The Saint Paul globe., 1898-08-07

paralysis of commerce, and the terrible
cotton famine in Lancashire. Great as
was the victory of freedom the war
achieved, it can not be gainsaid that
the cost was terrible.
The Crimean war cost Great Britain 6TTii:a in
fto0G0,0OO of money, while Russia and
France spent f230,000000, to say nothing
OF the 50O,0 600 slain. The Franco-Ger-
man war cost France, not taking into
account the war indemnity to Germany
anG the loss of Alsace-Lorraine, f170,-
c00,OO0 for the seven months war. Rus
sla victory over Turkey in
1S77-7S cost her 10000, 900. In the last
seventy years Russia has spent 1885,
100000, and lost 100000 lives in war; The
struggle with China cost Japan 211, 000,-
000 yen.
But the only effect that the slaughter
OF life and the cost of war in the past
has had upon states has been to make
them increase their armies and spend
still more in preparing for war. In
Europe today there are 4,250,000 men
studying and preparing for war, while
an additional 12,G00,000 men would be
called out on the declaration of war,
with reserve force of 100000 men to
fall back upon. Incredible though it
may seem, in event of universal call
to arms, 100000 men would be placed
on the field.
hC POWeIS OI Europe alone
spend $500. 100000 a year in maintain
ing their fighting forces. In the last
six years the war budgets of Europe
have increased 25 per cent. The ma
tional debts of Europe, amounting to
over $4,000, 100000, have been contract
ed almost entirely to defray the cost Of
war. England is not extravagant COM
pared with other powers in military
matters, but one-third of the national
revenue is spent in preparing for war.
one-third in paying for past wars, and
only one-third i'm actually governing
the country.
In 1869 the European peace armies
numbered 100000 men, today they
number 100000. In 1869 Europe spent
| S117, 100000 on her armiss and navies;
| tooay she spends nearly $240 00O, ,O0O
| Never in the history of civilization
were there more men under arms. and
| never was there more general and
| genuine shrinking from the idea of
war. So multiplied and matured have
become the means of destruction so
great are the risks that will be involv-
ed, and so unmanageable are the ope-
rations which the vastness of the ar
| mics, now swollen beyond all magni-
tude, will impose upon their generals.
| that sovereigns and statesmen respon-
| sible for war may well hesitate before
bringing about an explosion No
statesman WISHES FOR war, yet all are
| increasing their preparations for war.
| And probably the best guarantee OF
peace is the preparedness for war.
| But the present state of things cannol
| last forever.
Europe is groaning under the burden
| of taxation and extortions Of military
service. France. Italy and Austria are
nearly bankrupt from the cost Of their
armaments,- and Spain will probably
be so ere the present war is over. Ar
bitration is as far off and Utopian as
:, ever, and even when an international
court Of arbitration has been constitut-
/ ed, 1t will always be open for one of
! the parties to question the award and
appeal to the sword
War is great, butt may be, nec-
essary evil. To. liberate the Soudan
from the cruel, bloody rule of the
! Ma'hdf is only possible by means of the
bayonet; Cuba can only be freed from
Spanish misrule by force.
The world is in a state of armed
peace, and things must be worse be-
fore they can be better. No nation will
propose VOLUNTARY disarmament and
| until all the nations agree to disband
their armies and navies the present
state of things must inevitably con-
| tinue And the miHennium-tha time
| when nation shall no longer lift up
| sword against nation, when the lion
| shall lie down with the lamb-should
! 1t ever arrive, will only be ushered in.
1t has been predicted by a universal
war, the like of which the world has
| never seen