The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-03

whole world stood sstonishcd at the spec
tacle presented when an attack was made
by that small and apparently insignincaut
nation upon an empire whose sub3ects
were numbered by hundreds Of millions,
and the speedy results OF that war were
equally astonishing. but they only defuon-
stratod the mental ard intellectual -
periortty OF the Japanese over the Chin6ee
people. This superiority was also iliAfe-
trated In = @oet peculiar sad married de-
gree In ogrs late war MN spain. Many
ike myself had been disposed to criticise
Gen.-then Pfesident- Grant. because he
did not favor Intervention In behalf OF the
Cubsns during the proErets of their tea
years reyolution. which began about thir-
ty-one years ag0, but every one can readl>
ly see ut this time, ana In view Of the
events which have taken place during the
past two ysars. that Intervention at that
time would have been premature. and that
the magnificent results for ~. for hunan-
Christianity, would not them have been
achieved or secured. nor were ws then
prepared for 80 great an undertaking.
Benencent Rssslts.
With references to war in general un-
der any circumstances or conditions, ie
may be and often Is said that II u bar
barous and cruel beyond measure IN its
destruction Of valuable human lives, and
that countless millions OF men have been
cut on In the prime Of life ana Just as
their day OF usefulness appeared to be
approaching. This may be conceded. but
the question may be asked. ana 1t Is eas-
fer asked than answered whether a glo-
rioas dsath upon the fisld Of battle in
good cause u not preferable to q LIFE OF
stasnation or inacttop, burdsa to eur.
selves o. 70 our fellow upeFtit.
ous aas1 many vefsran upon The staGs"
whose haprihess or usefulness do not
seem to bs increassd BY . prolonged exc
istsncs aftsr his comrades had been
transferred to other spheres OF duty. or
to higher scenes OF enjoyment. The
question has been asked from time im-
memorial IF man die, shall no live
AGAIN. But this question need not be
asked Of the soldier. for he has guar
antse Of Immortality enjoyed ~ NJ. other
class Of the human race. 1t was The be-
lief of the old Romans that those who
fell on the battlefield In the cause Of their
country would occupy the highest. places
OF honor and Of happiness in the future
a. q recompense for the sacr535tSI they
had made In this, but such soldiers have
an Immortality here not vouchsafed =
many other mortals. Had itgnot been
che escApades OF Helen. and the siege
Of Trny, we should never have hoard Of
Achilles OF Agamemnon. or that long Hist
Of, heroes whose story has been the de-
/ light Of unnumbered millions Of people
for nearly three thousand years. Had II
not been for the invaSon OF Greece by
a vast army under xerxes, whose march,
Ing shook the earth under their feet we
should never have heard OF the 800 men
at Thermopylae, whose marvellous cour-
ago has been an Inspiration to all the
generations called into existence sinee
that time. which have heard or read Nof
that illustrious example Of patriotic de-
votion to the cali OF their country. Who
would ever have heard OF Wolfe, or Mont
calm. on the Heights OF Abraham, had
1t not been for the war between the.
French and English on American soil In
l755-sa The pages Of history are thfeng-
ed with multitude OF the iliustrious
names Of those who live forever In the
they gave up their lives In behalf Of .
righteous cause upon some bloody field
of battle. They may have lost their Hives,
but In doing 80 they have won imperish-
able fame. The present perfect itiuStfa-
lions OF the truth of the statement made
In Holy writ. that ''whososver, shall
seek to save his life shall lose II, and
whoever shall lose his life shall preserve
IT." Who can toll how many faults and
failures incident to our common human
ity may have been condoned or pardoned
because the owners or actors Ia these
shortcomings sacrificed their lives at the
call OF their country for some great pub
lie benefit? who knows but that the will
ingncss OF Lord Byron to OFFER up his life
on the altar OF Grecian Independence may
not have avoned for much Of the mischief
he did by q life Of dissipation. OF mis-
directed energies and wasted opportunt-
ties? He said to himself.
"Seek out, less often sought than found,
A soldiers grave for thee the best,
Then look around and choose thy ground
And take thy rest"
But although hts Wish for a soldiers
death upon the field Of battle wes denied
Rim. yet the sacrifice was no doubt ac-
cepted and he lives In history as one Of
the heroes in the cause OF human liberty.
No good soldier can choose for himself
either the length OF his life or the manner
of his death. He Is subject, at all tines
ana In ali places, to the orders Of the
Grand Commander. and implicit and exact
obedience to those orders 10 . prime ar