The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-11-17
A People Without Weapons.

Surrounded as we are BY the benef-
cent instrumental ties of an enlighten-
ed civilization, it is difficult, nay inn
possb g, to conceive OF the deplorab
condition of the benig hted popu alton
of the ElIice Islands in the Western
Pacific Ocean, who, we are informed
on the presumably unimpeachable tests
monv of Brit sh naval officer, are
entirely without arms Of offeuse or de-
tense. During his so, ourn among these
wretched people, our veracious officer
says h. did not see club Or spear. or
any weapon whatever, either in Their
hands or their houses. I'm ortunately
he stops here. ON ting to tell us. as he
should have done, how a people so ut
teri, destitute in that which makes,
more than all else. toward the uplifting
most trivial, everyday dut es, not to
speak of those matters OF public polity
dependent for their successful carrying
out in more favored countries upon the
benignant sway of gunpowder, lead and
steel. I he reason Tor his therwise un.
accountable retcence must be found in
the presumption that he was himself
entirely ignorant as to the matter. He
was, probably, one of those incurious
travellers who never dive beneath. the
surface of things, aud ask no quest ons,
simply recording their observat ions,
without inqu ~ lutO t re cause OF wha:
they see or into its ,ects upon the
people among whom it obtains. 10
the re lectve mind q multitude OF
questions at once pre- sent the nse yes.
How, Tor example, can 4 people without
firearms render all and comfort to the
undertaking proe 'sion? In their un-
happy land, where the mOnOtOnv 1T
uneventful DAYS IS ,lnbroken bv those
pleasing episodes which make life. in
deed. worth living with us where
there are no guns to look into the
muzzle OF be ore cross ny tie dark
border-where the children. the babes
in arms, have no arms to rob them OF
misery during the period OF dentition
it must surely 90 hard with the un-
dertaker to keep body and soul to.
getber. And think Of the country
where one may walk up and down
the land, by day or bv night. with
out hope of being pc ped at Intentional
ly by the man of blo,d, or uninten-
tionally by the man of sport!
1t is too painful tor contemplation.
No wonder our British naval officer
hurried away from SO uninteresting .
communit But. worse stlll. he saws
he saw not 70 much as cub among
this strange people! How then, pray,
do the policemen there amuse them
selves? 1t is fair to resume that il
policemen are requisite among nations
favored with weapons of all and every
kind, o people with no weapons must
need these guardians of the peace
vastly more. What. we ask, do the
weapOnless, clubless officers OF the law
have for . pa.tme, q recreation. am
their onerous and pistol.ess duties? In
our blessed land, the policeman has
both the club and the pi.tJl with VIII CHI
to cheer h way; but the poor kllice
Island policeman has neither. and he is
likewise denied the e>hilarat on horn
of the pistol, billy and slung-shot in
other lands, that might enliven his dull
round OF duties at every corner. And
not the undertaken and the policeman
alone, but all occupat ons and all per.
sons must needs suffer from this wOful
lack of mans best gift to man. namely,
weapons. The dealer in firearms. 1t is
easy to see, can drive but poor trade
in q community where firearms are
unknown; the surgeon must suffer, and
his family peak and pine where the
promoter of surgery is not: the news.
papers must be dull, indeed. which
from year end to Year end give to their
readers no thrilling narrat YES of MUIR
der and accident. The mother must
lind time hanging heavily on her hands
where there are no occasions for worri-
ment lest the unloaded pistol or the
shotgun suddenly become loa led and
watt her offspring to the unknown be.
yond: and the father, how could he
correct his children and bring them to
walk in the path of virtue without the
rod?-for we Judge that the rod also is
denied to these poor people. The SUBJ
iect is too painful. Let us pity these
Door Ellice islanders. We may never be
able to fully sympathize with them
Rosk01a Trim scrigAk