The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1898-05-28
II VAR EOR CIIZLIZI TON

'""%S SHSClS VI an III port cdlCOrla
article in the Atlantic Monthly TO-
June, in which it is sought to show
that the people OF the United State.
engaged in the present war will
Spain purely in the interests of civ;
lization.
In order to prove this assump
ton, two pictures are set up in con.
trast. One is from Buckles ellis
tory Of Civilization, Portraying q
scene which is thus described:
While Europe is ringing. with the noise 0!
intellectual achievements, with which even
despotic governments affect to synlrathize.
IN order that they may divert them from,
their natural course, and use then: new
instruments whereby to Cypress vet more
the liberties OF the people; while amidst
this general din and excitement, the public:
mind, swayed TO and fro, is tossed and
agitated-Spair sleeps ON, untroubled, u,,-
needing, impressive, receiving no, impress
SION from the rest of the world,
and making no impressions upon it. There
she lies, at the furthest extremity of the
continent, Il nudge and torpid mass, the
sole representative remaining of the
feelings and knowledge OF the Middle Ages
Ana What IS the worst Sumption Of all, she
tied with her own condition. Though she
IS the most backward country in EUROPE
she believes herself to be the foremos
The other picture is from an ad-
dress by President Eliot, Of Har-
ward University. It is thus des-
cribed:
These five contrib buttons to civii:Zation-
housekeeping, religious tocration the de-
ve!"pmcnt Of manhood suffrage, the wei
coming OF newcomers and the diffusion Of
"ell-bei,lg-i hold to have been c,nircntly
II f,yr
ant that, in spite of the qualifications and
deductions which every candid citizen
would admit with regard 10 them, they will !
ever be held iii the grateful! remembrance !
OF mankind. They are reasonable grounds
for steady, glowing patriotism. They .
have had much to do, bot. as cause and as ,
effects. with the material prosperity Of the
United States: but they are all five csscn-
italy moral contributions, being :rium,,ls
OF reasons. enterprise, courage, f,it:, AND
'ustiec, over passion, selEshiIcss, incrtness.
uindltE aad d!strust.
The contrast SO ;ngsniously set
up proves nothing in the contention
made by the brilliant editor OF the
Atlantic. l t only shows that
people stepped in superstition, bigot-
ry and ignorance can exist in the
midst Of liberty, free institutions
and enlightenment. So also have
using flint arruwheads and
stone axes, been found in the heart
Of the domain Of the United States
IN this same Ninetecnth Century.
As facts, they arc Of immense in |
tercst to the student OF human de-
fclopmcnt and progress. But
here is nothing III the history OF u
q
he red men by the whites to show Il
hat the motive in it all w as to civi-
lie and cnilGhten and Chrlstianize
he savaScs. On the contrary, ali =
he evidence show that this warfare
vas for the purpose Of depriying :
he red men Of their lands. =
The dealings OF the white men Of =
he United States with the Indian 81
ribes in the limits of the Union II
ave been, with few exceptions. I
ictatcd wholly by greed and sell Al
shness. The determination Of the ~
avaSes will finally rebound 70 the &c
Of progress and en!igh- 81
aent; but no such result was
fought Of by the men who CON p'
uered the witnesses Of the great III
Test. They were actuated by re
lotives strictly selfish. 1
1t is difficult 70 see any other y"
ian selfish motive for the war r
it'll Spain. President Cleveland
sisted the wild and eager zeal OF 7;
c war party. Urged on by de1na-
,gues, who used all the means in N
cir power to infame their pas ce
ons, the people set up & wild out o.
v tor war. President Mckinley N
sisted i. as long as he could; We
It the time came when resistance fe1
'uld be no longer made; but it So
'es not appear that any one OF I'll e th,
litical deuagogues who melted tai
c people to this war has ever tai