Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1907-04-10

49,: are trife more refined than in
the days when killing was a mans chief occupation,
as the Hottentots still do, with club; but under
meath the varnish Of pOllteness and the veneer OF
bookish education mems passions rage unchanged
as the eOpaTd's spots, cruel and nnreasOning as
in his state OF primitive savagery. The only i'm. :.
portant difference lies in the fact that whereas man
was formerly law unto himself and the only rule
Of the strongest, nowadays the strong must bow
to the Jaw the instrument which society, the ag-
gregration Of the weak, has invented to protect it
SELF And even 80, it is only the individual who
reconzes the majesty OF the law while nations
still refuse to submit to any rule of conduct except
the primitive one. "Might is right"
For example, il is universally accepted in Eu'
ropeau chanceories recently as an inevitable thing
that the United States and japan would fight In the
near future the San Francisco school question.
1t made difference ir the calculations Of these
foreign observers that the causes belli was trivial
thing, involving nothing more than the exclusion OF
few grown men from schools designed for chill
dIen, and that in excluding them no Offense was
intended to or could properly be taken by the
Japanese nation. 1t sufficient that the two
countries striving for the trade OF the Orient
and that some day in the far future this cOmpetl-
tiOn might grow keen to involve the pros
perity Of the one country the other, at least
greatly diminish their profits. This remote contin-
gency ample justification in the minds Of these
European diplomats and statesmen for the two ma
tions to commit Wholesale murder, to try to kill
each off and to sacrifice the lives OF thousands of
their own people. The justice morality OF such q
war did not enter their thoughts. It was simply
the old savage idea OF conquest, of killing for gain
on the theory OF might being the last supreme
ure OF right.
The same savage idea undeTes the present war
between Honduras and Nicaragua. 1t was alleged
that the trouble arose over mule the property OF
HOnduran farmer, which was cOmmandeered by q
squad Of Nicaras soldiers But, Of course, it s
absurd to suppose that such trife could set two
nations by the The cause must be traced to
the fighting instinct the primal love Of killing,
which turks perennial in the human breast. Each
country knew that there was nothing substantial to
be gained that 1t could not hope to recoup itself for
the expenses Of the struggle. But blood is hot and
close to the skin under the tropics and hence blood
letting is most hygienic and salutary existence.
ALI over the continent OF Europe there is con-
slant unrest among the nations, either fears of IN
ternal strife or of foreign aggression. Russia is
convused with q bloody struggle between the
bureaucracy and the people; Roumania is in state
Of iDsurrectiOn, the peasants baviDg risen against
their landlords; Austria and Italy are at daggers
points over nothing except perhaps racial jealou-
sly and the natural enmity Of sAvages towards out
siders Germany and France are spending one hum
dred millions year to guard their frontiers each
against the other, with an ever impending danger
Of the Moroccan breaking out again with deadly
violence. All civilized Europe sees bloody visions
and dreams Of wholesale slaughter.
line mOGG inconsistent ana eGupiO feature OF AL
this murderous programme is the report that Ger
many will withdraw from the Image peace confer
enCe England persists in including limitation of
armament OF the topics for discussion. Il isl
also added that the United States will withdraw i'll
the discussion includes any question of reducing the
size Of navies. Two Of the foremost so called civil
lied powers to refuse to discuss the possibility
OF limiting the extravagant expansion of armies and
navies at conference of which the sole object is to
find way to put an end to wars What could be
more illogical or more strikingly exemplify the
fighting instinct Of primitive savagesi
Truly, ''Scratch Russian and you will find al
Tartar," may be given the wider translation:
Scratch q civilized man and you will find savage
Hundreds Of centuries Of the gospel Of Peace have
rolled mems heads and millions of books teach
the stupidity, cruelty and useessness Of war; but
mankind still loves to fight Mems savage passions
like the tigers claws in their velvety jackets, are
sheltered under the conventions of modern society
but, like the king Of the jungle, upon the slightest
prOvOcatiOn they are ready to leap and slay.