The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-01-29
WAR.
Its Social and Economic Effect Upon
the World.
The Social Science Club Wrestles
With That Important Topic.

weather there was a good attendance
of members at the meeting of the
Social Science Club last evening. The
subject upon the program for last eve
ning's meeting was "The Methods of
Sociological Study" by Rev. HI. A.
Cleveland, but owing to absence from
the city lately, Mr.. Cleveland had
been unable to prepare his paper for
last evening, and Gen. E. NJ. Pope
read paper on Social and Economic
Effect of War" His paper was a
strong historical review of the wars of
the world and their effect upon the
world. He held that in spite of the
the devastations wrought by war it's
effect upon the world had been for
the best, There had been wars fought
merely to satisfy ambition and greed,
where possibly this fact would not
hold good, but upon all the great wars
waged for principle, good results and
civilizing influences had always fol-
lowed. He called attention TO the
fact that the periods Of great advance
ment in the worlds history had follow
ed some of it's mightiest wars. This
was true of ancient as well as modern
times While long periods of peace
had resulted in the general decay Of
the country so blessed. The
worlds history is a history of the
struggle of the survival of the
fittest. The strongest and best
equipped for the worlds battle sur
vived and prospered, the weakest
went to the wall and gradually disap
peared. The history of the world is a
history of it's wars, and particularly is
this true of the ancient nations, and
to a very large extent, of modern
times. He fortified his position by
numerous quotations from various
writer's. And the position he had
taken, was justified by the history OF
our own country. The numerous col
onial and Indian wars had wide So
cial and economic effect and bound
the colonies more closely together.
The Revolutionary war was de-
fensive war. The war of 1872 was the
echo of the Napoleanic wars and re-
suited in giving us a standing among
the nations of the world, and was
powerful impetus to our maratime de-
velopment, and also to our manufac-
turing interests. The war with Mex
leo was closely followed with great
social and economic effects most i'm
portant, and who can tell of the great
social and economic effects Of our
civil war It enfranchised race,
and opened the way for new south
ana new west, anG has been follow
ed by national prosperity unrivalled
in history.
Prof. G. f. Kenaston opened the
| discussion and took just the opposite
view of the subject from that held
forth by Gen. Pope. He believed that
the effects of war upon the social and
economic affairs of life had been
greatly over rated. Wars had been d
hIndrance to society rather than a
blessing. He favored arbitration as a
way of settling international difficult
| les rather than war. 1t was more
compatible with the ideas of civiliza-
tion. He admitted that great pros
perity and national growth had often
followed the great wars of the world,
but he did not believe that such pro-
gress should be COMPOUNDED with the
direct result Of the wars. Wars are
| destructive, and do not tend to build
up to the higher ideals of society.
| Those who promote war feelings are
| unconscious enemies of their cOuntry's
welfare, The world should be turned
toward peace, and the navies toward
commerce. War is a relic of the ami
NAL race from which we are emerging.
| War turns the minds of men from
| better things and is bad socially. 1t
| is waste of wealth, and is bad from
the economic point of view. New
| ideas and broad views will penetrate
a nation in this age of the world with
out being shot from a lannon's mouth.
| The discussion was entered into by
quite number present and divergent
views brought out. The sentiment
against war seemed strongest how
ever, it being held that war was de-
structiveness and bad socially and &C.
onomically. The next meeting of the
! club will be held on Tuesday evening,
! Feb. 9, when Mr.. j. r. Brandrup will
read a paper on Women Wage
Farmers"