The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-03-07

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their arrows and their two tribes tried
to exterminate each other other from
off the face of the earth. An ancient
Trojan prince by the name of Paris,
abducted Spartan woman, the wife
of the Greek, Menelaus. Then
Greeks and Trojans went to war for
thirteen years. Menelaus got his
wife. She was much of coquette,
and proved a high priced woman,
costing the destruction of Troy, of
tens of thousands of men, and the
widowhood and orphanage of other
tens of thousands of mothers and
children.
Costs of War.
l know not whether the angels
from heaven could estimate the cost
of human warfare. But we do know
that no nation can estimate the cost
of its own wars. The number of men
and the dollars and cents help us to
a side view. But it is only a little
view after all. In the fifteen wars of
our own nation (not counting con-
federate), 1888, 1856 soldiers have been
engaged. In round numbers this is
equivalent to an average of $4,000
men in each war. This is equal to
standing army in the field of 1857
men fighting for fifty years in success
sion! In the war of the Revolution
we had 30O,781 men in the field. In
the struggle of 1912 we had 576,622.
The Mexican war required the SER
vices of 112 ,23O-the war of the Re-
bellion, 2,772,4OS. world Almanac,
1896; p. 800. Table in error as to war
with France. We simply prepared
for wary What merciless forces for
the destruction of human life! What
blood and desolation and sorrow and
sin in their track!
What waste of money also! Ban
croft estimates the Revolution to
have cost our forefathers about $780,
100000 per year. This aggregates
about $160,OO0,0O0. Hildreth de-
clares the cost to have been mot
much less than $170,OOO,OOO." Such
an Indebtedness for 100000 of pop
ulationl About $50 per capita in
those struggling days for money.
Beside all we had taxed ourselves
and paid, we came out of the REBEL
ion with U. S. debt of 81, 773, 100000.
Estimated population at 100000,
and we had a national debt of 49,
% per capita.
Now look at some still more noun
famous aggregates. The total expen-
ditures of the United States from
1889 to 1895 Q06 years., have BEEN
for the navy, 81, 1927 ,4O7, 7S9, and for
the war department, 50, 98O,773, 259,-
for the pensions which slightly palli-
ate their terrible desolation, 81 $780,
403,063. There is an aggregate of
$8,258, 584 i'll. For the same period
Of LOG years, we spent for all civil and
miscellaneous purposes of the gov
eminent only 2,769, 569,2s4. Here is
a difference against war of $685.
O14,827. War is the devouring lion.
War, next to drunkenness, is the
great, overshadowing, satanic curse
of the nations.
Neither is this the end of our war
bills. This is only what we pay for
men and property, to destroy other
men and property. We have not
counted the wasting destruction
which an army leaves in its track
it's forage, its pillage, its burnings,
its ratings, its waste of towns and
cities-its blight and curse and fam
inc and fame and pestilence which
follow everywhere in its march. AS
to blood, not all dragons, monsters
and beasts of prey have split SO much
as cup full of blood in comparison
with the red rivers which follow war.
And as to property, not the elements,
not fire nor flood, not earthquakes,
are so destructive as an avenging
army, devouring all things in its
march.
The Cry for Arbitration.
Is it not time, therefore, that we
cried out for arbitrations Have we
not had enough of this great sin and
folly? What is the disgrace to "send
an ambassage desiring conditions of
peaceP Blood is sweet only to the
barbarians. Peace is dear to the
angels. "There never was good
war, nor bad peace" said Franklin.
"Peace hath her victories no less re-
nowned than war" said Milton. "War
is a game which, were their subjects
wise, kings would not play at" said
Cowper.
Hence we can heartily say, send
the ambassage. Desire the condi-
tions of peace. Eff it be possible, as
much as lieth in you, live peaceably
NTH oil man - Rut in casaa of inn