The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-04-13
II.
HOW CAN WE REFORM THE woRLDi


Ignorance being darkness, what we need
is intellectual light. Tho most Important
things TO teach as the basis of all prog
ress Is that the universe is natural; that
man must be the providence OF man; that
by tho development Of the brain we can
avoid some OF the dangers, some of the
evils, overcome somo Of the distractions
and take advantage OF some OF the facts
and forces Of nature; that by invention and
industry we can supply, to a reasonable
degree the wants Of the body, and by
thought, study and effort we can In part
satisfy the hunger of the mind.
Man should cease to expect any aid from
any supernatural source. BY this time he
should be satisfied that worship has not
created wealth and that prosperity is not
the child of prayer Ho should know that
the supernatural has not sucoored the op-
pressed, clothed tho naked, fed tho hun
CRY, shielded tho innocent, staid the pes
thence or freed the slave.
Being satisfied that the supernatural
does not exist, man should turn his entire
attention to the affairs of this world, to
the facts in nature.
And, first OF all, ho should avoid waste
waste of energy, waste Of wealth. Every
good man, every good woman, should~try
to do away with war and stop the appeal
to savage force. Man in a savage state re-
lies upon his strength and decides for him.
self what is right and what is wrong. Civ
ilized men do not settle their differences
by q resort TO arms. They submit the
quarrel to arbitrators and courts. This is
the great difference between tho savage
and the civilized. Nations, however, sus-
tain the relations Of savages TO each other.
There Is no way OF settling their disputes.
Each nation decides for itsolf, and each ua-
tion endeavors 20 carry its decision into
effect. This produces war. Thousands of
men at this moment arc trying to invent
more deadly weapons TO destroy their fell
low men. For 1, 500 years peace has been
preached, and yet tho civilized nations are
the most w8rliko of tho world. There arc
In Europe today between l. 200, 600 and
$4,000, 600 OF soldiers ready TO take the
field, and the frontiers Of every civilized
nation are protected by brcastwork and
fort. The sea Is covered with steel clad
ships filed with missiles of death. The
civilized world has Impoverished itself, and
the debt of Christendom, mostly for war,
Is now nearly $50, 900, 600, 900. The inter-
est on this vast sum has to be paid. 1t has
to be paid by labor--much of 1t by tho
POORLY those who arc compelled 20 deny
themselves almost tho necessities OF life.
This debt is growing yoar by year. There
must come q change or Chrlstondom will
become bankrupt
Tho interest on this debt amounts at
least to 5000 600, 600 year, and the cost
of supporting armies and navios, OF repair
ing ships, Of manufacturing now engines
Of death, probably amounts, including the
interest on tho debt, to at loast 80, GOO 600
a day. Allowing ten hours for day
that is, for working day--tho waste OF
war Is mt least S6OO,0 600 an hour-that Is
TO say, $40, 0OO minute.
Think OF all this being paid for tho pur-
pose OF killing and preparing to kill our
fellow mon. Think OF tho good that could
bo dono with this vast sum Of money--the
schools that could be buill, tho wants that
could bc supplied. Think Of the homes It
would build, tho children IL would clothc.
IN we wish 20 do away with war, we
must provide for the settlement Of national
differences by an international court. This
court should 10 In perpetual session, It's
members shonld be selected by the various
governments 70 be affected by its decisions,
and, at the command and disposal OF this
court, tho rest OF lChristendom being dis
armed, there should be military force
sufficient TO carry It's judgments into CT
foot. There should be no other excuse, 10
othor business for an army or navy In
tho civilized world