The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1899-06-08
EYanPelization.

whether thing seems good or bad de-
pends largely on the standpoint from
which we view it, And the less q man
knows about a thing the "cocksurer"
he is that his opinion about it is cor
rect, for he is incapable of any but the
one view which he himself has. When
we run up on a book or newspaper
article in which the writer takes this
narrow view and with it most woe
begone, lugubrious tone, as generally
he does, we always feel like saying
Hush up, honey, and go to bed; you'll
feel better by morning.
The trouble with this lugubrious
people is that they are short on faith,
that faith which comedies that the Lord
knows as much about how to run the
world as they. A casual view of the
history Of the world should convince
almost any one that it is and always
has been progressive, which is but an
other way of saying the Lords pur-
poses are. everywhere and in every
thing being carried out, After the
very wickedness Of men from which
Others suffer at the time, and they
later on are the mdans and the steps of
the worlds progress.
"The world do Move" even when its
motion seems mos inexplicable and
causes certain ineoAveniences aud dis
asters at the time to certain individuals
and classes. There, now, that
sermonizing enough for this time, and
we must hastento the application lest
we, too, be sent to bed with the prom
Use of an early convalesenco.
The worlds progress perhaps owes
more to wars and conquests than to in
tercourse between different peoples
through trade and other peaceable
channels. No two different peoples
can be brought into contact without
an advance in the sum total of the
worlds progress. Alexander's wars
and conquests had this effect; Rome's
conquest had this effect; Spain's dis
coveries and conquests had this effect;
the conquests which Europe is now
making in Africa and Asia will have
this effect; our conquest OF the Philip
pines will have this effect. But the
history of the world SHOWS that in the
end it is the conquered who are bene-
fited rather than the conquerors. After
the conquered in time return to con-
quer the conquers. What could Italy
now do to defend herself against Eng
land and the world which Rome con-
quered? What could Greece do, Spain
do, along the same lines? What could
Europe century from now against
the hordes of Asia and Africa imbrued
with the European spirit Of conquest
and have been trained in the use of
arms? One of England's great generals
advised her to let the old Chinese hen
set, lest some day she rise up to fog
her.
What has Italy, Greece and Spain
within themselves today to show that
their conquests have benefited them
Italy has her sculpture and music,
which is inborn; Italy and Spain have
a most unhappy, therefore discontented
people, and Greece is protected against
her Moslum neighbor by the powers
that be. England must needs loan
money to her needy agriculturists.
In the greater part of continental
Europe the people groan under fabu-
lous ornaments which are used to sup
press them rather than fight their bat
ties against foreign foe. And il
France it is contest between the army
and government, each seeking tC
Strengthen" itself with the ''peope,
as though they were separate and in
dependent establishments, and rivals.
Has the worlds experience of thu
benefits of foreign conquests been 81
very comfortable that we should trou
BILE over ourselves to say "Mc too.
And what earthly reason have we tt
suppose we will be an exception to tht
general rule? Don't let the impoten
Spaniard fool you. Don't let the lead
ers fool you, who seem to be tumblinG
over each other to surrender first so O
to have a hand in the government after
Foreign conquests create enmities; en-
mites call for large armaments and al
imperial government to handle then
, successfully. And even if we retail
the republican form, the army sets u
separate establishment and it is then
question Of 'strong thinking" with tn
t people, as now it is in France. TIL
retention of the Philippines gives u