Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-23
THE DANGERS OF WAR
More Serious Than the Aver
age Patriot Is Prone to
Calculate.
THERE'S POLITICS IN 1T.
And an Inducement to Centralize
Power and Create
A MILD SORT OF MONARCHY HERE.
Why 1t BehOOves the Democratic Party to
Strive for Peace.
THERE'S POLITICS IN 1T,
A MILD SORT OF MONARCHY HERE.
RESULTS THATCALL FOR CONSIDERATION
IRON A STAFF CORRESPONDENCE

FROM A STAFF CORRESPONDENCE
NEW YORK, Jan. 22-"The New York
Herald has just sent two of the best men it
can get to the Pacific Coast, excitedly re-
marked journalistic friend Of mine at the
Fifth Avenue the other night. ''They will
organize the Western war correspondence
bureau" he continued. 81 am privately
informed that the S'aa, the World and the
Tribune have taken similar steps, and the
Times. which makes a special feature of
Western news will concentrate its intel
1ectual forces at San Francisco"
How men awaken to the realities of war
when it touches their business
War correspondence! War news! Off
for the front! Special w1res-couriers-full
reports-newspaper boats-movements of
troops-rumored engagements at sea-extras
upon extras-full accounts of the battle
additional reports It terrible execution of
modern guns - lists of the killed and
wounded and drowned!
To thousands of men who live to-day all
this has familiar and ominous sound We
who have had practical knowledge of war.
who have trained in the ranks through long
and weary marches for months and years
and who have survived the pestilence of
camp and the sporadic storms of battle,
alone realize fully what war means. The
Youngest Of us is now bevond fighting age
Yet we are not beyond the age when the
blood mounts hotly at the roll of the drum,
and when the spirit responds quickly TO the
call to arms.
Why this eternal, unchangeable hankering
after human blood?
=
OF peace? Is patriotism always TO be the
synonym of gore? Is the man of peace
necessarily the enemy of his country?
The war party is invariably deemed the
patriotic party. IT is the same in Chile as
1t is in the United States. 1t has ALWAYS
been so. 1t is brute human nature in indi-
viduals, and it is collective human nature
in nations to settle differences by blows.
There are certain differences that are almost
universally recognized as adjustable by no
other method If a man should deliberately |
spit in another's face the 1nsulted might in |
stantlv slay the insulter where he stood and |
60 acquitted Of all human laws. There is no |
arbitration for such things. So there are in \
salts extended to nations that admit Of but |
q single alternative--j,hySical chastisement. |
To not resent the insult to the individual is |
cowardice, to oppose the national revenge |
of war is to be unpatriotic. But is the
tfiNNSAt lISNAI OlAS VI bHG
kind?
a Tins for Calm Ref sction.
To fight or not TO fight-that is the ques-
ton. Whether it is nobler in the mind of
Americans to take up arms against a weak
sister republic for real or alleged grievances
arising while that unhappily divided nation
was issuing from the bitter throes of revo-
lution, or to bear with her until she is fairly
restored to local governmental authority
and respect, is subject for reasonable dit-
ference of opinion even among ourselves
While it is pending-while the war feeling |
IS hot and every other man you meet flies off
at patriotic tangent, let us calmly consider
our own situation in the light of the proba-
bic results of war.
THE war party" is an expression now
heard every day-a catch phrase seen in
every newspaper. 1t implies an anti-wari
party. The war party ard the auti-war
party are not as vet sharply defined, but
strong anti-wsr party NAV ne developed ere j.
active hos!ilItiaS break out, or before the
final, peaceful settlement of the Chilean
troubles. There is a war party in Chile
and that is the great popular mass, lust as
is the war party of the United States. |
There is an anti-Wa- party in Chile and that
j the intelligent few, snd that intelligent |
few are in control of the Government If
Tire Latter invoke war it will be because the |
larai Political situation forces that alterna- :
tive. While on our side the political situa-
ton is not less interesting, it is quite differ
ent. Our war party is headed by |
the President OF the United States, |
who seeks reelection, and commands !
the suprort Of the great body of the party
in political power and the sympathy of the
army and navy whose business Interests are
best suhserved bv war. As purely selfish |
political move the Harrison administration |
could probably invent no more popular |
issue than iustifa5le war. There was in |
this case no need of invention-the excuse
came along OF its own motion, and is seized
upon by the administration. 1t is trump /! ,
card, and if riaved for all il is worth, will d.
give the Republican party a long lease of ma
tlonal power. War is fertilizer of fields
and a vitaljzer of political parties. 1t
wipes out ell other issues. 1t gathers about !.
the war party the great national sympathy !.
Ike garment, All that is required to !,
more FIRMLY consolidate public sentiment !
upon the war party is opposition. II the
opposition come from the natural political
so much the better. 1t makes a
more distinct issue.
rhy tie Democrats Prefer Peace
Doubtless there are national Democrats !
who toreSee the political results at home in
/ war between the United States and Chile
lHeE ltel tht SaiHe lnSIlnct OF patr1otlSm as |
DurRs IN the Presidential breast and will
loid the flag Of tne nation, party or no i
}arty. If, individually, some conscientiously {
believe thai we have not sufficient cause {
md that war under the circumstances is h
wrong; or if they feel that they are not C
justified in assisting TO fortify the Republi- n
ans in national Office, it is not likely thev
viii dare present what might be called
Democratic front against it. The
memories Of '61 are vet TO fresh.
The Democratic party in Congress r
-ress is called upon by the chief Demo- Z
ratio newspaper organ in this CITY 10 stamp n
gt the war issue. The Democratic House n
4 Representatives Is fraHiicallv, and in O
ally uonh!e-ie1cs, heseeclied 10 refuse the {.
I?Horf OF Congress to any scheme Of war a
. Withholding the public purse, Or hv anv O
IEer means necessary 20 block the game Of q
-ar TEe verr existence OF the party is at / q
tzkc. IL is hold demand add oae not | I,
Kelly to be responded 10 by the House of
where national pride and
a 'ional patriotism are IN :he balance
The Republican administration is prac:i-
ally master of the situa:inn With or
'lthout Democratic approval and with or
ithout actual war, il can 80 manipulate 81
he issue that Il vii! command orerwhelm- =,
lg popular approval Il fhe Democratic =,
louise when askeu, refuesd to s1fpportthe ad- yr
Illustration in its efforts to upheld the dig ;,
ity Of the Uuited States and enforce ..
sspect for the American fac, the Demo ~
ratio House would go down under the n,
ondemna:ian p. az pstriosic citizens. The
administration holds the whip hand It