The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1901-1901, 1901-04-29
THE NEED OF PEACE.

Paul Kruger was not far out of the
way when he said the South African
republics could only be conquered at
cost that would appeal to the world.
The war has already cost twice the
burden imposed by the Crimean strug-
gle, and the results threaten to seri-
ously impair England's commercial
position. The people are already
restless under the imposition of adj
ditional taxes, and the whole economic
system. so carefully built up by Cob.
den and Peel, is tumbling to ruin, and
the country has before it the dismal
prospect of the gravest changes in
it's whole industrial structure. At
the first blush it seems that England's
misfortunes will be for the benefit of
American trade. But this is ques-
tionable. England has been our
best customer, and the CONFUSION that
impends there will abridge her pur-
chasing power. to our loss, and We
will have to look for recoupment in
our share of the worlds trade which
she may lose. In that field, however,
we have to meet German, French and
finally Russian competition. So in
the last analysis our own material
fortunes are greatly impinged upon
the condition of our customer, and it
is not to our interest that her consum.
ing power shall be decreased by the
evils of war.
From economic conditions she needs
peace and construction instead of war
and destruction. From moral
standpoint the need is still greater.
Public opinion in this country and
England is at one in regard to the
situation in China. The trade of that
vast empire is suspended to our great
loss. To compel China to tax her
people for the payment of the mon
trous indemnities demanded means
their progressive Impeachment and
the decline of their consuming power
to the loss of all the nations that
trade with her. It is capable Of eco
nomic demonstration that every dol
lar of an unjust indemnity forced upon
China will be paid by the people of the
Christian nations in the form of lost
profits on commerce. The trade of
the world is so unified that famine and
poverty in one of the great nations is
surely reflected upon all the other ma.
tions.
1t is highly creditable to the Brit.
ish conscience, however, that the Eng.
glish people are showing signs of re-
volt caused by the moral aspect of the
Chinese situation. The Times has
recently published letter by Auber.
on-Herbert giving specific account
of the barbarities inflicted upon the
Chinese by the Christian allies. Mr..
Herbert says: Wholesale deviltry was
in full power during the march to Pc
king. For no useful purpose villages
and towns were reduced to heaps OF
smouldering ashes and the country
turned into a wilderness. Unoffend
ing men, women and children and ba
bies were killed by thousands. I'm
speakable crimes and outrages were
committed. Killing was carried or
, for killings sake and property de
, stroyed for the love of destruction"
!, Professor Goodwin Smith has taker
the most careful means to secure re
liable information of the conduct o.
part of the Christian allies, and writes
the result to the Manchester Guard
ian. He traces the spirit of savag
cry to the influence of the declaration
or the kaiser, and deprecates sucl
use of imperial power as enables "al
autocrat from his luxurious palace t.
launch massacre, arson, theft, outrage
{ ruin and famine upon an unoffendinl
|. people on the other side of the GLOBE
t 1t is no comfort to rejoin to al
=. this that all the leading nations hav'
{ sins upon them in their conduct to
| yard the weak ;.n! defenseless. I
g ~ :" AOpSAuA oA3.' IudI dI last I0ulOTS
= is apparent anywhere among tn
strong. Public opinion in this coun
n try and Great Britain should nearl
q control the policy of the world. l
[. can surely do so in the making of tn
Il war and in the propagation Of the spil
|. it of injustice and obstruction. The
|. why should it not also lead the worl
4 In policy of justice and peace? w
q think it is the duty of the press t
4 present the economic and moral cor
n sideration of the war spirit that ha
q run rampant through the world TO
y nearly three years.
1t is narrow view of the question
q to say that this country has mad
q money out of the wars of others. Tha
. is true only as temporary condition
. for II il an inora dicah1o condition Tho