Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-10
The Object of the War.

OF course. no sane Christian wants
war. With heartfelt ferVor We join in re-
Spouse to the prayer that il may please
Thee to give to all nations unity. peace and
concord But in reading the story of the
Good Samaritan the thought occurs to US:
What would that famous example have
done had he come upon the scene of action
| a little earlier in the day? Would he have
reflected: The thieves / see robbing and
torturing yonder Traveller are not disturb
ing me. Why should k.interfere and get
myself into troubie?' Our Imagination
cannot entertain this picture for a moment.
On the contrary. we see the Good Samarf-
tan, animated 10y the spirit of Him who
drove the money changers from the temple,
fastening to the rescue.
Ruskin, a lover of peace writes: But as
1t Is al their own peril that any race ex-
tends their dominion in mere desire of DOW
er, SO II is at their own still greater peril
That they refuse to undertake aggressive
war, according to their force, whenever
they are assured that their authority would
be helpful and protective Nor need YOU
listen to any sophistical objection Of the
lmpOssibiiity Of knowing when "A peoples
help is needed. or when not. Make your
national conscience clear. and your nation
al eyes Will soon he clear. No man who is
truly ready to take part in a noble quarrel
Will ever stand long I'm doubt by whom or
in what cause. his aid is needed.
L tell you that the principle of non-inter-
Venton, as now preached among us, is as
selfish and cruel the worst frenzy of
conquest, and differs from il only by being
not only malignant. but dastardly."
How many of those whose voice is
raised against the war can assert that they
have read even a few of the speeches de-
livered in Congress during the last three
months? Only shameless prejudice could
withstand the array of facts. the logical de-
ductions of the students OF history, past
III n
Honor TO the American navy, truly. and
honor also to the American Congress whose
patriotic ardOr gave that navy "A noble on
portuEity to show its mcttle. We deceive
ourselves sadly if think our love of
country ana pride Of nationality is express
ID in a disrespectful attitude toward the
chosen representatives. of the nation. Per-
lection Is to be found i'm no large body Of
men. but we insult the whole American
people and the ideals of craftsmanship be-
queathed to their successors by the trainers
of our Constitution when We doubt the in
teErity of the greater part of the American
Congress.
Hereafter, it is to be hoped. our consuls
will not he obliged to seek the kind offices
Of their foreign colleagues to release an
American from unlawful Imprisonment.
Varied are the results Of war SOM
would bc amusing If the lack Of patriotism
implied in their display was not 50 pitiable
There are wives If army and navy officers
who sought for or yielded to the fascina-
ton Of brass buttons at West Point and
Annapolis. There are mothers who i'm
plored and procured appointments to these
rational schools. who are now declaring
with maddeninE Inconsistency: Il don't be-
lieve in war" one wonders that these fair
traitors for such sentiment from them
under the circumstances. has a flavor Of
treason) should have chosen to lay upon
the altar Of thc god Of battles their dearest
hopes.
Perhaps the severest trial of patience en-
dUred by the mother Of patriot' in "a
was the spectacle Of those Of her own sex
who deplored the wicked rebellion against
a paltry tax. and shuddored at tho thought
of that blatant mob at Philadelphia and
those desperate men. Lafayette and Wash
mCtGn
The question is sometimes heard: why
do we not go elsewhere ON the globe when
ever wrong is unredressad?' 1t is enough
to say that Cuba is raighbor. This may
he sentiment. but. as Ruskin saws. lit is
only matter Of sentiment whether YOU
bury your mother OF eat her" There is.
however. a practical point Of view. 1t is
easier to step across the street than to go
into the next state: also unsanitary coudi-
tions over the way should arouse in us in
stincts Of self-preservation which misht
reasonably lie dormant if those conditions
existed only at a great distance.
In conclusion. let as hold fast to n page
from MacaulcY's MILTON" We may and
ourselves at some future time fast locked
in political Doubling Castle to which the
following may prove the KEY: "If it were
possible that peonle brought up under an
intnlerant and arbitrary system could sub
vert that system without acts Of cruelty
and folly half the objections to despotic
power would he removed. We should. in
that case. he compelled to acknowledge
that II at least produces no perniCious ef-
feet on the intellectual and moral character
of nation. We dep'ore the outrages
which accompany revolutions. But the
more violent the outrages the more assured
we feel that revolution was necessary.
The violence Of these outrages will always
he proportioned to the ferocity and iC-
norance Of the people. and he ferocity and
ignorance of the people viii he proportion
ed To the oppression and degradation under
which they have heen accustomed to live.
The government had prohibited free
discussion: IL had done is hest to keep the
people unacquainted with their duties and
their rights. The retrihuton was Just and
natural If thev were assailed with blind
fury il because they had eXacted an
equally blind submission. II Is the clarac-
ter of such revolutions that We always sec
the worst of them at first. Till men have
been some time free they know not low to
use their freedom. There is only
one cure for the evils which newly acquired
freed m produces. and that cure Is freedom
When n prisoner first leaves his cell he
cannot bear the light Of day: he Is unable
to discriminate cOlors or recognize faces
But the remedy is not 70 remand him into
his dungeon. but to accustom him TO the
rays OF the sun The blaze of truth and
liberty may at first dazzle and bewilder
nations which have become half blind I'm
the house of bondage. But let them gaze
on -. In few wears men learn TO rca-
son. The extreme violence of opinions SUBJ
sides. Hostile theories correct each other
The scattered clements Of truth cease TO
contend, and begin to csalesce. And at
length a system of Justice and order Is
educed out of the chaos II mon
are to wait for liberty till they become wise
and good In slavery they may indeed wait
forever AN AMERICAN WOMAN
May s, 1878
Boston Regiment Coming Here.