The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-09

mercy to the weak and the brotherhood
of man. T> 80
WORSE THINGS THAN WAR.
A few months ago we lifted our
voices in the utmost condemnation upon
Europe sitting still while the unspeak-
able Turk was massacreing the Arne-
mans, and we scorled Europe. If we
had not at last taken the stand-diplo-
matte, If possible; military, if necessary
to stop the inhuman starvation and
suffering in the beautiful island just
at our doors, Europe might web have
answered back that "our forefathers
begat peddlers, and not sons" AS Wen
dell Phillips said, "To be as good as
our forefathers we must be better"
And when the suffering of an alien
people pleads with us, what could a
Christian nation do but take the issue
and make it her own? This war means
that to America there are things worse
than war
1 am no lover of war. Some of you
will remember an earnest plea-as ear
nest as could make it-for that TAR
bitration treaty" 1 deplored then, and
I deplore today, most deeply, the failure
of that treaty to be sanctioned by our
senate. Now you say: Mr.. Brown,
today you are speaking of the glories
of war. Are you consistent" In the
first place, do not much care; and in
the second place, believe 1 am.
There are things worse than war. To
the American heart. inhumanity is
worse than death at the lannon's
mouth, and, as Phillips said in 1860,
1T is question between barbarism
and civilization, and for that there is
no tribunal but that of force"
We are going to war to stop war.
We are fighting, not for glory, but for
peace and humanity, and if that is in
consistent, glorious be all such incon-
sistency.
NO MISTAKEN CAUSE.
1t is not given to every patriot to
pour out his life and run his splendid
career along the lines of Gods provi-
dence. A man may be noble man,
and pour out his hearts blood nobly
for mistaken cause. L do not believe
that our boys are offering their lives
this time for any mistaken cause.
THE stars in their courses fight against
Cisera," and L believe that our stars
and stripes are advancing today in line
with the stars in Gods universe.
If ever there was clear case for
call TO arms it certainly is this, and 1
hope that this principle of standing for
those who are oppressed, their condi-
ton ''intolerable," in the language of
our president-I hope that that princi-
pie will be so burned into our American
hearts and our American consciences
that when the conflict is over, the vic
tory won, the Cubans free-that that
principle shall be more deeply felt and
followed in our own land. until every
boss shall be put out of place, until
every curse, every sweat shop, and
every oppression shall feel the condem-
nation of our citizens and their death
sentence Principles are not different
in different chimes, and our flag is
never safe, never quite free from stain,
SO long as any man within our borders
can say, Il do not have my rights" 1
trust that that principle which calls
the strong to the defense of the weak
shall be borne into our brains and our
hearts so that we shall never for a
moment forget it in our own legisla-
ton and in all our own affairs.
STIGMA THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
What would 1t have meant not to go
to war? | am not quite sure that 1
know, but I think that. these few lines
which will quote hit it off pretty well,
and express what it would have meant
not to call the issue On Spain:
BATTLE HYMN OF THE PoLTROON
Nothing; The, rierest OF bagatelles.
We're, plunged into costly war
And putting to risk our fine white shrips,
And periling peaceful peoples lives
For a lot Of scarecrows, with food
strange lips,
And their famished children and starving
wives
Had we not called the issue on Spain
that is precisely what it would have
meant Grant that The righteous in
dignation Of American hearts at the ex-
plosion of the Maine was no small fac
tor in the pressure ct these last few
weeks! We should not forget that an
effort had been undertaken long before
that time, and that the most that could
be said was that that Indignation was
with deeper and nobler i'm
pulse, which at last called the nation to
war.
AGREES WITH iNGERsOLL.
For once 1 am. so, glad to be able to
ert Ingersoll, who said last Sunday in
Chicago: Il want to say to you that
the war declared against Spain by the
United States is the first war declared
on earth by human beings for the sal
walton of humanity. 1t is the hottest
of wars, and l never was as proud of
the great republic as now. 1 am not
D6ileV6T III WAL. i WISH there ndQ Deen
an international court of arbitration to
which Spain could have been dragged
as a culprit, and where Cuba could
have told the story of her cruel wrongs.
But there was no such court" He is
just little off in his history. He for
got that old Oliver Cromwell sent a
of his 'Ironsides" across the
channel to an oppressed people and set
them free. There are some precedentS, |
large scale as this. 1t is noble TO fight !
for ones own, but it is thrice noble to
fight for the alien and the oppressed |
1t shows the world that we mean to
make good our proud claim. "A flag of !
the free hearts hope and home" All |
praise to those who enlist.
Every expedient for peace, 1 sup |
pose, had been tried, and if we are not |
proud Of that fact now we will be. His
into great company. When / remem- !
Der how LINCOLN was assailed for his |
'dilatory tactics. as they were called;
when Washington said, Il have been |
asailed as if I were Nero, or a motor |
ious defaulter, or even a common pick
pocket" feel sure that the delay |
against which we fretted and detained |
will add only luster to the good name !
of our president. A friend OF mine has
SdIu. IOiitlCS is the dTt u HHulHS
where people are. and getting with them
as soon as possible. craftsmanship is |
the art Of finding where God is, and re-
with him until you're minor
ity of one comes to be a majority of |
many"
CONSISTENT IN OUR WAR.
Consistent are we in our war. Do |
you remember how Jesus spoke to the |
pharisee? Do you remember how he |
whose lips dropped mercy and balm for !
the sinner, how he whose lips breathed |
hope for the poor and the oppressed