Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1898-11-12
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Not since the return of our troops
from the civil war, thirty. three years
ago, has the halo Of militarism shone so
brightly In America. The soldier IL
the hero Of tho day. His welcome
home has been SO sincere, NO sp0ntane.
Gus, that the fcver-stricken camp. the
terrors Of jungle warfare, the weary
days ana nights Of exposure are forgot.
ten. Buss buttons, chevrons and
epaulets command the respect and nd.
iniratiOn Of the public. This 10 but q
taste OF the state Of affairs which ex.
lists all over Europe. hut abroad the
worship Of the priest Of Mars. the god
Of. war. Is not temporary, not the result
Of great achievements, Of victories
won. 1t II the result Of habit. Eng.
land has had glorious exhibition Of
what her trained soldiers con do when
pitted against dervishes, who know
no defeat; who disregard the honor OF
warfare, who fear death In no shape
whatever, who wreak their vengeance
OH the dead and the wounded. Sir
Herbert Kitchener furnishes but IN.
other example Of the superiority OF
AnglO.SaxOn grit and perseverance.
But England's worship OF her soldiers
expresses the feeling which every
European has when he sees the uni
form Of his country's defenders. The
red jacket Of the English soldier, the
cOckade Of the French private, the
corded blouse OF the German guard,
the hlgh.tOp boot OF the Russian Of
hcer-all arouse the patriotism OF the
European to fever heat. But the peO.
pie pay dear for their bauble. To sus.
tain the military department. to fur.
nish glitterlng uniforms, to equip
armies and pavies. to pay the naughty
officers, and their still more naughty
subQydinates, the common people are
burdened with heavy weight Of taxes.
their sons are drafted. their substance
cOniiscated. hut the great burden of
taxes Ia not the only injustice. The
bandage In torn from the eyes OF Jus.
tlce herself, and she II compelled to
deal partially with the soldier. Two
years ago an officer In the German
army brutally murdered a common citi.
zen without cause. The officer received
the severe punishment Of three years
Imprisonment; hut the Kaiser could
not calmly look on while u soldier Of
his was 80 degraded, SO the officer has
Just been released by Wilhelm. after
serving but two years. In Europe the
soldier IL amenable to no law but the
military law, which law he must obey
implicitly. II 1t demand that he sink
honor. manliness, character, there Is no
ALTERNATIVES; II 1t require that he forge
letters he has no choice. II 1t cOnsign
the innocent to suffer. he cannot rem.
Onstrate. He IL mere antOmat ton; his
pleasures, his opinions, belong to the
state. Army officers direct him; the
common people respect him; he Is blest
Of the gods, and woe to the citizen who
does not fall down blindly before the
Moloch of militarism. America Is
proud of her defenders. Their slightest
wish Is law, be that wish reasonable.
| But the public will never tolerate In
justice or brutality, even In soldier.
America has formulated her laws ac-
| cOrding to the best light she has, and
they apply to every citizen In this re-
public.
~
"Ihe Daughter of the Confederacy"
and Of its late President was the OBJ
ject Of sentimental attachment,
which. had 1t CHANGED to fall upon a
weak or designing woman, might
easily have been perverted into ma
tional menace. Happily Miss Davis
was q strong, unselfish woman and a
true American, and the North can sor-
row with the South over the death of
one who loved and honOred her coun.
try.
Spain already has q new navy-on
paper. 1t Is much safer there than II
would be on water.
Il mSr~~~ q. . ~snvxyluu ausnlolon that the