The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1899-04-15
A TWo-EdQed
Sword.
IBy Hugh a. WetInOre.

ing upon an act of magnificent bravery
by Filipino, the editor of the Even
ing Herald says:
| and is he necessarily savage be-
cause he is a Filipino? AL FiIipint,s
are not savages; neither are all resi-
dents Of this country civilized
| What constitutes savagery? And
what is the proportion of uncivilz.tl
people in the United States: are ques-
tons which might well be grappled
| by the manipulators of the next CEN
| sUs.
There is Il strong and growing peace
sentiment in this country. .\rrayel
against it is the recently augmented
thirst for blood supported by the lust
of gain.
! Many people who might be expected
to favor peace, advocate war, for re-
ligious reasons. They profess to be-
lieve that destiny is shaping the move
ment, with intent to christianize land
p. otestantize) the world.
The peace party, which includes
those who are most earnest in work.
ing to promote humane education, was
in favor Of peaceably negotiating with
Spain for the liberation of the Cubans.
The peace party believes that people
who live in glass houses should not
throw stones; that Pot should not call
Kettle black; that too much stress was
laid on the mote in the Spanish broth
in our own optic.
The peace party would have us see
ourselves as others see us; would a.
bolish the whipping post and the
stocks in Delaware; would stop the
auctioning off to the highest bidder Of
cowict-slaves in Florida; would emil
the custom Of lynching and burning
at the stake suspected persons in sew
cral states of the union; would quiet
the whitecapping of citizens for per-
sonal spite; would prevent the brib-
ing of courts and juries; would abate
The wrecking of banks by high-handed
reprobates, whose crimes breed mad
ness and suicide; would check the cor
ruption Of city councils and legislat-
ures; would preclude the breaking Of
| limbs and necks by the, rabid devotees
| OF the football fetish; would hinder
| the wholesale murder of infants and
adults by the poisoning of meats ANA
| aduteration of foods ana drinks; an
| would wipe out many other tolerated
crimes against humanity and against
mature. before starting a crusade
! against bull-fghting.
The peace party regards the treat,
| ment of the american Indians by the
United States government during the
past century as not one whit whittier
than that accorded her STIPULATED col
onies by Spain.
The peace party views the slaughter
of laboring men by militia organized
for that purpose, during the past two
decades, as national shame and dis
grace, not exceeded in, blaclness bv
any infamy of which Spain has beef.
guilty.
1t is the memory of such things
as these that has caused foreigners 10
call us hypocrites, when our publ;
men have talked of ''civilizing" other
lands than ours. The peace party fay
ors the civilizing Of America first.
One disposed to take. the world rs
he finds it, and reason like a philoSo-
pher. is puzzled what to think. If he
is not an optimist, he feels the nece.:
sity of at once becoming one. It
would never do to abandon hope. Hope.
like self-preservation, is one of the
first laws of nature. Optimism must
be cultivated, with blind faith. The
peculiarly American conscience ever
vhispers: ''lf YOU turn 'pessimist, the
Devil will be sure to take YOU" The
country must and shall come through
all right No man or set of men can
drag us down to destruction. At
times, the future looks very dark; we
seem to be plunging hellwarls. But
there is no Hell. Whatever that some
| thing called Providence may be, some
thing is watching over us. To the
watchful. there are stars of hope in the
| somber sky. and there are occasional
CLEANS of light limiting of dawn.
So faith tiickers, like an expiring
candle. but does not die out: deeply
| rooted love of home and country draws
fuel from some unseen source and
| keeps the flame alive. In sympathy
| with the widespread feeling of unrest
| we toss and tumble in our sleep, and
awake with lips like fire and heart
| like lead.
arose morning with this
| thought. and it gave me dear delight:
What if this war should act like two
edged sword, and should ciiliZe the
>ayaUeS abroad Observation-Disclosures