The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-11-11
SALISBURY AND PEACE.

The address of Lord Salisbury, deliver
ed within a day or two at Whitehall. is
one Of the notable utterances of the mo-
ment 1t represents athe animating
thought Of the leading statesman Of
Europe. It proclaims the animating pur-
pose of one of the greatest nations Of the
world with reference to the other nations
OF civilization
The supreme condition" excIajnse The
English premier. rs that no reform, no
movement is of the slightest value unless
security against exterior interference is
CHAINED by putting our defenses in such
Il position that no accident may happen
beyond our borders that shall make our
security doubtful This is very far.
reaching language. 1t is hotter under
stood in al it's significance after a
little thought 1t points unerringly
TO the prospect of an unsettIement of the
peace of Europe. L makes plain the Dor.
tentous truth that war, and ever war.
is the only form of arbitrament which
humanity can yet look to for the adjust
ment Of international disagreements s.
More than that, it states the settled con-
viction of this veteran statesman that
brute force is the one resort and the only
one which any great modern nation has
which seeks to maintain its ascendancy
and its immunity from the attacks Of
other great nations.
It seems entirely fitting that in the
next breath after the expression of these
sentences Lord Salisbury should declare
his opinion that the trend of recent
events had almost put an end to the
hores of the Russian emperor and others
who had taken part IL the peace confer
ence at The Hague The statement is IN
doubtedly true. For all present purposes
peace, as medium OF settlement of in
ternational disputes, is powerless.
1t is terribly sad conclusion. It is.
too, an awful commentary on all the pro
fessiens and all the claims to .,hristia II
civilization which are being put forward
by modern nations. The South African
DIANA has almost reached its close.
Blood still flows in China, and the ma
tons eye each other askance over the
carcass CT a decaying civilization. What
piSny influence is mere peace ard
peaceful agencies in the view of these ac-
cepted conditions?
The most profound apoloeists of tbe
state Of things which is revealed through
Lord Salisbury's speech, and those who
seek TO deal with existing things in a
spirit of fairness, declare that all this is
in the effectuadon of the great purpose
OF the spread of national commerce
NTH commerce goes civilization; and of
each, 1t would appear, are war and devas-
tatiGn and armed national aggression the
necessary accomplishments.
Yhrse who stin believe in the benign
influence of peace on the counseIs of the
nations are not disheartened; they ars
only saddened and disappointed over such
a state of things. They know that i,
deals a serious blow at all their coneep.
tions Of the extent of human culture
when they accepted The proceedings OF
The Hague as expressive of the spirit and
viii Of modern civilization. But they
none the less believe in their cause. They
feel ASSURED that one day, and that before
many more generations of the human
family have passed away, their teachings
and their aspirations will find visible ex,
preston.
Il may be that another catacIysm OF
war must pour itself over humanity
with all its attendant horrors. before the
ideals which found expression at The
Hague viii he regarded with feelings 9th
ca than Of contempt by men Ike Lord