The Mankato free press., 1910-06-03
MEMORIAL DAY AT LAKE CRYSTAL

right of deciding upon the propriety
! of our demostic Institutions; they
{ have denied the rights of property es-
tablished in fifteen of the states and
recognized by the constitutions; they
have denounced as sinful the institr-
| tion of slavery: they have permitted
the open establishment among them of
societies, whose avowed object is to
disturb the peace and destroy the prop
erty of the citizens of other sta tes !:
they have encouraged and assisted
thousands of our slaves to leave their
homes; and those who remain have
been melted by emissaries, books and
pictures, to servile insurrection." 1t
further recited that the agitation
against slavery had continued with in
creasing bitterness for twenty five
until, at last, the agitators had sue
, ceeded in electing a president whose
opinions and purposes were hostile to
slavery, and who had publicity declared
that the Union could not endure per-
manently, half slave and half free
These differences were settled in ia
vor of the stronger. in favor of the
one able to cause the most destruc-
ton of life and property because
such destruction determines the result
of war.
Who will ever forget Bull Run. Shl-
oh, the Seven Days Battles. Antietem
Charlottesville. the wilderness, Vicks-
burg, the March to the Sea, and Get
tysburg. Gettysburg. with its rattle
of musketry and its boom of cannon
swelling into raging storm of steel
! Gettysburg, with its breathless deeds
OF valor; Gettysburg, with its rivers
of blood!
1t has been estimated that the civil
war has cost the United States over
$4,000, ,000, ,000,-a sum of which we
can have no conception. This does not
take into consideration the general
loss and destruction of property indi-
viduals, and does not take into con
sideration the moneys expended by the
south.
No one will say that if these losses
could have been avoided and matters
settled in some other way, the nation
would not be many, many times bet
ter off. But at that time no other
way was apparent, and there might
not be today We are not far enough
advanced in experience and civiliza-
ton. But | rather think the state
ment contained in the Declaration of
South Carolina. that there is no COM
mon arbiter, would not be repeated
at this time. but that the supreme
court of the United States would set
tie the dispute
Now, when you and another have a
disagreement, You must settle it in
the courts if you can't settle it in any
other way. If you should settle, or
attempt to settle it, by force of arms,
you would. no doubt, be fined or i'm
prisoncd. 1t is not considered lawful,
or morally right. for you to get into
fight over it. 1t has been otherwise
with the nations from time immemor-
ial. 1t has been considered proper for
them to settle their disputes by war,
causing vast and ifreparable destruc-
tion of property and human life. Such
destruction must necessarily follow
every war.
But. war is most terrible thing,
and | am glad to note the progress
which has been made in avoiding it.
The Hague Tribunal has come into
righteous existence, and is. no doubt,
a permanent international fixture. Why
should not nations, as well as inuivid-
iduals, settle their disputes i'm court ?
The theory of war is, that might
makes right. That doctrine, however,
receives no sanction i'm the minds of
the people. Why is it right for
collective body, "a nation, to kill with
out process of law, when it is wrong
for an individual to do so?
For many years prior to the Inter
national peace conferences, have
shuddered at the thought of the hav-
oc and destruction wrought by war,
and at the same time | have always
had sufficient confidence in the human
race to anticipate that, at some time,
it would be only thing of the past.
In all cases, except in war, a human
life, with its throbbing pulse, and
worm blood. and its wonderful mind
and spirit, is regarded as priceless. In
war it is considered mere bagatelle
Why this difference?
Think of the general economic loss