The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-07-10
EUROPE's ARMY.

JOnn bright the french SOclailSI, dnu
the International Peace union occupy the
same platform and voice the same con =
victiOn when they ascribe to standing ar
mics the responsibility for most of the mis-
ery,ignorance, squalor and oppression that
pauperize and martyrize the populations
of Europe. These armies ostensibly main.
tain order; really they maintain the priv
ileges OF dynasties, wealthy capitalists and
titled oilers. They also promote the
schemes of what is always termed COM
mercial enterprise, but which too often is
no more than commercial rapacity. The
industrious toilers pay the whole cost of
the pomp and pageantry and waste; they
also furnish the soldiers who kill and get
killed.
After nineteen centuries of Christian
teaching and preaching 1t is sad and
discomforting spectacle today to behold
the Christian nations of Europe burning
with hatred and jealousy of each other,
and ready on slight warning or provoca-
ton to engage in indiscriminate throat'
cutting Millions of able bodied men are
annually taken away from peaceful and
productive pursuits, conscripted into ar
mics and navies and imbued with the fe-
rocious qualities Of captive gladiators in
the Roman arena, who were required to
fight when ordered without weighing the
cause or choosing the adversary. On the
young, the aged, the feeble and the
women, on those who are exempt from
military duty, falls the main burden Of
supporting the big armies and paying the
exhsusting national debts.
Calmly and thoughtfully judged, the
animosities and selfish rivalries prevail,
ing among the most enlightened nation:
of Europe today prove their Christian
profession to be only skin deep. Still
even this condition of things is not one
to excite dependency of despair. Yeal
after year, as education and common
sense advance, the agitation for the dis
bandment of great armies and the proven
ton of wars. with their waste and car
mage, takes deeper hold upon the popular
intellect and the popular conscience
The vehement advocacy of this reform by
the socialists is significant and auspi
cious omen. The example of the United
States is fruitful of inspiration and hope
True, we here had bloody and prolonged
conflict only twenty-five years ago, bu
that was struggle for existence and hu-
man rights, precipitated by a mad foil,
which is not likely to recur
Democracy in Europe is marching on
Slowly but surely the people are growing
stronger than the Kings What the con
tineDt now needs is few great statesmen
who will not be afraid to subordinate
miserable and culpable fantasies" to til,
sublime duty of unfolding peace and jus
tice. Says Bright in his letter to Deput,
Passy; The military system cannot in
definitely be supported with patience, ant
the populations, driven to despair, ma,
possibly before long sweep away the roy
alties and pretended statesmen who gov
erD in their names" The vision of th,
Quaker statesman is prophetic Th,
vast ornaments will be abolished, arbi-
tration will compose international dis
putes, and it is not rash to predict tina
civilized powers will yet combine as
moral police to maintain equity and orde
on land and sea.