The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-15

The Universal Peace Congress was opened
nt London yesterday. with Mr.. DAVID DUD-
LEY FIELD OF New York US presiding officer.
Its designs are emIuently humane, Chris
tan, reasonable, and consistent with the the
DRY OF civilization. War ls barbarism, saw
aCcry; md you can make nothing else OF 1t.
1t Is wholesale murder. with malice afore-
thought, and long and careful preparation.
Yet never before in the history Of mankind
has there been period when the Christian
world was so much occupied as 1t is now In
making ready for war Never before was
the business Of killing men reduced to 80
great scientific perfection. More thought
isCxpcnded on the invention and construc-
ton of engines Of war than upon the imple-
mcnts OF peace. Physics chemistry. me-
chauics, all arts and sciences are enlisted FOR
tho work Of destruction.
All Europe is armed to the teeth, and the
appropriations most easily obtained from
Parliaments are for increasing and strength
ening the armaments. New and moro power
full guns are invented to dsplace or sup
plement guns only recently invented and
adopted. Armor grows thicker. Engl-
neering advancement gives constantly
New and more deadly explosives are
brought into the service Of the profession OF
slaughter. War rushes forward to seize
electricity, the recent discoveries in light and
sound, and every invention and Improvement
that contributes in any way to bring the
powers OF nature into the service OF man.
The whole machinery OF civilization is
brought under contribution to the saw
agery Of war.
Even in this republic, though 1t is re-
moved from the causes Of contention In the
Old World, we are spending money or get
ting ready for war as never before since the
settlement Of our domestic conflict We
are building up new and great
navy, with all the modern improve
ments. We are testing dynamite guns,
pneumatic guns, torpedoes, and torpedo
boats and the strengthening Of our defences
Is O policy upon which there Is well-nigh
unanimous agreement among the people.
In one quarter of the globe or another
war is going on necessarily, and the chances
Of great conflicts between the powers OF
Europe are always present to the
minds OF statesmen. For us, too, there
are pending difficulties over the fish
cries which may become causes OF
war with England. It Is by no means i'm
possible that the coming generation will be
engaged in bitter fight between the two
branches Of the English-speaking people.
Why else arc we building forts and ships
and manufacturing guns and torpedoes In
Europe, France will never abandon the
thought ofavenging Sedan and the capture Of
Alsace and Lorraine, and Russia will not de-
sst from its purpose Of advancing into India.
The vast preparations for war in Europe
and the more moderate preparations here
to meet foreign aggression. are the
practical answer Of the civilized world
to the humane propositions OF the
Universal Peace Congress. That answer
Is that mankind, at the bottom. loves
a fight, and that Christianity and enlighten-
ment have not destroyed the sentiment 1t
ia possible, it is feasible, SO far as reason
goes, to settle international disputes by
peaceful adjudication, as private grievances
are 0cttled; but men prefer the method OF
war. Modern society laughs when two
individuals go out to shoot at each other
as method of proclaiming their courage
and indicating their honor; but its savage
delight In the shedding Of blood Is aroused
when two nations rush TO arms against
each other for the same purpose.
Therefore, We cannot expect any sub
stantial results from the proceedings OF the
Universal Peace Congress. The enormous
warlike preparations, the vast ornaments,
the cultivation Of the spirit Of conflict incl
dent to the prevailing ambition for athletic
eminence, afford littlo promise that war La
to go out of vogue in this century, or
that even the next century Is to witnessit Its
disuse as the final method Of settling inter-
national disputes and enforcing the claims
of international jealousy. Is this republic
going to increase to O,0O0. 900 in the next
fifty years without experiencing the shock
OF war. and without demonstrating It's tre-
mendous brute force on the battleheld2
Their Natural Place.