The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-09-04

Friday, September 4, 1903.
THE MILITARY ARM AND THE
SCHOOL SYSTEM.
Recently we have noticed an arti
Gle going the rounds of the press, to
the effect that we should build up the
school system rather than the mill.
tary arm OF the government. The ar
ticle, of course, Is from the pen Of one
who believes in the reign of peace.
In this particular instance he would
devote the money and energy Of the
people to the building Of schools-in
another to the acquisition of railways
by the people, the banking system,
water commerce, irrigation, and what.
not.
What he means, of course, is that
he wishes all military forms wiped
out:
IL we threw down our arms, he ar
CUES, all the world would do likewise.
But history does not bear out the
statement. These men would revolu-
tionize the world in order that their
individual rights might fit in.
Government, at best, is the result
OF compromise. We cannot have
what we want, and we do not, all of
us, want the other man to have that
which he would take, if we would per-
NIT him.
Thus we agree to limit ourselves,
within certain bounds, beyond which
We agree not to go, and within which
We may do certain things.
All the world agrees that universal
peace should be established, but no
two nations can agree on the melnod.
BY which It should be brought about.
England was a leading figure at the
peace conference at The Hague. and
while advocating the brotherhood OF
man in Holland, was engaged in ami
hilating Kruger's armies in South
Africa.
France will agree to peace, If she
may but have back the Empire as it
was in the days Of Napoleon III.
Germany will not retire beyond the
Rhine-and wen dreams Of a colony
in Brazil. Austria favors the plan to
make the Turk shake the dust of Eu-
rope from his feet, If the Balkan states
would fall to her, and Russia would
agree to 1t, provided she may rule
from Constantinople, and have a free
hand In the Orient. England would
agree without question. provided she
may have a majority Of the delegates
In an international governing body,
and retain her navy to assure herself
Of the pacific intentions OF the bal
nee of the world. Even Venezuela
would consent, If the balance of South
America would federate under one
flag, that flag the Venezuelan and the
ruler Castro. Mexico would do like
wise, II Its boundary dispute on the
south is settled in its favor. Peru
would agree if Chilli would return the
nitre beds, and China would be glad
to fall into line, if the world would
not take any o of her territory.
Japan will also consent, provided her
honor Is not called into question, and
she be permitted to COLOMBO Korea
and dictate the policy Of China. The
United States, even, would not object;
II the balance of the world would guar
antee not to trample South America
under foot, to take Hawaii or the
Philippines from her. And so 1t goes.
We have schools-no district is SO
poor, and no family SO poverty strick.
en- that It is without the advantages
Of education, in this country.
We have a navy-and we are not
OnAy N6oAA6 w hOCP ~, 'UuI d0O W IL
as a guarantee of peace.
Looking back through the centuries,
the pathway Of time is strewn with
the wrecks of nations that abolished
armies and navies, on the theory that
they were so great that all the world
would not dare to attack. Either that,
or they were deceived into belief that
the day of peace had arrived.
Men must learn to keep peace
among themselves, before the nations
may find it possible. AS long as it
is necessary to employ sheriffs and
deputies, police forces and constabu-
larry, militia and the like, among
ourselves, we may know that the hour
Of universal peace has not arrived.
Men have warred as long as there
have been men to differ, and nations
have fought, not because they could
not agree, but because some ciUizen
Of n nation, had a quarrel with the
citizen Of another and each of them
applied to his government for "pro-
lection" Each raised a nue. and q
cry, and paraded, a scarecrow through
the streets ALARMING the mannlo tfho|