The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-07-02
! What War Really il.

more as an interesting and thrilling
spectacle than as the horrible reality
IT IS. AS we follow the Russo-Japan-
csc war from day to day we have
about the same sort Of interest in it
as we would have In a football game
or hot political contest. We do not
stop to consider the intense suffering
Of the wounded, the repulsive scenes
of the battlefield, the horrors Of the
hospitals, the untimely death Of thous-
ands Of the picked young men Of the
nations engaged; the woe of the be-
reaved families at home, which will
last as long as friends and relatives
Of the dead in battle live.
The other day a correspondent with
the Russian army told Of the south
ward march Of the Russian battalions
for the expected great battle Of the
war. Regiment after regiment Of stall
wart, fair-haired young men went by
singing the battle hymn Of the empire
or the pathetic folk song Of the peo-
pie. These young men were simply
marching to death or wounds; in a
few days they will be disposed Of by
bullet and she'll as If their human
lives were Of no more value than those
Of SO many CATTLE
I By concentrating the attention on
such. facts as these it: is. possible to
come to true understanding and
realization Of what this war really is
not a spectacle performed by two
great nations for the pleasure Of the
rest of the world, not q game, but a
series Of slaughters.
How inconsistent such bloody con-
flicts are with the principles of our
modern civilization and our doctrine
Of the brotherhood Of men! How far
have we yet to go in the ascent to
true enlightenment when it is possi-
BILE for men to contend against each
SO cruelty as in the ages Of the
bloody past? &c
+ It Is estimated that 100000 men
fell IN the wars Of the nineteenth cen
fury. The twentieth century is begin
ming with a record that makes it likely
that the new century will be as SAN
guine as the past. Modern followers
Of Nautilus tell us that wars are nee
essary If the world is not to be over
populated. Disease used to reduce the
population of the world every century,
but now in all the civilized countries
the mortality rate is low and is get
ing lower. But the birth rate is also
getting lower, and the indications are
that the time Is coming when other
civilized nations, like France, will
have q, stationary population. Is S 81
With such facts before us, with SO
much Of the eartt's surface unculti-
waited or wastefully cultivated, with
such imperfect distriba.tion of wealth
as we now have, we hive no right to
argue that wars are NECESSARY to pre-
serve a., balance between the earth's
population and the food supply. s
War Is hideous and horrible and the
inevitable outcome Of conditions
which the progress, of civilization
ought to eliminate. Civilization and
enlightenment tend to make every
man citizen Of the world and the
world every mans country. Wher
LA Patrie" Is the world men will nc
longer go forth to destroy each other
In battle. ~
| Mr.. Dwinnell makes a statement Of thu
case Of the unseated2 Hennepin delega.
! ton. Such arbitrary and unjust methods
as were resorted to by the, Dunn contih.
| gent to defeat the wishes Of the repub
leans Of this county, both in the count.
and in the state conventions, have never
| been witnessed in shis state before. It i
something new in Minnesota politics and
suggestive Of what Is to be expected from
that group Of politicians which secured
| control Of the party yesterday.
| Senator Fairbanks does not smoke and
does not drink. "A few years ago he wa
| thrown out Of a carriage and was pre-
| vailed upon to take a mouthful of whisky
| and he says he tastes the horrible stuff
yet. Many a man of smaller brain powel
taste that would last as long as that
4 r. J. MendenhaH writes an earnest ant
timely protest against the wanton destruc
ton Of the native flowers This appea
will probably be more effectual If the pro
4 lection Of the flowers is taken up by tn
teachers OF the public schools and senti
ment in favor Of it is organized among tn
school children. 7aG
| . 4 TsaS q : i. !
! The democratic campaign is already I'm
der way 1t has been discovered tina
when Fairbanks was boy he did no
1 like to milk the cows. It is remarkabl
how quickly and how certainly these dam
aging facts in a rnan's record come GU
when, he becomes candidate.
i Argentine is protecting and encoura
4 ging immigration. Her statesmen ar
more than ever appreciative of the valu
Of good, sturdy labor, and that countr
is growing more rapidly than any othe
/ in South America.
The Boston Traveller accuses the repub
/ lican party, after having done somethin
i toward restraining the trusts, Of an in
clination to retire on its laurels Wei
that's more than its distinguished rive
could do
! In every city in the country the news
-, ~,1o fo,, Ha3r,