The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-12-25
PREACHERS AND WAR.

PREACHERS AND WAR.
There are a certain class of preachers
who when it comes TO the violation Of
international law are for arbitration,
| but who, when it comes TO the violation
Of a local law, are for war. There are
ministers who for the enforcement of Il
sumptuary act would not hesitate a
moment 10 call out the militia, thereby
| appealing from the civil TO the military
! power of the state. This inconsistency
| finds its inspiration in selfiShness,
/ rather than in Righteousness. The in
| ternational conflict weakens both their
/ influence and resources; the local af-
| fair strengthens them in both. That
| meeting Of preachers, at Coopers insti-
/ tute, New York, night before last, was
neither patriotic nor edifying. In that
J meeting Crosby and Abbott either in
tentionally misrepreSented the spirit Of
the American people or otherwise they
are ignorant The formers declara-
ton that the present crisis does not In
yolye the principles of the Monroe doc
trine was wholly gratuitous and as
wide of the truth as it would be pos
sible to make such a statement. Alb
bolts supplementary declaration that
America is the peace nation of the
world is not sustained by the facts of
|! history. America has, it is true. in the
last few years c0unseled peace and
arbitration, for other countries, but
America, herself, is ION the fight" She
was born Of prolonged and desperate
struggle, and was afterwards redeem
ed and made free indeed by the most
gigantic war of modern times. Nor.
as he says, did America steal Texas
and California, Arizona and New Mex
leo, DO more than did we steal the
Louisiana possessions. The farther as
SertiOn that Great Britain has always
been Il peaceful nation is an Insult to
universal intelligence. England from
being a little island kingdom has
fought her way to be the greatest en-
pre- of al history. 1t has been blood
with her from the word go. From
the time she escaped the Roman DOM
NANCY TO the present hour her bust
ness has been that Of war. 1t hasn't
been two years since England waded
into the heart of Africa and wiped an
inoffenSiYe people from the face of the
earth because within their kingdom
were rich gold lands. Within a dozen
years her armies invaded and prostrat-
ed the oldest civilization known to his |
tory, and which civilization groans be- |
meath 4 monStrOuS tribute If. as |
these New York preachers say. there |
is no principle at stake" then there |
Is no such thing as principle of i'm
portance enough for humanity to fight |
about The most selfish nation of |
people in the world are the British. |
and they are the most greedy. Ii has |
been scarce fifty years since they bluff
Ell the United States out of strip of |
country, but for which strip. 400 miles |
wide and 1900 miles long. Canada /
would not now be talking so loud. |
England is not only greedy but fero-
ciouS. She win fight every time where !
she has the advantage. But these /
New York preachers viii find that this 4
Is no ''fifV-four forty or fight affair.
The great preachers Of New York are
more thoroughly domiaaJed by Wall /
street by its magnateS ana money.
chan is the press Of New York. The
masses support the latter. the Glasses
the former. These great pulpit auto
Gratis. supported in macnificence on
salaries of from $4,000 10 So. 600 each.
may faWn n the feet OF The aristocratic
wheipS of the lion that tramps the
globe around frightening its peoples
With is roar. bat the great body Of the
American people viii not fellow their
example or heed their precep5s. In
the veins of the people OF this land
flows the best blood OF every nation
that by signalling its bravery and
wisdom has survived. 50 that the
American stands the survival OF the
ntteSL