The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-04-05
WAR AND PROSPERITY.


Tho Gns0und Doctrine Preached by .
1sonsbssttc Naval Onicer.
Admiral Porter. OF the American
navy. Is thIrsting for blood. Ito Is
quoted by the Washington Star as say
ing:
1--WE are always prosperous In war"
II this is true. Of course. the more
war the more prosperity. and the old
Admiral Is right In his demand for a
war with Germany about Samoa.
War means death and dcstruction; II
not OF our own men and property. at
least OF the men and property 81 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 1870 were
not prosperous times in any sense.
| War is destruction. not prosperity.
1t destroys the very foundation OF pros
pcrity. II disturbs all industry. 1t
interrupts commerce. II diycrts men
and money and energy from produc-
tive TO unproductive cmployments.
| 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
bibcd tho Theory Of the protcctionists
xl<,t ~. f,,.-.,. .xanIa ~. n "a ~. tl,., 10.
ter of we are. Wealth consists not in
scarcity. but in abundance. Scarcity
advances prices. yet ii is a sign not Of
prosperity. but Of poverty. II half the
wool in the world were destroyed to-
morrow. the price might advance to
twice what it il to-day. but the world
would DO poorer. not richer.
| To show just how war would opcr-
ate to interfere with. il not destroy our
prosperity. we may quote from the in
terview with Admiral Porter:
/! las the country knows, have been urging
| In letters and reports the importance OF build
| ing up powerful navy. We have the wealth
| and resources 10 lead the world in navy. But,
| taking matters As they are. the Government
| should so 10 England and France. both coun-
| tries being ahead OF Germany In modern naval
vessels and guns, and buy all the r fled guns
| We can ind and bring them here. We Will very
| soon make use OF them. Here list OF the
entire strength Of the German navy. II is
| more than we have. but we have the money
and could easily spend ESQ, oo). 600 in ships and
! appliances Of war;
That $3.50. 900. 600 represents fully
one years export Of cotton. We now
export 1t 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 ii for guns and ships OF
war and force US to do without 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 90
to war. she will prosecute it with
Sherman's idea that .wnr i hcll;" SO
II Is. Admiral Portcr's idea. that war
j. prosperity. is delusion. iii only
for consideration by the Ways and
Means Committee OF the next Rcpub.
lican Congress. 1t Is contrary u
human reason aud 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.