The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-01-10
AN ERRONEOUS DIAGNOSIS.

Washington Post
Tho Galveston News. more frequently
md copiously than any other secular Jour
nal In the United States, indulges In ra-
tiocination upon causes and cures OF
things which It condemns. one OF the
things which meets the condemnation of
our Texas contemporary Is "the spirit of
war" which that paper believes is abroad
In the land. We have not noted any
alarming prevalence Of that spirit. So
far as we have observed, the people Of
this country desire II continuance of peace.
They certainly do not intend to give cause
for war. We shall! respect the rights of
all nations and shall expect them to re-
spect our rights. II this reasonable ex-
pcctation Is justified by events. We shall
continue IN peace and amity with all ma
tions. 1t Is not n regretablc thing that
what IL called the war spirit Is not dead.
A nation always needs such patriotism
as Will suffice for It's defense and always
needs to have the military spirit kept
alive. The colleges and high schools
Of the country have for many years In
cluded military training In their courses
of instruction. and in so doing. they have
not erred.
But our Galveston contemporary. after
spirit of war" finds It's diligence reward
ed. That spirit, II declares, Is the mt
ural fruitage OF the modern spirit of par
~ politics. Weighing tho matter careful
iys tuUNlItTiUE tuu1tH, tDiluliloils anu IT,
suits coolly, our contemporary solemnly
asserts that 1t Is extremely doubtful
whether amy government can stand very
long In peace under the increasing strain
OF party strife for victory. The battle
that Is fought for conquest at the ballot
box today may II the News Is to be trust
cd, be expected TO become a battle Of
blood and plumber tomorrow.
This would be awful to contemplate II
tho News were so cruel as to shut us out
from hope OF any remedial agency. But
we are not treated " that fashion The
diagnosing doctor has a remedy-just one
remedy and no more. He tells us that
probably the only method OF making
governments stable aud safe Ia to cncour-
age the organization OF new parties, the
formation OF new lines on new issues as
they arise. He says;
when a war is over the soldiers dis
band Political campaigns should be 10
ordered by the people. In spite OF the ef-
forts OF the politicians to the contrary,
that they shall result in some settlement
of the issues involved. After such issues
are settled new questions should be con-
sidered and new Arguments of the voters
encouraged. In this way. the old business
OF standing armies and fighting for ages,
ostensibly over the same differences, but
really over the plumber. until the contests
lead naturally from ballots to bullets.
might be discouraged and abated. The
shirt of war has been cultivated by tho
party politicians of this country. They
have reveled In 1t and fattened by II.
They have made war upon the otncr
party. inc 'bioouy shirt n'ts k,,Ns.n, P,aSss
10 the jingoism with which imlitituues OF
inchoate soldiers are now wild. II Is moi
probable that the appetite for war VIII
ever die out In any partisan who Is eager
to contend for victory In the absorbing
interest of combined party and personal
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. He may not feel dis
posed or find It wise to resort to guns |
today, but his appetite and proclivity
may be expected to lead to extremes IN
There seem to us TO be grave doubts OF
the possibility OF applying this remedy,
even II We admit the existence Of the a.