Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1908-05-21
FROM THE
COMMONER
AMERICA AND CHINA.
MR.. BRYANS PAPER

The president in his message urging
the building OF four varships attempts
TO use China as an argument in favor
OF big navy plan. He SAYS: 1T
would be equally foolish to rely upo.,
each OF them possessing at all times
and under all circumstances and prov
ocattons an altrristic regard for the
rights OF others. Those who hold this
vieS are blind indeed TO all that has
gone on before their eyes In the world
st large. They are blind to what has
happened In China. In Turkey. in the
Spanish Possessions. in Centrai and
South Africa during the last doxen
years.
For centuries China has cultivated
the very spirit which our peace-at-any-
price men wish this country to adopt
For centuries China has refused to
provide military forces and has treated
the career Of the soldier as inferior In
honor and regard to the career of the
merchant or the man of letters. There
never has becn so large an empire
which for SO long a time has so reso-
lutely proceeded on the theory OF do
ing away with what Is called mill
tarism
In external affairs the policy has
resulted in various other nations now
holding large portions of Chinese ter
ritory. while there Is a very acute fear
in China lest the empire. because OF
It's defenselessness. be exposed to alb
soln.s dismasuharElSnl I'D its we'll
wfshers are able to help II only in a
small measure. because no n:tion can
help any other unless that other can
help itself
IL Is strange that the president
should attempt TO make the absurd
mistake OF a,tributing China's posi-
ton to an oserweening desire for
peace II is not Chtna's lack OF mill
tary enthusiasm that has caused her
misfortunes. II Is me fact that she
has been the abode OF ignorance
and selnshness few OF her peo-
pie have had little Learning and have
run the government on the graft sys-
TEN while the masses have dwelt In
ignorance. and have been taught the
philosophy In which each one looks
out for himself and the devil for the
hindmost But to compare the United
States with China. Turkey. Spain and
South Africa Is TO ignore essential diff
ferences. Our nation Is the most ad-
vanced nation In the world: its people
are intelligent and well-informed. Our
nation has abundant resources and our
people have an enormous productive
power. We have an ocean on either
side to protect US against attack. and
no nation Is foolish enough to invite
a conflict II there Is any nation that
does not need to impoverish its people
with preparations for imaginary war.
our nation is that nation. Not only do
we need less protection than any other
nation, hut our ideals forbid that we
should enter into the mad race for
physical power that has led other ma
tons to decay.
The president and other naval en-
thusiasts advocate a gigantic navy on
The theory Is antagonistic to all that
religion teaches or that history proves.
The very spirit taat leads US to rely
upon a big navy will lead US to use IT,
Some regard the parade of our ships
around the world as an exhibition Of
our strength. II is to be hoped that
this is not the real reason for the
trip that they are taking. IL this was
the reason. why should not other ma
tons parade their ships. and how long
would these paraies continue before
they would result in a conflict. Men
who load themselves down with
weapons and go out to exhibit their
preparedness for any encounter are
very apt to find an excuse for shoot
ing. Our nation is to be congratulated
upon the fact that the president. with
all his influence. was not able to force
his four battle-ships plan through eth
er house. and the Democrats can ind
qualification in the fact that their po-
sition on this subject is so sound that
they could secure large Republican
support for IL