Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1900-06-21
A MEXICAN CIVILIZATION
Hon. William Jennings Bryan on
Americas Mission.
THE PREDICTIONS OF HISTORY
Will the Spanish War be Known In HIS
tory as War for Liberty or as
War for Conquest?

When the advocates OF imperialism find
it impossible to reconcile colonial policy
with the principles Of our government or
with the canons OF morality; when they
are unable to defend it upon the ground
of religious duty or pecuniary profit, they
fall back in helpless despair upon the
assertion that it is destiny. "Suppose it
does violate the constitution" they say ;
"suppose it does break all the command
ments; suppose it does entail upon the
nation an incalculable expenditure OF
blood and money; it is destiny and we
must submit"
The people have not voted for imperial
ism no national convention has declared
for it; no congress has passed upon it.
To whom, then, has the future been re-
vealed? Whence this voice OF authority !?
We can all prophesy, but our prophesies
are merely guesses, colored by our hopes
and our surroundings. Mans opinion OF
what is to be is half wish and half en-
vironment. Avarice paints destiny with
a dollar mark before it, militarism equips
it with sword.
He is the best prophet who, recognize
ing the omnipotence Of truth, compre-
bends most clearly the great forces which
are working out the progress, not OF one
party, not of one nation, but OF the
human race.
IIsroRY's PREDICTIONS.
History is replete with predictions
which once wore the hue Of destiny, but
which failed of fulfillment because those
who uttered them saw too small an arc OF
the circle OF events. When Pharaoh pur-
sued the fleeing Israelites to the edge OF
the Red Sea he was confident that their
bondage would be renewed and that they
would again make bricks without straw,
but destiny was not revealed until Moses
and his followers reached the farther
shore dry shod and the waves rolled over
the horses and chariots OF the Egyptians.
When Belshazzar, on the last night OF
his reign, led his thousand lords into the
Babylonian banquet hall and sat down to
table glittering with vessels of silver
and gold he felt sure OF his kingdom for
many years to come, but destiny was not
revealed until the hand wrote upon the
wall those awe-inspiring words, Meme,
Meme, Tekel Upharsin." When Alb
derrahman swept northward with his
conquering hosts his imagination saw the
Crescent triumphant throughout the
world, but destiny was not revealed until
Charles Martel raised the cross above the
battlefield Of Tours and saved Europe
from the sword OF Mohammedanism.
When Napoleon emerged victorious from
Marengo, from Ulm and from Austerlitz
he thought himself the child Of destiny,
but destiny was not revealed until
Blucher's force joined the army Of Well
lington and the vanquished Corsican be-
gan his melancholy march toward St.
Helena. When the redcoats OF George
the Third routed the New Englanders at
Lexington and Bunker Hill there arose
before the British sovereign visions Of
colonies taxed without representation and
drained OF their wealth by foreign.made
laws, but destiny was not revealed until
the surrender Of CORVALLIS completed