The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-14
An American Rngx,

Editor Morning News: There is a great
big bogy in the minds of a great many
people in these United States; quite as
Intangible, and without existence, as any
of the bogys that terrorized our childhood
I mean the "bogy" of militarism; the fear
that the augmenting of an army will some
day, or may some day, end in a military
has never yet been realized among the
Anglo-Saxon people-English or Ameri-
can; and We have read history to very lit
lie purpose if we have not learned that
any nation so submitting has always de-
served its fate. As a century ago the power
of Europe, with but a single exception
bowed themselves beneath the Napoleanic
yoke. That the American nation, number
ng 100000, will ever allow themselves
10 be so dominated, by an army of 10000
soldiers seems to be too preposterous even
to be spoken of.
Has our brief war with Spain taught us
nothing? Were we in any sense prepared
when Congress ushered US into it last
Aprila And this conflict might have ter
minated very differently had we contended
with anything but decadent power, Eng
land or Germany, for instance; at any
rate, many more lives would have been
sacrificed, and much more money spent
And who bore the brunt of the fighting
after all? The regulars, not the volun-
teers. And in modern warfare physical
courage will not take the place of the rigid
training, with which every businessman
lawyer, or physician prepares for his life
work.
Great wealth, sought for its own sake
luxury, sensuality, ease of living make
towards of men The Roman empire, west
ern and eastern, was not wrecked by mil
itarism but the want of it. God forbid,
that Americans should ever so degenerate
as TO submit tamely to any kind of despot-
ism. military or civil, and yet is not our
country facing a danger that is far more
real than this intangible military bogy,
fear that trusts and plutocrats may usurp
this government, a fear which realized
would be a thousand times worse than
the rule of Gen, Brooke in Cuba, or Guy
Henry in Porto Rico.
The soldier has always his ideal of cour-
age and honor, but the pursuit of gold
seems to make men calous to all human
SutterlnR. w illness the Steil@S Iu thV Nun
dixie and the early days of the California
gold fever, and, to go still turth-
er back the different motives
with which this country was
coIonized by the English and Spaniards
And after all our army is a volunteer
army: we have no forced recruits, aud no
conscripts; the term of service is short
one. and at its termination the soldier, II
he so elects. is free TO return again to civil
life. and become once more a citizen of
This great republic. having learned some
thing of obedience and discipline during
his service in the army. As to the addi-
tional expense, which in the estimate Of
many is the question, are we, as a nation,
so poor that we cannot afford 1t? and Is
not the public money frittered away in
channels more detrimental and frivolous
than the pay of a few soldiers?
The sword emblemaiic of courage, self
sacrifice and endurance, has its place and
use. There is no peace more shameful
than any war can be- Our Savior Himself
said, II come not 10 bring peace upon
the earth, but a sword;'' the sword Of
righteous. sword for the punishment Of
evil-doers-nations or individuals. War
may be hell, but there is a peace which
is he'll also. The world, alas! Is far from
the millennium" and until that blessed
time comes there will still be wars and
rumors of wars" in which Uncle Sam
may be called TO take part, bearing the
White mans burden, carrying the flag