Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-11-24
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War's Compensati0ns.

| hope | am guilty Of no undue i'm
pertinence if l intrude myself after
long absence into the notice Of news
paper readers. But the old habit.
"the scribblers' itch persists even
when wit and wisdom falters, and new
/ occasions resurrect old ambitions.
In December, 1861, Henry Ward
/ Beecher, then at the heighth of his
popularity, delivered lecture in Ro-
chester, n. Y, to an audience of some
two thousand TO two thousand FIVE
hundred people. In that lecture he
said, War is not an unmixed evil It
| has its consultations" At that time
war cloud dark and heavy was hang
I ing over us whose extent and dangers
were beyond our comprehension To-
4 day when a similar condition confronts
us. il is worth while to look behind
the cloud and see if it has a silver lin
/ ing, and ask what are lessons 1t may
teach US.
( First Of all it should teach us the
folly. even wickedness Of partisan
prejudices. Only few months ago, in
1 the heat of a presidential c0mpaign,
( the president Of the United States,
who was standing Tor reelection, was
! denounced in the most bitter language
as incompetent, ambitious, reckless Of
the public welfare if his personal
prospects could be promoted Today
we are tumbljng over ourselves to be
stow upon him the most extraordinary
powers. If one one-hundredth part Of
what was said OF him last year had
any foundation in fact, our folly is be
youd all estimate Woodrow Wilson's
ability and wisdom will be tested by
results. Twenty-Five years from now
the impartial historian will record The
verdict if not entirely just YET far
more wisely than we can do
Again We are learning q new deini-
ton Of patriotism Ii has been to US a
word of little meaning Today it calls
for sacrifices. II demands Of us all
that We hold most dear friends, fam
lily fortunes even Lille
Again we mus learn that personal
+ interests are secondary 10 the public
good. We knew this before in theory
( We must realize it. as a fact What this
( may mean who will dare 10 say or even
imagine?
Again il will teach us lesson In
economy In the days Of prosperity
we have become reckless Of our re-
sources. And this means also the con.
seryatt0n Of energy Misdirected ef-
fort is wasted energy This means
also that our love Of pleasure must be-
held in check
Again, we need resurrection Of our
conscience. This means that we mus
begin at home. Our public servants
will not be more honest than are theil
| constituents. A stream cannot rist
higher than The fountain that feeds it
A people whose moral standards arr
J low will not have an honest govern
p ment. We may talk as loudly as W.
D.. please, The root Of the matter Is il
ourselves.
Again we need unity Of purpose an'
harmonious effort Only thus can Vs.
escape disaster This may be one o
our most useful lessons.
Finally we must learn to put gu
trust in Divine power. Some vii
scoff at this, but they have read his
tory to very little purpose. One illus
9 tration will suffice Napoleon was th
d greatest military chieftain the worl
G has ever seen. lie said Providence j
= on the side Of the heaviest hattaIlous.
Il But there came a time when he ha
- conquered all continental Europe, an
Russia. tile last TO oppose him, la
, bleeding and helpless at hisieet Whe
. the cold north wind and the tiny sno'