The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-19
War md business.

From the New York Commercial.
We take the following from the edi-
torial columns of the New Haven Reg
lister:
1T is always a debatable question
whether a Christian nation should go
to war under any circumstances. but we
now lear for the first time that war,
when IL is a good thing for business,
should be welcomed with open arms.
What does a bushel basketball of hu-
man souls, and a barrel or two Of dis
membered limbs. amount to compared
with the stimulant given BUSINESS"
Waving the lack of sincerity in the
question. the point is a very pertinent
one, but, as a matter of fact, 1t pro-
ceeds from, and Is suggested by, an
erroneous and mistaken notion OF facts.
War would prove anything but a good
thing for business. 1t IL true that a few
particular branches of industry. espe-
pecially along mechanical lines, a Won
derful impetus would be given; bur
trade and m and manufactur-
ing generally would be seriously af-
fected and ~prejudiced. With privateer-
ing INDUCED In freely proniscuous-
ly by Spain, the shipping interests of
the country would. as we have already
pointed out. De largely affected. and
our exports would, of necessity. be
greatly curtailed. This curtailment
NOuIu, w tuC dluIa laws vi
make its effect felt in all quarters-for.
with an arbitrary limitation of our ex-
ports, the Industries would be com
PEELED to reduce their output. and this
they could do only by reducing the
number of their operatives or work
ing them on shorter time which would
limit the purchasing power of workers
SO affected with the result-for socie-
ty Is but an aggregate of individuals
d~anandinU in a laser or greater sense
upon one another-that minor pur-
chases woul be greatly restricted, and
the capacity and geneYal' trade of mer-
chants limited proportionately. And,
as in other businesses, SO In the cases
of merchants. a falling off in their
trade and profits would compel them
in their turn, as a matter of self-pres-
ervation. to reduce the number of their
employees. To these enforced idlers
must be added also those now EN-
ployed in the transportation interests.
which, so far as external movements
are concerned. would be practically at
a standstill for some time after the
commencement of actual warfare.
But this it not all. Destruction and
waste begin once war begins. Proper
ty. instead of being built up. is de-
stroyed: and while that destruction
might afford work to men in order to
relieve the situation. the general loss
would be such that individual advance
! ment and rain would be as naught.
Then. too, bonds would be issued and
new taxes be imposed. while IL the
practice of taxation pursued in the
civil wal were ollowed out, the taxes
would be placed upon such articles as
tea, coffee and other o-calle lux
uries.' which are. as a matter of fact.
among the necessities of life to many
people.
Thes truths. which IL Is idle to dis
guise, or attempt to disguise, are from
a commercial standpoint. without re-
ferring to more than a few OF the
many ill-effects of war, considering
the fearful loss of life or the many
wrecked and saddened homes that
would inevitably follow.
1t Ia folly TO say that business would
be bettered by war. Such Is not the
case. Perhaps. during the continuance
of warfare a few m~anipulators might
profit. and. after the conclusion. a tenn
porary revival of business follow; but
that profit would be only to .he few.
n tina revival little or no greater
than business activity under ordinary
and aforementioned circumstances.
Whether Ii be war. or whether IL be
peace. the fact remains that the coun-
try would be immeasurably better of
financially, without war. Admittedly,
however. there are other considera-
lions than financial or business to de-
termine what shall be the outcome
whether peace or a The nation can
not afford to estimate the d~esirability
of war in dollars and cents.