The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-10-15
THE CRIME OF HANNAH.

THE CHIME vi nhhtN.
The Sunday school pupils are now
studying the Book Of Esther, one OF the
most interesting and fascinating stories
in an literature. II teaches many beau
tifui and useful lessons, but these we
leave 10 the Sunday School teachers. Our
purpose in referring TO the story is TO call
attention 10 the single statement that in
consideration of a large sum Of money
TO be paid Hannah obtained from the king
permission 10 exterminate whole race
Of people in order to wreak his vengeance
upon one man who had refused to bow
down before him. So far as the text in
forms US to the contrary, 1t had never
occurred TO the king TO destroy these peo-
pie until the wicked suggestion was made
by his premier, and the only two argu-
ments that Hannah used were that the
people were troublesome and that he
would pay into the treasury something
like SIG 100000 for the privilege Of exter-
minating them Without either discuss
ing OF considering tho matter, the king
readily gave his consent and seemed to
think that he had made q very good bar
gain in selling the lives of these people for
SO considerable a sum Of money.
IN this enlightened age we shudder at
the thought Of such a cruel deed and we
tell our little ones that the ike oil
could not happen now. Yet, at this very
time the most enlightened nation on earth
Is making war upon a little republic down
3, South Africa. and it has been time and
again stated through the public press m
the most matter Of fact sort of way that
II is to be a war Of determination. What
is the real secret OF this war? Gold and
diamonds. That sounds ike a harsh
saving. but It IS true. Had the diamond
mines and the gold fields of South Africa
never been discovered, there had been no
war now in the Transvaal An impor-
portant historian in reviewing the courses
that led up TO the war uses this lam
guaee: "The Transvaal government had
its heart set on two great aims. One was
IN shut off Cape Colony from the North,
the other to establish seaports Of its own.
In short. the British took so little interest
in this matter, that It IS not impossible
that the Beers might stealthily and grad
uany have succeeded in their double aim,
despite the diligence Of Cecil Rhodes and
Sir Hercules Robinson. But the discovery
Of gold in the Witwatersrand hills changed
everything"
This article is not written specially 20
condemn Great Britain, for as our read
ers know, we have said that any other
nation even nberty-loving America, would
probably Lave purseud the same course
under similar provocation. AS things now
20 it is hard TO see just how this war
could have been averted, but the war is
none the less terrible and none the less
inconsistent with the high professions Of
civilized nations.
In another article We have spoken Of the
Commercial Congress in Philadelphia, and
have quoted from some Of the speakers
who dwelt lovingly on the topic Of "uni-
versal brotherhood" 1t is but little
while since the representatives Of the
great powers of the earth met together
in peace conference, the object Of which
was to establish a universal code by
which disagreements between nations
might be settled without resort to the
sword. But for all this and for all our
high sounding phrases, we are still saw
age in our nature. Let two nations get
into a dispute about their possessions
and they are as ready as ever the saw
ages Of old were to fight for the coveted
prize. We cannot fairly claim to be civil
lied or Christianzed until we abolish war
and settle our disputes by peaceful arbi-
trament. The spirit Of the wicked Ha-
man is sim marching on.