The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1896-02-01
The War Cloud.


These are days of the greatest unrest.
Perhaps there never was such per-
turbed spirit among the nations. The
whole world seems to be in some way
involved in controversy. Europe is not
alone In the uncertainty of its political
relations. The Chinese-Japanese mat
ters are not yet wholly settled, for
Russia is not yet satisfied; while France
is contending with Madagascar, Spain
with Cuba. England with Ashantee,
Venezuela and the Transvaal, wholesale
buchery is going on in Turkish Arme-
mia. What will be the outcome of all
this commotion no one can fully tell.
The dark war cloud seems to hang over
the nations of the earth. When it will
break away the future alone can reveal.
The careful observer can discover some
probable indications.
1. The United States and England
will not fight. The demands of this
government will be only just and right
and England will see it. There may
be good many unthinking people
who would rashly bring about circum-
stances that would involve us IN war,
but happily these are not the kind of
persons who control the affairs of
state. Then war with the United
States is very unpopular thing in
England. Public sentiment all over
the United Kingdom is against it.
Furthermore England is quite busy
enough with her dependencies without
inviting any more fields of carnage.
1t is about all Her Majesty's govern
ment can do to protect the interests of
her greatly diversified empire without
engaging to contend with the most
powerful country IN this hemisphere
about u controverted boundary line.
Such war would undoubted result in
greater loss of territory in other direc-
tions than could possibly be gained.
Again, we do not stand in the way Of
any of the great projects of England,
nor do we desire any of her possessions.
There are nations enough who are
willing to stand in the way of her
highest interests, which she must, be
diligent in watching. The government
will surely never take its eye off Russia
and Turkey to waste its energies in
what must be fruitless struggle.
2, History shows that wars have
usually been caused by those dema-
gogues, politicians or statesmen who
have never been on the battlefield. 1t
can be shown that those who have per-
sonally seen the horrors of war will
shrink from doing anything that will
exchange peace for war. While the
rulers of the nations have not all been
in the smoke and din of battle, yet the
horrors of war have in the last half of
the nineteenth century been sufficiently
felt In the leading nations of the world
to cause them to think long and
soberly before rushing into the uncer-
tain field of modern warfare. A recent
editorial in a very highly respected
religious journal shows the civil war
was not the work of generals but Of
civilians, and that General Grant
looked with such aversion upon any
thing that reminded him Of carnage
that in his tour around the world he
conld hardly be induced to review the
troops of the nations.
5. As long as the nations remains
as they are, the war cloud will continue
to hover over the world. Many
nations have grown great, and they are
exceedingly jealous OF that greatness.
The spirit of rivalry among the nations
runs high. The rulers. of the old
world fear any outbreak since the
of the nations would be
disrupted, and the advantage and
greatness of each or any might be
seriously affected. The outrages Of
Armenia would not be allowed if any
agreement of the powers could be
effected. But each is apprehensive
that others may gain some undue
AS matters now stand
nothing can be settled and there can
be no certain peace. But it seems
likely that war will not Immediately
result between any great nations.
however, the line of pre-
caution will be overstepped, and a
condition will occur when war will be
inevitable. When that time shall come
the indications are that more than two
countries will be involved. If Christian
principles should dominate the world
the nations might be brought to a
stable equilibrium by arbitration. But
alas! how little the spirit of the worlds
influences the potentates of
auy land.