The San Francisco call., 1904-11-03

characteristic pouitiveness. The President Of
the United Stats: stepped In ana yo % no
be permitted 10 impose your will upon the
little American republic by main strength
without a word from this republic. Tnis mat
ter will have TO be arbitrated.
GREAT BRITAIN YIELDS.
Great Britain, the mistress OF the seas by
far the greatest naval power OF the world,
proud and touchy: with Tory @ Goyea1msn, m 1sn !,
pride. was certainly not used TO that sort OF
treatment. She probably knew. too. that We
had only one gun mounted on coast several
thousand miles long. No wonder that good
many people expected the British lion to break
out in q, warlike roar.
Government took President. Cieveland's re-
monstrance into respectful consideration and
with graceful kindness assented to the arbtra-
tIon asked for.
Now. what is the lesson of this? Not that
we need big armies and navies for the de-
tense OF our rights and the enforcement OF
our just demands but that. whether we are
armed or unarmed, every European power,
even the greatest and proudest. win go to the
very extreme OF possible concession to avoid
serious quarrel with this republic. Every
sensible man knows that there is not one OF
those powers which entertains the slightest
icea OF attacking US; that they will readily
comply with whatever We decently ask
for and that II We are to have any conflict
with any one OF them We shall have to bring
II on ourselves. by uncomfortable provocation
The simple reason is, that aside from what
moral love OF peace they may cherish they
with so resourceful and pertinactous an an
tagonist this republic in view OF the pos
sibity Of dangerous complications at home.
Our absolute safety from foreign aggression,
every reasonable person Will admit. being
thus assured 1 may ask my sober-ninded
countrymen for what purpose large armies
and big nayies-the characteristic tool and
feVorite ornament Of empire-may be wanted
By US Being entirely unnecessary for defense,
is the greatest navy in the world, or any big
navy, the cost OF construction and maintenance
OF which Will into the hundreds OF mill
int lad for ~ her
pose? II not, then the building and main
tensnce thereof IS wanton waste Of the peo-
pies money. wicked and objectionable. But
II IL is designed for any other purpose what
is that purpose? The world abroad will but
too plainly in IL a design OF aggressive
movements our Dart.
This would have most unfortunate effect
/ am confident a large majority of the Amer
lean people do not entertain tkem-the world
will always be cistrustful Of our professions
of peaceful dsOosition However smooth
gressas and arbitration courts the world will
see in the building Of large navies. utterly un-
necessary for Defense a threat OF armed ag-
gression-a transformation OF the old republi-
can policy into empire preparing for
The result will be disquiet among nations.
anxiety each unnecessary addition to naval
strength. to see in IL a for making a
corresponding addition TO its own. And thus
the mad race in the augmentation of war
10 mankind-tbe curse of the aEe-win be
stimulated by this republic, instead OF being
discountenanced and checked by its good ex-
ample OF a truly pacific policy. This republic
Will thus be a leader OF backward and most
baneful movements. instead Of leading IN
humane