The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-12-20
w,,aom i'm ,.rn. Next Best rh,na,n

Wisdom tn 'tThe Next Best Thing,'
 To the Editor of the Journal and Courier:
 Please permit me to kindly ask the favorable attention and interest of your readers to the careful estimate and value of those forcefully expressed thoughts which are accounted worthy of place in your issue of the 16th inst. under the caption of 'The Next Best Thing" The wisdom and discretion which should abound in national diplo- macy may well find it's contributions from the responsiveness of the thought ful minds and hearts of those who would elevate, enlighten and diffuse the public veal. One of the valuable rela- tions which the good we may have is often found in the opportunity to obtain the good. Commerce opens to us the door of this opportunity in many meth ods of meeting our various wants, Ma tional diplomacy in Its guardian care stands as sentinel and door-keeper and limits or expands this method of eX- change in national and personal inter- ests. But often the good we need and desire we are hindered from obtaining for want of opportunity to come into this possession. Opportunity rightly improved often brings its best rewards to our efforts. Standing as we do on the threshold of a glorious opportuni- ty we may well ask ourselves what shall be our response to the great prac- tical national question, do we want 'The next best thing?" How about our encouragement of future peace? Shall we seek to establish the encouragement of peace among the nations? Shall concession and arbitration find our na- tional endorsement among the good things we hold? Shall we be found ex- tending the influence we possess in fos- tering the noble sentiments of civilized policy and enlightened Christian liber- ty to the world through the channels of peace and prosperity? Shall our pres ent opportunity to aid the cause of peaceful national arbitration for the interests of all nations be allowed to pass without our improvement? Shall we face the call for one hundred thou sand or more to be added to our militia ny force with all 1t requires of}means, effort and men, and say that we have no interest present or prospective in the great question of national peace What about future wars? It hardly seems possible to human thought that this subject should fail to arouse the responsive enthusiasm of this people, who are unequaled in their privilege and opportunity of responding to this large and far-reaching question. We | to-day are national witnesses to the power of unity when new and advan- cing interests and questions come to the front and call for decision. Advancing thought will carry us away from the quagmire of contention which may have hindered our progress. Enligh- tened freedom calls for action not only as method of maintaining good, but also to lead the world to see the good wisely proffered. Ignorance and preju. dice are swept from their stronghold in national bondage when the light of ad- vancing thought fills the minds of the people with aspirations and possibili- ties of hitherto unrealized good yet awaiting their acceptance.
 l To be found ready and willing tc | carefully estimate the value of that in. | fiuence now possible to US as a people and respond in accord with that which shall make for nation peace by inter. national arbitration, and thus lead to 8 higher plane of governing the world even to the real supplanting of force by the influence of thought. we may be lee to be wise partakers in our choice oi
 The next best thing in national pro
 gress and diplomacy.
 SOLOMON MEAD.