The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-27
TIE CAR a GOOD DEMOCRATS.
Against Imperial Expansion and Standing
Armies and for the Liberty aud Pros.
Wriiy Uf tho People.
(Now York TinleS.)

London, December 1S.-At great
public conference hold thus afternoon
in st. James's hall favoring an inter.
national ratification cf tho czar's
peace proposals., William II. Stead
said that though ho could rot givo
the exact words of tho car in n ro
cont interview, the subs tancc Of what
his majesty said was rs follows:
IL look out over tho world; study
our civilization, and | do not find it
very good. | SEQ nations all en-
gagged IN soizing, or trying to seize,
all territory not yet occupied by tho
European powers.
VI look at tho results. They do
not seem to mo to bo good
"For tho native races what does
imperial expansion mcunY Too ofton
opium, alcohol aud all munnor Of
foul diseases, great gulf between
the governed and those who rule,
and crushing taxation upon the ma
tivcs for the blessing Of this civil.
zution,
"And for the nations who seize,
what docs it mean? \ continual
increase of snspiciun, jealousy, and
rivalry; tho hraping up Of fleets and
armies in order to tuko part in a
scramble with tho world, with the re-
suit that tho army and navy are swal-
lowing up moro and moro millions
that should be used for tho welfare
Of the people and tho advancement
Of tho world.
"On top arc few worry rich and
comfortable. Down below, with an
ever increasing pressure Of taxes for
aAm2nacnta, is the groat mass of poor
people whose position is not very
good. There is an over increasing
multitude Of those below with thoir
broodlns discomfort ripcning into
socialism and developing into all
kinds of anarchy.
"No, | do not find our civilization
good. Why do wo mako it so? We
have ut tho present moment arrived
at this stage that we have put all our
very best manhood in tho army. So
much is this tho case that we can
not mobilize the whole Of our troops
in European countries without dislo
eating tho whole fabric of the social
community.
"War has become so expensive that
no State can stand the strain of pro
tracted war without having to lool;
bankruptcy in the face, and we are
so pcrfecting our modern weapons oi
destruction that no army can go into
the field without losing SO large /,
proportion of lis officers that whcI
the war is over, even if that army be
victorious, the war will have inflicted
irroparablo loss on tho country
" h It with disconnection caused b,
mobilizing, what with empty cxcho
quer, what with dccimatcd ranks 0
leading tho governing men, se'
nothing before any nation bnt a ter
ribIo heritage Of revolutionary ana.
chy."
There was much enthusiasm at til,
meeting, which was presided over h,
William Mac donald Sinclair, Arch
deacon Of London, and Canon OF $,
Paurs Cathedral A letter was rru,
from Lord George Hamilton, sccrc
tary Of State for India, suggesting
that advantages should be taken o
the ears proposals in cirrcting close
relations between England and Rus
sia. A noto from Lord ROsnbrrv ap
proving the purpose of the mrrlin;
was also read, and resolutions wcr
adopted unanimously looking 10 tn
achievements aimed at by tho caller
of the conference.