Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-04-05
THE DUTY OF THE HOUR.

II
1t may fall out that our nation and
Spain will enter upon destruction of hn.
man life, and the waste of the fruits of
toll. War has not begun. Our Chris
tian civilization forbids US to do ought
to incite to needless bloodshed and de-
vastation. We should discourage all
threats, hrag, noise A puissant nation
With million of warriors can afford to
show extreme forbesrapce. Europe
will not mistake dignity and patience
for cowardice. "Slow to anger" Spain
is decrepit and ungirt. The young
giaut can afford to yield much.
We cannot restrain the demagogue.
This is his hour. He runs down re-
porter and empties an interview into
the velping yellow" War Cry. Hear
him: ''If the Maine was blown up by
treacherous Spaniards," etc., he would
rush-to get contract for cruppers for
calvary saddles. So he would. The
Cprislian, serious, conservative citizen
npds war in horror. 1t is relic Of
nlrbarism. The Sherman who ravaged
tntfe e stubble the fair land of the South
said in his coarse speech, WAR is
nell.n IL comes when the passion Of
he savage overmasters the spirit OF our
Gn,istian civilization.
Il cannot be otherwise but that god
y men and devout women implore
eaven to turn aside blood and blight
rom two.nations worshipiug the same
God. Where is our boased religion if
bitration cannot keep the sword in
ne scabbard ? Its devouring edge
would be scandal to our age. Does
not the atheist taunt the church in
this crisis? Where now, is thy God ?
Let the pulpils inspire the people with
a spirit of prayer that God may inter
pose. Shall the followers of the Prince
of Peace clamor for carnage?
Nations, like individuals, lose their
polarity. Let each man hold fast to
sane sense. We recall the afternoon
when General Lee took the canal boat
at Lexington to obey summons of a
congressional committee in Washing
ton, to testify concerning the initiation
of the civil war. When asked by the
chairman if he had not said at the be-
ginning of hostility that genuine pa
jriotism in high places could have
averted war, General Lee assented to
the question as true. Have you
changed that opinion ?" The greatest
American, in his calm lay, declared he
held the same view, alter the war
What page in history The curse OF
the demagogue fell upon field, city, and
hearthstoDe.
The people ought to have counsel
from our serious and experienced men.
The yellow dog paper" as q congress
man called the press that screams for
war TO increase circulation" and to
infect with its rabies to augment its
revenue, should be treated as rag
poisoned with virus flung among the
people. The unthlnklng catch the pes
,ilence.
What will be the gain of q war? A
Cheops of national debt will be piled
on the pyramid of taxes that now
crushes the country. Industry will be
paralyzed. We raise wheat, cotton,
cattle, corn and tobacco in quantities
far in excess of our home nee ds. War
will hinder expectation. Our grain
will! rot nnsold, our cotton remain un-
ga hered. The ruin will fall first, last,
heaviest, upon the tiller of the soil.
Cotton is five cents now, bareley paying
for production. Cut off shipment
abroad and the South becomes land
Of white slaves. Fortunes will be
made. Our nilionsires date from the
civil war. Alas! the South will again
suffer!
General Wade Hampton urges upon
the South calmness. He bad seen the
fl ,wer of our youth perish. He could
not think of another generation of boys
made victims of the Molocn of war.
There are many SCARED veterans Of
the South who depiore war. The
shrinkage in values in twenty-four
hours af er the first gun would buy
Cuba ten times over Baltimore
Christian Advocate.