The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-03-31
NOrkingmen and War.


It is not many years since Sumner,
standing in Boston on the Fourth of
July. in one OF the finest orations on
record. announced the dictrlne of peace:
that arbitration should take the place OF
war. The idea then seemed novel, and
people derided II as visionary and i'm
practical Since then many cruel wars
have desolated the earth, and the tread
of hostile armies have shaken many
countries. Europe and America have
trembled under the roar of cannon. Still
the idea of peace has been spreading.
Statesmen, philanthropists and philoso-
pliers have welcomed it and deprecated
the spirit of war. The parties who IN
augurate war have always depended
upon the workingmen to fall IN and MI
up the ranks. 1t Is one of the bright
omens of the day to see that this class Is
no longer In favor of barbarous war.
No class suffer more at its hands, yet
war always confidently counts upon the
workingmen to fall into Its ranks when
it blows the fife and beats the drum.
War always comes to desolate the homes
of theoe people. They have accepted 1t
as q kind of unavoidable necessity
something that had to be done. Labor
troubles have been pressing upon the
laborers until they have had little time
for other considerations. They have
been trying to take from oppressive laws
the stings which have wounded them.
Now the laborers see that one of the
great disturbers of their peace and pros
perity have been the wars which have
called them from their peaceful pursuits
and disturbed their industrial prosperity.
Now they see that war is n wrong, bar
barous and cruel thing, and they pro-
pose to throw all their influence against
wars. At the great Trades Union Con-
gress, recently held in London, the
President, speaking for the Congress,
after alluding to the obstacles which
press upon industry, said First OF all
there are the artificial laws which hamper
industry, and of these none are more
important than those relating to the
land. After what has been passed this
session in regard to Ireland, we can not
be silent upon the subject in reference
to England and Scotland. Next, the
most important of all, is the question
whether we are going again to tolerate
this country waging war against other
people for the sake of increasing or per-
petuating an empirei What interest
have we, wOrkmen, what interest have
the people of England in carrying on
war for the sake of empire? If our po-
sition as workmen is one of independ-
ence, we ought to recommend the indie
pendence of other workmen and of other
nations. 1t is not merely that these
wars do untold misery to the poor and to
the working classes by the actual mis-
cry they cause, by increasing the insta-
bility of industry and employment, which
is unstable enough without any addi-
ton, but these wars are profoundly de-
moralizing to the country engaged in
them, and are crimes of the worst kind. ."
These sentiments were warmly cheered
by the congress of workingmen. When
the men who work and the men who
fight in the ranks make up their minds
that they will no more go out to the wars
to be butchered and shot down like hogs,
peace will be possible. We gladly hail
this movement of the workingmen In
| England. Will the workingmen of
America initiate them, and oppose all
projects looking towards unjust wars
| The men who form the great body of the
armies of the world must assert them
| selves against the barbarisms of war.
| They must come ont and fight down the
| ambitions of generals, diplomats and
rulers. who are ever ready to plunge q
nation into war for some paltry object.
| The lust of ambition, the greed of power,
the desire for fame, anger or revenge are
usually the unholy motives which bring
wars and all their calamities upon the
people The workingmen of England
have done wisely in protesting against
ar.-Lndid'1dpOlis Herald.