The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-05-10
PEACE AND THE WEATHER.

Two topics are always in order. and
often under discussion--peace, and
the weather. Everybody wants peace.
and everybody appreciates good
weather. But 1t is rot possible to
have both all the time. There are per-
iods Of disturbances In the affairs of
men. - there are atmospherical dis
turbances. Storms will come. and
must be taken into all safe calcula-
tons.
NO leader In any civilized country
declares for war. The declaration is
for peace. The three foremost gener-
ais In the great struggle for the pre-
servrt'e., cf the Union closed their
day = . !T,ocates Of peace. Let us
re- s.se.'' said Gen. Grant War
! "a Gen Sherman. in sum-
~ horrors. II hope never
II draw - sword again.. said Gen.
Sheridan. with the utmost earnest
ness.
But did one Of these eminent cap
tains declare for disarmament? Did
any of them think the country would
b justified In saying goodbye" to
the army and the navy? On the con.
trAry, were not all of them in favor Of
keeping up our provisions for defense,
both on land and sea, to the safest
level? Their knowledgetof men and
their experience with the world had
taught them that peace was best as
sursd BY the post perfect equipment
for war.
But there are eminent men who
take the other view. They see in pre-
paration for war only Indictment to
war, and would remove the tempta-
ton. OF this number Mr.. Justice
Brewer 10 one Of the most outspoken
He has recorded himself on several
occasions In strong terms. and at the
meeting OF the American Peace and
Arbitration league in Washington last
evening said:
II the United States. since the
Spanish-American war. had diverted
the enormous amounts expended to
build up great navy and maintain
large army to 1iouidating our national
debt. no nation in the world would
think Of attacking us.
Without national debt. and our
enormous resources at our command,
the world would respect us and fear
to attack us. Billions OF dollars have
been spent In the last ten years in
building the navy and maintaining the
army. Just think of this amount be-
Ing utilized to pay off the national
debt, and 1t is easy to conceive that
there would be more Likelihood Of In
ternational peace. so fer as We would
be concerned The future OF this
country will be better and brighter
when Ne ray goodbye to the large
army and navy"
II this good advicef Does it square
with the history Of mankind? Would
any president Of the United States ad-
wise congress in such terms? Would
any congress accept such advice from
president! n We Lad nothing with
which to defend ourselves, and were
the richest nation on the globe. would
other nations stand in awe of us. On
the contrary. should We not become
speedily the spoil OF militant man.
kind? For. - everybody knows, all
mankind n armed. and the most pow
erful nations are, with temptation and
under everyday impulse, quick on the
trigger.
The very best way to bid good
bye" to our present. and to cancel all
plans for the future. would be to bid
good bye" to the army and navy.
Strip NJ for the millennium. when the
thousand-year period Is not in sight
here. nor expected elsewhere. and we
should cut the figure Of the enthus-
last. who. persuaded that the end Of
the world was ut hand. clothed him
self in white and sought an open field
to catch the trumpet's blast-Wash-
ington Star.