The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1898-08-04
DID NOT need IT.
TWO BUSY 70 FIGHT MUCH.
AND HAVE DONE WITHOUT AN
ARMY.
Present Day Thoughts.
BY G. GRosvENoR DAVE.
(Copyrishted by Dave &<Tabor.)

Look and learn from the armed
camp OF Europe, where, by reason of
false ideas OF safety, the sons of the peo-
pie are offered 70 the Moloch of mill
tarism. 1t is(a pltiable condition OF
disregard TOR the highest hopes and pur-
poses ofthe young. If we compare
the condition there with the one that |
prevailed here prior to April 1878, we
have cause for the most justifiable |
pride. Though blessed with popula- |
ton that has increased by leaps and
DOW exceeds seventy million. though
called on to guard 5000 miles of coast
line, and to control 1861, 900 square
miles of territory, we have found 1t
necessary to maintain and army larger
than 25,COO. Even that number more
than included the venturesome spirits
who were too restless to work. Tor 1t
has been we'll understood that there
has been great difficulty in even keep
ing the army up to peace footing.
We have proved that this handful was
sufficient fol- our needs and has been
cause for surprise in Europe where, as
previous letters have stated, the condl-
tons are almost reversed.
~
We have done we'll to regard an army
as being Of minor importance. How
unerringly the instinct OF our people
has led us may again be learned by
looking abroad.-It would not be fair
to intimate that these vast European
armies are maintained in order to con-
troll the home population. That is far
from true. Yet as the nation is made
to feel that its very existence depends
upon that of the army-much as a
drowning man will clutch at any OBJ
ject even though it sink him-the army
by transference of thought comes to
regard itself in wrong light. From a
feeling of self-satlsfaction there is the
advance to feeling of doubt regard
ing other means OF national mainten-
ance. Then grows up the tendency to
repress the popular will and so, despot-
ism. This is true of autocratic Russia,
OF Kaisercratic Germany and of bureau
cratic France.-Our peaceful, ener.
getic, useful nation has done we'll to
refuge hitherto the temptation of a
large army. So far. except during
times OF public danger, the army
has been kept to police proport-
ions and the common paople have held
their rightfui positions as kings of on,
fate. AS nation of farmers, traders
and mechanics we have been too busy
to show our spirit OF combat except at
the time that 1t vas needed.
~*s
But now we are at the parting OF the
ways, with no sign-post to guide Il,
save good-sense. In less than sis
months we have been thrust out from
theoretical isolation into actual involve
,nant in the ciashing interests of world
nations. Hawaii is ours already b,
peaceful cesslon. The Carolines an6
Ladrones are ours by seizure. Tn.
Philippines and Porto are undoubtedl,
to pass under orr control and posslbl,
the Canaries. Glorious and vain glo,i
Gus Spain is to be stripped OF the las
of her radiant colonial vestments and
to save them all from the destructlv,
anarchy OF racial and religious Jealous
les the hand that freed must be tn,
hand that manages after the freeing i
effected. Suddenly called into miltar,
and naval activity by reason of Spain
wrong doing, our army has been in
creased twelve-told and our navy ha
grown to incl ude 2S5 vessele of all des
cription. 1t is not strange therefor
that the nervous and fearful, who &C.
dangers in shadows and mountains il
mole-hills. and who confuse conques
and administration, should demand
great increase of permanent characte
in both army and navy.
~
To show how mistaken this clamo
will prove to be we need only to. lool
at our own internal safety and quietude
and to see how it has been brought
Free speech, tree press, free pulpit, ant
majority rule have led us safely alon
to the present. The widest theorist
have been able to expend their energie
in talk instead of being repressed an,
forced to supposed martydom AM
each and all of them has had the flick
erlng light OF a majority dancing alon,
ahead and keeping them out of mis-
chief. Also those who have had NJ
theories, have been just content to liv
and move under happy conditions
though repression and injustice nigh
under other circumstances have trans
formed their sweet content into tn
vltriol of revolution. Human nature
very similar wherever we go. The bloc
is red beneath the darkest skin. Tn
heart can feel though the language i