Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-08-23
IMPLEMENTS OF WAR.

One of the most preplexing aspects of
hCman progress, and decidedly Il disoour-
aging one to the members of the Peace
Society, ia the fact that as civilization ad-
vanneg, instead of abolishing war IA it
ought to do, it is constantly producing
more efficient means for carrying it on.
Unquestionably, war is n brutal method
of settling disputes. We do not hesitate
to pronounce il suoh when the case is be-
tween man and man, or between corpora
tions or the smaller communities. All
such dsagreements are taken at once in.
to the proper courts, and the idea of
using individual force in their adjust
ment is regarded as absurd ami unimical
to law and order. The principle is iden
tioally the same when two patrons fall
out. Why then should therenot be an
international court, with the same power,
delegated to it by common consent, for
the enforcement of it's decrees, that
possessed by the Supreme Court of q ma
tion or State, District Court, a Court of
Common Pleas, and 80 on down to the
humblest village magistrate, who is
backed, within the limits of his jurisdic-
tion, by the whole strength of
the commonwealth This question is
constantly asked, and it's persistent
reIteraSion may sometime bring
satisfactory answer. But i'll the present
Of
that war is speedily to be olassed among
the lost arts. Swords and spears may be
beaten into plowshares and pruning
hooks, tnat the prophecy may be fulfilled;
but that does not much avail when their
place is taken by Gatlipg guns, the arm
ored man-of-war and the swift cruiser.
Relic OF bGrbarism, the last survival of
savugery, and the like epithets, are freely
applied to war as Il modern ins' tuition,
and it deserves them all; but in the mean
time the nations go on learning war more
diligently than ever. Yet IN this very
phaee of the situation, paradoxical as 1t
may seem, the advocate of peace IL ay
find comfort and a substantial hope. The
evil which he justly abhors seems in
fair way TO work its own remedy by the
very means devised for it's continuance.
As the Maritime register sagaciously re-
marks: "Members of the Peace Society
ought 10 be delighted with the extraor-
binary progress that is being made i'll all
kinds of warlike implements, for total
annihilatiou would seem To be the result
of any future war, and with saoh an out
look war could be deferred indefinitely"
To that complexion of the science of war,
and especially of maritime wIr, seems to
be rapidly tending. II the art of con-
structius fortitications could be improved
as fast the methods of attacking them,
we might presently enjoy the spectacle
of an irresistible force impinging on an
immovable body, with the probable
result of draw" Bnt even should that
not happen, and all suoh encounters be
necessarily declared ''od''-in which event
the Peace Society might fix an early day
for the celebration of its final triumph
and joyful diabandmeut-there is still
this hope remaining, that war may be
found so costly and destructive that the
nations cannot afford it. The economi-
cal point of view more and more obtains
in the Judgment of these questions by
modern cabinets and councils. The
spread of the democratic idea has rem
dered it impossible in some countries for
kings and princes TO use their subjects
as mere missiles of war, and their sub
jects' property as fuel 70 be devoured by
its flames. Even where monarchy still
rules, il is restrained, for more than it
has formerly been, by considerations of
the strain TO which the resources of the
state, and the temper of the people, may
be safely subjected. In short, if war
is to be abolished, the increased des-
truetiveness of the implements
used in it Is the very means
apparently, by which that result will be
accomplished. The industrial and
commercial necessities of mankind for
bid the vast squsudering of the
forces and fruits of labor which war i'm
plies. When the point is reached where
this waste becomes intolersble, we may
reasonably expect that way will be
found by which it shall be avoided.