Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-10-10
THE CRAFTSMANSHIP OF THE FUTURE.

coming into Sacramento
THE CRAFTSMANSHIP OF THE FUTURE.
No subject before the people that relates
to our foreign relations attracts so much
attention at this time as the purpose and
possible outcome of the Pan-American
Congress. 1t deserves the deliberate and
generally calm debate that is now going
on. The situation illustrates in the most
significant manner the higher value of the
after-thought of a people. When the sug-
gestion for the Congress was put forward
In 1881, it was received with great disfavor
because partisan advantage was supposed
to underlie it. 1t was in vain that two
Administrations advanced it as purely a
statesmanlike scheme, having no element
of partisanship in it whatever. 1t was
pronounced to be incipient ".jingoism,"
and was received with such assaults upon
that basis that the whole matter was
dropped. The identical plan that was
projected for the year 1882 is now con-
coded by the entire nation to be wisdom
for the year 1889, and we have the inter-
esting spectacle of the people with prac-
teal unanimity hailing the arrival of the
delegates to the Congress with satisfaction,
and vieing with each other in showing
them hospitable attentions.
The American people have received Mr..
Blaine's declaration of the higher pur-
poses of the Congress with evidences of the
keen appreciation that reflects fatteringly
upon the sense of justice and the breadth
of judgment of calm American public
sentiment. 1t is evident that that senti-
ment is rapidly coming into harmony with
the Hottest purpose of modern statesman
ship of the best order, to wit: that its
%afS; thai the craftsmanship that promotes
even successful conflict of arms is far be-
meath that which renders conflict of force
unnecessary. Indeed, the intelligence of
the age is fast approaching that plane of
sentiment that will consider war disgrace
rather than an honor to nation. 1t was
remarked in these columns not long since,
that both Gladstone and Bismarck had
achieved their greatest fame and won their
most enduring honors, not for having con-
Quoted their countries through wars, but
for having prevented wars in Europe. The
same high tribute is to be paid to the
statesmen of the three Americas, when
they shall have laid the foundations for
everlasting peace and the permanent dis
armament of their respective nations.
Foremost in that commentator will stand
the publicists of the United States of
America
While commercial stimulation and the
reciprocal exchange of commodities may
be considered natural sequence of the
communion of peoples whose interests are
largely mutual, these are by no means GER
tain, and do not deserve to be ranked
among the purposes of the Convention
that has now been organized. Whatever
may result in that direction will be the
outcome of the advantage one finds in
buying of and selling to another, regard
less of the political status occupied by
buyer or seller. All such considerations
must be supplemental and secondary to the
overshadowing end to be achieved by the |
consummate craftsmanship that will re-
move from the millions of producers in the
three Americas the supposed necessity for
maintaining armed bodies of non.pro-
ducers. Trade has reference to personality, |
the conservation of peace and amity has !
reference to principle. Trade has in It no
element OF patriotism; commerce is not |
moved upon by sentimental considerations. |
1t is because of this fact that tariffs are |
erected, which are declarations that men
will not patronize home production except
under common relation, and this consti-
tutes the proof that there is no sentiment
in trade.
But as We the other day took occasion
to say, the Secretary of State of the Amer
lean nation in his address to the Congress
struck the very key note of the highest
civilization, when he declared that there |
is and must be no reason for the States of |
the Americas living in armed attitudes |
toward each other, and which are ALWAYS.
and everywhere, conditions of distrust.
The supreme purpose of the Congress,
therefore, is to set before the world the ex |
ample OF great countries that NAV be in /
trade antagonism and commercial rivalry
still being peace promoting and peace low
ing nations. The example Of the conn.,
tries of Europe is that of states living in
distrrst and impoverishing their pro-
ducirg classes for the maintenance of vast
armies of men. There are to-day in Eurone
Q ,00o,e00 of soldiers under arms. and
therefore nine millions of men. picked
from the best development of the CONT
nent, withdrawn from productive capacity
and constituting entailed burdens upon the
people who toll. The result is. that in
the true elements of cost to the vitality of
q people, that production is the costliest
known, since armies are taxes for luxuries.
and all taxation is eventually assessed
against the laboring classes. Property has
the means of self-prstection the power to
charge the taxes laid against it back
upon the productive labor of the country.
II follows that whatever is expended in