The herald., 1894-07-30
WAR ON A GRAND SCALE DESIRABLE.

nothing that could be mistaken for the
''pomp, pride and circumstance of glor-
ious war;" OF late years it has been
fashionable to talk about eras of peace,
in which something like the millennium
will be chronicled on earth. Yet with a
larger interval of peace than has been
known for centuries, what has been the
result?
Certainly there has never been an era
OF the worlds history in which there has
been more suffering than since the close
OF the great war of the rebsllion, about
thirty years ago. and the conclusion of
the gigantic struggle between France
and Prussia, twenty-five years ago. 1t
has been marked by steadily shrinking
values in products and property, by
long and misery -engendering strikes
and disasters Of all kinds. To q man
who is not biased in favor of gold
monometallism species of industrial
slavery, moro wearing, though subtler
than that OF the feudal ages, is being
fastened upon mankind.
Since the demonetization OF silver in
1873 there has been q steady and newt
able declension in all the staples pro.
duced by the United States. Last week
wheat touched the lowest price ever re-
corded for that staple. Its great rival. cot.
ton-that cotton which was once called
King in this country-was quoted at
seven cents q pound, figure that means
either bankruptcy or great privation to
the people OF the south. OF course,
with such representative products of the
United States at the present figures, and
with silver, of which we are the largest
producers, selling practically for moth
ing, universal business depression is q
matter to be expected. Perhaps the
most eccentric feature of the situation
10 that the people of the United States
seem to take an insane delight in cut
ting their own throats. Cheap silver ia
the agency by which England is enabled
to throttle our great wheat and cotton
staples. Every lick of Johu BULBS
bludGeon that sends silver lower not
only knocks out the white metal, but it
hsstens the day when wheat will sell at
thirty cents bushel and cotton at three
cents q pound-desiderats at which
England steadily aims.
War-a dozen wars-would be prefer
able to this remorseless policy which
England has insugurated. That sagac-
ious but predaceous nation devotes all
her energies to peace because che is in
doubt concerning the efficiency of her
big iron-clads. Itis only year since q
leading English admiral in leading
English review, wrote an elaborate
paper in which he advocated the thesis
that all the money expended on these
great tubs was actually thrown away,
and that they would prove useless in
actual warfare. In view Of the fact that
great English iron-clad was rammed
and sunk in peaceful maneuvers off the
cost of Algiers snort time ago, this
English admiral doubtless knew what
he was talking about.
As matters exist today, the very best
thing that could happen to mankind
would bs war on gigantic scals-war
ON land and sea. Great questions,
which are now in allegiance, would be
settled. We should know something oil
the real value in actual hostilities oi
smokeless powder, Of big armored ships
OF great Krupp and Armstrong guns, ol
the way the modern man can get down
to fighting-this last problem Of great
interest.
In the early days of this country cir
cumstances were very propitious to ou
people. In the colonial days frequen
wars with the Indians kept up the man
ly fibre OF Americans. These were sue
ceeded by the wars between the French
and English for the supremacy on tn
North American continent. Then cam
the wars Of the Revolution, of 1872, O
Mexico and the Rebellion. These cpl
struggles had tendency to keep up
martial and indomitable spirit emongs
our people. 1t is only too much to b
feared that the tendency of late year
has been toward relaxation of this mar
tisl type, and that we are developin
amongst us q good many milksops.
Should the spark of war now kindlin
in Corea between China and Japan de
velop into a universal war it woul
probably result in untold blessings t
the United States. People would the
know where they stand. Money, g
cruelty tied up now, would be poure
out like water. The United States woul
probably catch the contagion and woul
not be afraid to develop a distinctive NJ
tionsl policy. We should ask somethin
for our wheat, cotton, silver and othe
staples. This country would throw ovel
board the real but unRcknowledged ds
pendence on England; and the nincom
poops who ought to be Americans, bu
who are really Anglo.maniacs, woul
find their proper level.
On the whole, it would be rare goo
fortune If the Corean episode shoul
prove to be that cloud, no larger than
mans hand, that shall grow to cove
the whole horizon. The appearance {
England and Russia on tine tapis woul
aoon kindle the rest OF the world, ali
military pyrotechnics on q grand sea-
would shortly relieve the globe OF il
present oppressive ennui and stsgns
tion--a stagnAtion which threatens
become syncope unless something el