New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-06
MORE STORDS THAN PLOUGHSHARES.

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MORE STORDS THAN PLOUGHSHARES.
The first quarter of the year 1885 has been
occupied with events which do not encourage
hope that civilization is outgrowing the mill
tant spirit. The stir of military preparation,
or the clash of actual conflict, Is to be heard TO-
day over wide area of the inhabited earth.
England, France, Italy, Russia, Turkey, lndla'
Australasia, Egypt, South Africa. Arabia
China, Madagascar Ger trail America, CANADA,
and even to a slight extent the United States,
feel the influence of the prevalent combatiye
tendency. And if the extent to which the
warlikc spirit is manifested seems to contradict
the theories of cloud philosophers in regard to
the pacific effect of modern civilization, an en-
ouiry into the causes of these wars and rumOrs
of wars may well provoke doubt as to the
ethical advance of the age. For in most in
stances weakPowers are being preyed upon by
strong ones, and with as cynical a disregard OF
Justice and right as ever was shown by our
piratical ancestors when they issued forth to
harry and STAY. England in the Soudan, France
in madagascar and Tonquin, Russia in Afghan
istan, are each proceeding on the principle that
Knight makes ght ~ while two-thirds of the
military preparation going on outside these
countries Is caused indirectly by their ag-
gresslons and invasons.
An abnormaly large proportion of surplus
capital is being thus invested in destructive
agencies, and while certain trades and lines of
business will undoubtedly profit by the move
mcnt, its general tendency must be to hamper
progress. Ii may indeed be possible that the
world is on the eve of one of those periods OF
war which seem 10 be ordained for the purpose,
among others, of settling certain social ana
economic problems which mankind cannot
solve themselves But il it is still necessary
that such rough methods Of adjusting the bal
ance be applied at intervals, what is to be SAID
for the modifying effects of civilization. 1t Is
found that in countries where the increase OF
the population presses upon the means or SUD-
sistence. as in China and India when left to
the normal influences native wars Keep down
the population but when peaceful conditions
are established the birth rate rises 30 that IN n
few wears the pressure is intolerable, and then
fa,nipes occnr and depopulate whole provinces.
Al present the worlds chief drawback is due
rather to excess Of capital than of population
| But war DESTROYS capital quickly, and in these
| days more completely than ever; so that the
| balance may perhaps be readjusted to some ex-
| tent in this way. The persistence OF old prin-
ciples, old State views and old policies OF
iniauity, however, deserves to be studied more
| carefully than it has been heretofore. Can the
| individuals composing State advance III ethi-
cal development, and the State itself. which Is
supposed to be the expression of their aggre-
gated tendencies, yet retain the old pagan
WAYS and viewsi That would seem to be the
| fact. however 1t be explained, and certainly 1t
| is a curious fact. The recent mania for colo
NAL expansion which has seized on so many
European Powers has already led to acts OF
| high handed usurpation and deliberate IN
Justice such as history affords few stronger
examplos Of and these tendencies are increasing
instead of declining. In fact, there seems
more prospect of great world-war than
of n great wcrld-peace, if preparation counts
foranything and in the emulous rapacity that
undcrlies all this aggressive movement there Is
little hint of any gain for those higher ele-
| ments which we are so apt to vaunt when
speaking of nineteenth century civilization.