The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-07
THE WORLD OF BRAINS.
ur,,py GEORGE DENOUNoES THE
ATTEMPT TO BUILD a NAVY.


ATTEMPT TO BUILD a NAVY.
n-,-e Talk Of War with Chile" Re
IS was Disgracsfur'-C
1r,.c,nt Discusses University Elk
.,-sionr-Chars From B-astus Wi
20, and Miss Willard.
CCoDriqhtl
,,-.r yoRK. Feb. 6.-The disgraceful
,-.bort a war with Chile that has recently
-, 6Iling our newspapers ought To arouse
titan 70 the evil course we have en-
- on in attempting to build up great
-, s-nauent. The navy on which we
ha' ---a,ding such an enormous amount of
ar ~ money is useless and worse. IL is
i,, American, corruptive and dangerous.
=. - useless because it is unneeded. We
- 90 strong and so situated that there is
D e,ssihility Of war being forced upon
n, No nation III the WORM "oulu "antoniy
u - =, ne for there is no nation that would
I, have everything to lose and nothing to
~, Inv doing So While, even if there is
e-b;rher motive to restrain us, there is no
-, in the world with which the provok-
s If war on our part would not mean
l1es,aintv or loss without possibility of gain.
7, ia useless, moreover, because the ships
&c are building would suffice neither for
4 s,faosive or offensive war. Modern Inven-
,;nn has made them as antlquated as the
Il - amor Of the feudal era. In case OF
& 49, from the sea the modern means of
4 dafsnse consist in the power Of concentra>
.i@n brought about by telegraph and rail-
4s-a5s IN electricity and high explosives,
4ro-n.dos submarine boats, aIrships and
#Cnicklv placed distractions and defenses.
~ AGGRESSION abroad power is really
B .,,oosnred bv the swift merchant ships that
Il csn he called into Gervice. We might build
Il M such a navy as that OF England, yet
Togland would still be 1mmeEsurably our
#superior fer offensive purposes In her
s r,arcbent steamers. We would be to-
5av superior to England il merchant
stsomers and the capacity of building them
r "A wa not taxed American ships off the
81 h oh seas. We could remit all taxation on
Fl th1ns and on their materials with the loss
nj far less to the revenue than we are now
soeuding on the navy.
81 II is anti American, for the reasons that
make all standing armies inimical to our
traditions and institutions. Ii is anti
merican, because organized on aristocratic
urnciples, the impassahle class distinction
between noble and peasant being per-
Ietaated in the distinction between COM
risstoned officers and enlisted men. These
men are for the most part foreigners, who
are only kept IL our naval service, after
IfejpZ inveigled into it, by severe re-
sr,ctions and a etanding reward for run
ming them down if they escape.
Ii is corruptive. as interesting a large
elass Of permanent Office holders IN
influencing government, as providing means
for debauching politics wherever there is a
avv yard or a contract to be given out,
and as building up corporations whose
rofts depend on lobbying.
81 It's dangerous, because it creates an iu-
fuential class whose interests are opposed
h the interests OF the masses of the people
S s7d who desire war for the sake of the i'm
portance, the promotion, the contracts and
* ;ls uickings that war will bring to them. 1t
Is dangerous, because the possession of q
strong navy fosters among the thoughtless
even those TO whom war could bring moth
z but injury, the same desire to try it
l1at the possession of a new pea. shooter
arouses in tie small boy.
We have no reason for war, and there is
20 more need for our building of iron-clads
han there is for the members of the House
:, thing themselves in armor because Mr..
f Crisp might 60 crazy and might fire a
u olunde from the speakers chair. But
K { We 90 on building iron-clads and sendI ng
hips around the world to make themsel YES
unpleasant to even little nations, we are GER
# AIN sOJnersOr later TO get war on our hands.
y )ne such war will proVok Ike others.
Strong as we are, war to us is the greatest
Of dangers. For setting aside altogether irs
,ost in money and blood. war inevitably
IA iemorazes republican institutions, post
lones reforms. streng thens governments at
he expense OF tine people. differentiates
!lGSses and places power in the hands OF the
X few. And finally, even when successful, 1t
destroys popular liberty.
Oar greatest advantage over European
altions IS that our strength aud our posi-
ion exempt us from the fears that compel
y them to stand armed. 1t ought to be our
prde and glory to lead them in what is
yood, rot 70 ape them in what is bad. The
'tai dangers that beset US are not from
9Ithou', they are from within, and these
hangers no army and no navy can guard
gains. They can only intensity them.
There are reasons which dispose the I'M
astiy rich to strong and aristocratically
n Igani2ed armies and uavies-the reasons
ThIcl always dispose them to strong gov
s fntnent But for these very reasons, if for
70 others, the working masses ought to set
1eir faces like flint against them. Stand
rg armies aud navies belong TO the policy
Il hamilton, not to that of jefferson. They
eong to monarchies and imperialisms, not
democratic republics.
HENRY GEORGE.