The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-04-07

Th" delegation Nnlcn mas p'eH hI'-
pointed to represent the United states
dt the international congress which
is assemble On May Is at the capitai
Of Holland upon invitation or the cHar
of Russia for the purpose of consider
ing measures for general disarma-
mpnt Of the powers Will Americans
may rest assured, compare favorably
As to character. ability and rminence
with that Of any other nation there
reprcsrnted Ambassadors White and
Newell and President Low typiiy tn
finest elements In the civil life of their
country and captains Crozier and Ma
hon. for the army and navy. will adc-
qriatoly represent the technical knowl-
edge necessary to such deliberations.
The delegation in it's individual views
stands for the highest possibilities of
- Christian civilization, but it is world
IN wise enough to distinguish between
theories which are ideal and condi-
,ions which are uexorablc.
The dawn uf the millennium is
long way off and until it is reached
folly to advocate international aban-
donmcnt of the arts and sciences nf
war. Human existence itself Is wal
1t is from birth To death a war against
the world, the flesh and the devil ami
no success ever comes save through
hard and painful lighting. The fight
ing may not be with fists or bludgeOns
rr muskcts. hut the underlying prin-
cirle of pitting strength and cunning
and Wit against the qualities of the
opposition is the one Dcrvasive char
aCtcristic of human history and 1t will
he SO as long as the earth shall last
and the heavens unfold above. Re-
coGnition of his truth is essential
to a just comprehension Of the pra"-
teal possibilities of the peace move
mcnt which, in the czaI's congress, is
soon tn record one Of its notable man
ifostatiOns.
Yet, as mankind. in the long course
Of social development. has gradually
been educated 10 subordinate in some
degree individual will and impulses
TO the common restraint as exercised
through institutions Of government.
nrst carrying personal differences int"
court before picking up club and
Draining the contrary neighbor; and
as, in the aggregate. this slow substi-
tuition of the processes of reason for
the processes of passion has by its
improving results commended itself
10 the better judgment Of the better
people of the earth, it is in line Of logic
Ia hope that a time may come when
nations. drawing lessons from indi-
Vidual experience. viii take steps to
Try their own causes at issue by the
principle Of a court ana jury. and use
the sword very much as the policemal 1
uses his haton--in execution simply
"f the larger police duties of civiliza-
tion.
Let us not be too optimistic. 1t is
not probable that any man now alive
will live To see the end of war as an
instrument of progress. Wars. it has
been well said, are the thunder storms
or civilization. They are occasionally
necessary To clear away accumulated
injustices ana to put into vivid relief
the elemental morallties. such a war
was Americas last Oue--as righteous
a war as any in the sacred records
when the supreme Ruler of the uni
verse appeared 10 mems consciousness
as Veritable war Lord of hosts The
czar's congress could provide no ma
chinery of international adjudication
that would have been effective in doing
in years or in centuries what that
one brief flash of conflict did In six
months time in ripping out the dry
rot and in letting the pure air and
the sunlight into Spanish American
civilization. Wars such as these will
recur from time to time 50 long as the
devil goes about unclaimed, and sen,
sihle men must expect them and IRE.
pare for them, must provide gnuu
guns. good powder and good beef ant
clothing, so that when the call comes
civilization may get through with it,
surgical work as quickly and cheaplN
and withal as successfully as possible
Any talk of disarmament which over
H|hS lIlS H'tfSShN lS lIle lult pratt
of children or the vain babbe of fools
Nevertheless. the police duties %
civilization do not require standin.
armies that in time of general pea,
continually crowd each other for 81
bow room, nor do the better iudg
monts of the times suggest and sane
tiOn the prevalent attitude Of hullyisn
among the great powers, where chip
are kept poised on national shoulders
naval watchdogs used to track eacl
others footsteps and the rule obeye,
to
let him grab who has the might
Nnd let him keep who cam
Here, if AT all, disarmament talk /
timely and here if at AL. Is where tn
corner stone of reformation must b
laid,
The Philadelphia Press suggests tina
the new capitol building AT Harris
burg could he utilized between ses
sions a. an hospital for The insan,
Why only between sessions?
The Problems Pivot.
There shall he guaranteed 80 ,h