The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-02-25
For the Democratic Press.

It RlEND IA fRlS SE-IluWcNcI
we may deplore the prospects of war
the shedding of human blood, the
making of widows and orphans, yet
when We are in no way responsible,
there can be no wrong in looking at
the situation, and in considering the
immediate effect thereof, upon us as a
great producing nation. We are, and
for the past decade have been, an in
terest paying, tax ridden people, our
commerce abroad has been crippled
by legislation which has precluded a
free and liberal Interchange of COM
modities with foreign powers. Our
productions have found sale abroad,
only when dire necessity compelled
the great neighbOring powers to have
what we raised, or manufactured,
hence, home markets have for a long
time, been our principal reliance.
From this fact, there has been but lit
tie demand for American shipping,
and American bottoms have almost
left the high seas. Ship building, with
us, is an industry of the past, and these
facts have contributed to narrowing
of our business, decreasing our indus
tries, closing the doors of demand for
labor. and are and have been fruitful
cause of dull, and consequent hard
times. But it is fact that the dark
est cloud may have a silvery lining,
and circumstances may, and often do,
Unexpectedly change the whole rela-
ton and condition of affairs. The
British Lion, the Russian Bear, and
all the lesser animals of the European
menagerie, have for some time been
getting cross, growing, gnashing
signs of jealousies and bitter hatred
toward one another. Diplomatic ef-
forts have softened the angry passions
for the time being, but the same bones
of contention remain before them,
(the desire to swallow portions of some
of the lesser powers) and they respect
lively increase their war powers, march
and countermarch their armies. and
look at each other and growl. No
treaty can be made by the great powers
that will be and remain satisfactory to
them all. No slicing of Egypt, no
dividing of Turkey, can be satisfactory
to England, to the German Empire,
to Russia and to France. They each
have old sores (soOthed by diplomatic
anodynes), fostering and liable to be-
come inf1amed by any advance move
for love of each other that they are
now at peace, but because each fears
the effect of the blows by them 10 lie
received from the others, in case of
but above and over all, each loves its
supremacy, and before that god they
worship, war or no war. England for
the last eight hundred years, with all
its faults, has been a powerful govern
ment, and wise and good govern
ment. Considering the time when il
was formed, it has moved steadily,
and has for centuries served as gov
ernor to the machinery of mOnarchies.
simply because England was supposed
to possess the ability to expand the
rights and control the powers of the
others. England is no longer the
great steadying power Of Europe.
Everything human must have be-
ginning, growth, decline and death,
Rome was founded, grew, flourished,
declined and died. The British gov
ernment had ite beginning centuries
| ago, it has had its growth, it is in its
decline it is fast losing its grip on
Ireland, never TO be recovered, because
the light of education can never be
dimmed by the clouds of monarchy
Her own subjects at home are learning
from the great books of liberty, and
her ministry is becoming more and
more liberal, to the utter disgust OF
everything that smaeks of the old
dark ages of monarchy. The great
Queen trembles in view of her declin.
ing power, every neighbOring mon.
archy stamps, scofta at, and hates hel
condition; liberalism and socialism
grows rife, as the light of knowledge
spreads, in every monarchy of Europe
Crowns tremble and scepters must
fall as the people become informed o.
the natural rights of man the fever is
epidemic nothing but the vaccinating
power of war can suspend it's march
over the fields of mOnarchies, absolute
or limited. In view of all such facts
now potent upon the moving scenery
of the world, war, terrible war, il
Europe, is inevitable. 1t remains :
question of time only. All thing!
seem to indicate that that time il
near at hand indeed, we need no
be shocked if the reports should an
nounce thas the clatter of cavalry, tn,
booming of cannOns, and fields of car
mage should spread their gloomy
clouds over some of Europes monarch
les before another twelve months il
rolled from the wheel of time. Wher
these things happen, and they will
happen in their own due time, as sure
ly and certainly as history repeat
: itself, then a great trade for us abroad
will be opened, our wheat, corn, beef
wool and pork, all that we can spar
> will be needed by them, for cash
= whether We purchase their commodi
J ties or whether we exclude them by
prohibitory tariff. Should such stat
of affairs as seems Imminent sool
= come, then we need not repeal OH
: prohibitory tariff laws to secure an in
1 ternational trade, for then that trad
: must be had to our benefit, but Ieas
} this might not happen, for 1 am n
prophet, we may all be mistaken whel
/ We would rise upon the fall of another
: would it not be better to meet on
f neigh bors half way, treat them fairl,
, and secure their custom for our SUI
} plus. Moral honesty would seem t
dictate that such wise and just cours
? be adopted on our part as will benefi