The herald., 1898-04-10
A WARLIKE EASTER

"War," declared Macchiavelli, Ought
to be the only study of prince" And
by prince he meant every sort of state
however constituted. HE ought to con-
slider peace only as breathing time
which gives him leisure to contrive, and
furnishes ability to execute military
plans"
The central thought Of this cunning
craftsman. throughout long life de-
voted largely to intrigue and the educa-
tion Of royalty in the science, was the
perpetuaton of despotic power.
A meditation on the conduct OF polit-
ical societies of that period made the
old English historian, Thomas Hobbies,
imagine that war was the state Of ma
ture.
The net results of four hundred years
of what we are pleased to call 'civilizing
influences" do not warrant us in boast
ing of progress made toward universal
brotherhood, for, while five hundred mil.
lion Christians throughout the universe
are today singing TIE Deum, and chant
ing praises to the Prince of Peace who is
risen, the princes of earth, seem as much
disposed as ever to
.Pour the sweet milk of concord into
he'll,
Uproar the universal peace, confound
All unity on earth.'
The battleshps of England, France,
Germany, Austria and Japan are patrol
ling the waters of the Orient, awaiting
orders to strike.
Turkey, fresh from her conquest of
Greece, is enjoying that breathing time"
which gives her leisure to contrive."
The Balkan states are gathering en-
ergy for that struggle for Independent
despotsm. which was only postponed by
the concert of mightier neighbors, who
could not afford to have it transpre
while yet their own plans of conquest
were immature.
Norway grows restive under the dom
ination of ruler not to the manor born.
and policy far from homogeneous.
The polyglot communities, hemmed in
by the mountains Of Central Europe,
and surrounded by the overshadowing
strength of Germany, Austria and Rus
sia, are restive under restraint, and
ready to break out in open revolt against
a regime which. having heaped every
other indignity upon them, now seeks to
extinguish even the religion of their
fathers and the traditions of their race.
A powerful army has subdued an is-
norant and restless host in India, in
herently strong enough to overrur
Christendom, yet impotent in their mis-
directed fury.
British troops march up one bank Of
the Nile, while French soldiers watch
their movements from the other shore.
Spanish America is only sleeping on
its arms.
Discontinued Philippines are prepar-
ing for another revolt.
Porto Ricans are waiting for an op-
portunity.
Thousands of innocent and guileless
children are rolling Easter eggs down
the grassy slopes of the executive man
sion at Washington in sight of the Army
and Navy building, where hundreds of
clerks are preparing the details of
mighty preparations for war with land
that gave birth to the inspiration of a
western world!
Such is an impressionist picture of the
universe on this gladstone birthday of
another springtime, the natal day of
human hope, the anniversary of the
pledge "On earth peace, good will to-
ward men,"
"a universal and perpetual peace
said James Madison, cit is to be feared
will never exist but in the ina ginations
of visionary philosophers, or in tbs
breasts of benevolent enthusiasts"-ar
echo of the conviction of Hobbies, that
war is the state of nature. He, how
ever, drew a distinction between wars
that flow from the mere will of govern
ment, and those which accord with. the
will of society itself. And lie added:
Tc do justice to all nations; to seek
1t from them by peaceable means, and
in preference to war; and to confide in
this policy for avoiding that extremity.
or securing the blessing of peace when
forced upon us, is the only course of
which the United States can never have
reason to repent.
Animadverting upon our second wal
with Great Britain, the same wise states
man was constrained to remark:
1t has proved that our free govern
ment. like other free governments,
though slow In its early movements,
acquires In its progress force proper
/. TONED to it's frame, and that the union
OF these states, the guardian of the