Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1885-09-09
A Positivist's Review of Present Con-
ditions.

There is everywhere revival OF the
spirit of national aggrandizement and
imperial ambition. Under the now
avowed head of the great German die
tator, the nations of Europe are run
ming race to extend their borders by
conquest and annexation among the
weak and uncivilized. There is to-day
a scramble for Africa, as there was for
merly scramble for Asia; and the
scramble in Asia, or in Polynesia, is
only less urgent for the moment, in that
the rivalry is just now the keenest in
Africa. But in Asia, in Africa, in Poly
nesia, the strong nations of Europe are
struggling to found empires by violence,
fraud, or aggression.
Three distinct wars are being Waged
in the East, and in Africa alone our SOL
diers and our Government are asserting
the rule of the sword in the North, on
the East, in the center, on the South,
and on the West at the same time. Five
wears ago we were told that for England
at least there was to be some lull in this
career of blood and ambition. 1t was
only, we see, party cry, a device to
upset government. There has been
no lull, no pause in the scramble for
empire. The empire swells year by
year; year by year fresh wars break
out; year by year the burden OF empire
increases whether Disraeli or Gladstone,
Liberal or Conservative, are the actual
wielders of power. The agents of the
aggression, the critics, have changed
sides; the Jingoes of yesterday are the
grumblers of to-day, and the peaceful
patriots of yesterday are the Jingoes of
to-day.
The empire and its appendices are
even vaster in 1885 than in 1880; its re-
sponsibilities are greater; its risks and
perplexities deeper; its enemies stronger
and more threatening. And in the
midst of this crisis those who condemn
this policy are fewer; their protests
come few and faint. The Christian
sects can see nothing unrighteous in Mr..
Gladstone; the Liberal caucuses stife
any murmur of discomfort, and force
those who spoke out against Zulu,
Afghan, and Transvaal wars to justify,
by the tyrant's plea of necessity, the
massacre of Egyptian fellahs and the
determination of Arab patriots. Those
who mouthed most loudly about lingo
ism are now the foremost in their ap-
peals to national vanity. And the par
asites of the parasites of our great Lib
eral statesman can make such hubbub
in his utter absence of policy that
they drive him by sheer clamor from
one adventure into another. For nearly
four years now we have continuously
protested against the policy pursued in
Egypt.
Year after year we have told Mr..
Gladstone that it was blackenipg his
whole career and covering our country
with shame. There is a monotony
about our protests. But, when there is
a monotony inevil doing, there must
alike be monotony in remonstrance.
We complain that the blood and treas
ure of this nation should be used in Or
der to fay the peasantry of the Nile, in
the interest of usurers and spectators.
We complain that we practically annex
people whom we will not govern and
cannot benefit We are boldly for what
in the slang of the day is called 'scut-
Ting out of Egypt. We think the
robber and the oppressor should scuttle
as quickly as possible-that he is GER
tain to scuttle some day. We complain
of massacring an innocent people mere
ly to give our traders and money deal
ers larger or safer markets. We COM
plain Of all the campaigns and battles
as wanton, useless, and unjust massa-
cres. We especially condemn the war
in the Soudan as wanton and unjust
even in the avowal of the very Ministers
who are urging it. The defender of
Khartoum was man of heroic qualities
and beautiful nature; but the cause of
civilization is not served by launching
among savages sort of Pentateuch
knight Grant. And we seriously COM
plain that the policy of great country
in great issue of right and wrong
should be determined by schoolboy
shouting over the feats of our English
Garibaldi. frederick Harrison, in the
Fortnightly RevieW.