The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-03-30
PROSPERITY AND WAR.
The Unsound Doctrine Preached by
Bombastic Naval OHcer.

Bombastic Naval OHicer.
Admiral Porter, of the American
navy, is thlrsting for blood. He is
quoted by the Washington Star as say
ing:
We are always prosperous in war"
If this Is true, of course, the more
war the more prosperity, and the old
Admiral is right in his demand for n
war with Germany about Samoa
War means death and destruction; If
not of our own men and property, ut
least OF the men and property of Ger
many. We do not see how any nation
ever can prosper by destroying men
and property. Germany conquered
France, but she had to pay dearly for
it. The North conquered the South,
but certainly from 1860 to 1879 were
not prosperous times in any sense.
War is destruction, not prosperity.
ltdestroys the very foundation of pros
perity. 1t disturbs all industry. 1t
interrupts commerce. 1t diverts mon
and money and energy from produc-
tive to unproductive employments.
War is costly privilege, or pleasure,
or duty, as occasions arise There are
times when only war will settle a dis
pute, and then war must come cost
what it may.
Admiral Porter seems TO have i'm
bibed the theory of the protectionists
that the fcwer goods we have the bet
ter off we are. Wealth consists not in
scarcity, out in abundance. Scarcity
advances prices, yet it is a sign not of
prosperity but of poverty. If half the
wool in the world were destroyed to-
morrow, the price might advance to
twice what it is to-day, but the world
would be poorer, not richer.
To show just how war would oper-
ate to interfere with, if not destroy our
prosperity, we may quote from the in
terview with Admiral Porter:
'As the country knows, have been urging
in letters and reports the Importance of build
ing up powerful navy. We have the wealth
and resources 20 lcad the world in n navy. But,
taking matters as they are, the Government
should go to England and France, both coun-
tries being ahead OF Germany in modern naval
vessels and guns, and buy all tho rihed guns
we can find and bring them here. We will very
soon make use of them. Here is a list of the
entire strength of the German navy. 1t is
more than we have. but we have the money
and could easily spend $3.50, 900, 900 in ships and
appliances Of war;
That $3.50, 100000 represents fully
one years export of cotton. We now
export it for the comforts and con-
veniences of lite; for those things
that add to the prosperity of the
people; for raw materials to employ
our mill hands, ETC., etc. That is right
and proper. But Admiral Porter's
scheme of prosperity would force us
to exchange it for guns and ships of
war and force us to do witho out other
things. These guns and ships would
not add any thing to the wealth of
America by destroying the property of
Germany. When America has to go
to war, she will prosecute it with
Sherman's idea that "war is hell;' so
it is. Admiral Porter's idea, that war
is prosperity, is a delusion, fit only
for consideration by the Ways and
Means Committee of the next Repub-
lican Congress. 1t is contrary to
human reason and to universal ex-
perience, but it accords entirely with
the theory of political economy upon
which the Republican party is acting.
Louisville Courier-,J ournal.