer Of
1 ~. r