The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-05-01
FIGHTING FOREVER
New York Sun.

The world isn't through with fighting yet,
and we don't see any sign of the end OF man
kinds wars. There have already been bloody
wears in the last decade of the century, and all
the chief powers of Europe are armed to the
teeth, awaiting further hostilities. Upon all
the continents of the earth armies have fought
since 1890
Since then we have had the war between
Italy and Abyssinia, which brought disaster
TO the expeditionary army under General Bar
atieri and ended in remarkable triumph for
King Menelek.
We have had the great war between China
and Japan, in which powerful armies and
navies fought sanguinary battles upon land
and sea, the consequences OF which were the
humiliation OF China, the loss OF part OF her
territory, and the payment OF an indemnity TO
her couqueror.
We have had the civil war in Brazil, which
ensued pom the overthrow of the empire, and
through which the new Government was
shaken for two wears, but which endeo In the
success of the constitutional republic.
We have had the war OF France upon NADIA
gascar, the results OF which were the capture
OF the city of Antananarivo by the French,
the dethronement OF the queen ana the con-
quest of the country.
We have had the sanguinary wars of Eng
land in South Africa. through which vast
regions have been added to the dominions of
Queen Victoria, at the expense OF The lives OF
tens of thousands of black Africans.
We have had the shameful wars of Spain
against her own colonies; her long war in
Cuba if butcherv can be called war; and her
wear of war in the Philippines. The Spaniaros
say they have crushed the Philippine insur-
rection, but Cuba is yet in arms for liberty.
We have had small civil wars in five or six
of the Spanish-Amcrican republics, the most
important one OF which was that i'll Ecuador,
which ended in the victory of the revolution
airy party. There is fight now going on in
Uruguay, and there is u squanble in Hon
duraS.
We had carnage upon a vast scale in Ar
menia last year, but that could not be called
war The Kurds and Turks met little resist
ance during the period in which they were
engaged in slaughtering the terrorized Chris
tians
Turkey and Greece, about the results or the
consequences of which there may well be ap-
prehension.
We also have the English military expedi-
ton up the Nile, which has not yet Dsen the
occasion of much fighting, but which may be
the occasion of pretty hot war before Eng
land gets to Khartoum.
As for the belligerent affairs OF an un1mp or-
tant character, in many countries, during this
decade, we could not count them The largest
OF them was perhaps the Mohammedan revolt
in northwestern China. France has had trouble
in Siam; Japan has had some fighting in For
mosa; Zanzibar was the scene OF rumpus;
Spain threatened Morocco; England captured
the negro King OF Ashanee and grabbed his
country; there was fight last year between a
mob of English flibusters and the gallant
Beers OF the Transvaal.
There has been danger that number of
the wars here spoken of would be the cause of
other and yet longer wars. Russia, France
and Germany came very near quarreling with
England at the end of the struggle between
Japan and China. There was danger of
trouble between this country and England
when the English invaded the territory of
Venezuela. The Turko-Grecian war is a peril
to The peace of Europe.
Truly, the years of the last decade of the
nineteenth century have been bloody years.
Mankind are still fighting as they fought in
the days when Amalek and Joshua went to
war, when Alexander fell upon the world,
when Crusader and Moslem met in conflict
when Napoleon strove for the earth, when
Unionist and Confederate engaged in battle.
There are alarming possibilities in the stu.
alton. We are told that Russia does not want
to fight, and that England, France, Germany,
Austria and Italy do not. But there stand the
armies, 6, 600, 900 or 100000 strong, watch
ing each other with jealous eye, and the hour
OF provocation for them may come with the
firing of shot. Then again. and above all
history and circumstance are governed by
forces the action OF which is beyond the con-
troll of any individual, forces which revel in
war despite all the preachings of peace, those
forces which in ancient times went by the
name OF Destiny, which are known to the
Turks as Kismet, and which the Calvinists
sneak of a PredestinatiOn.