V
Commoner.
Was Clemens Jeremiah Clemens, a United
A Prophet? States senator representing the
state of Alabama in ante-helium
days, said: "Commit our people once to
unnecessary foreign wars, lot victory encour
age the military spirit already too prevalent
among them, and Roman history will have no
chapter bloody enough to be transmitted to
posterity side by side -with ours. In a brief
period we shall have re-enacted on a grander
scale the same scones that marked her decline.
The veteran soldier who has followed a victo
rious leader from clime to. clime will forget his
love of country in his love for his commander;
atid the bayonet you sent abroad to conquer a
kingdom will bo brought back to destroy the
rights of the citizen and prop the throne of an
emperor." Was Clemens a prophet?
Ill Timed
Tenderness
With Rogues.
The New York "World strikes
a popular cbord when it refers
to the "ill timed tenderness"
in dealing with financiers who
betray the trust reposed in them. On this
point the World says:
"In this Seventh National failure the main
question before the United States authorities is:
Did or did not the re'sponsible officials of this bank
over-certify the account of Marquand & Co.? -If
they did, they violated a plain provision of the
law and should be arrested. If they did, the fact
can be ascertained in less than an hour. . Why. then
this nonsense about thoroughness of examination
and moving cautiously? Why not treat bankers
just as any less responsible, less highly placed
citizens would be treated? Such tenderness is of
fensive to the American principle of equality and
destructive of public confidence in law and in
commercial integrity."
The Large The !New York World points
Waste to the fact that the direct de-
of War. struction of property is only
a small part of the large waste
of war. In-support of its claim the World
says:
"One of the losses to the productive wealth of
the world at large as a consequence of the "Anglo
Boer war ifa shown in the returns of the gold pro
duction for 1900 just issued by our government.
"Up to the time when hostilities began in
South Africa the total annual output of gold had
been steadily -increasing. It rose from $202,000,000
1.1 the year 1896 to $300,585,000 in 1899, and would
surely have passed the $400,000,000 line if peace
had continued. But last year it felKoff over $55,
000,000, and this great reduction was wholly caused
by the suspension of Transvaal mining. All other
gold-yielding countries maintained their previous
rate of production or increased it.
"The Transvaal's output, Instead of .being
$110,000,000 a year, as it certainly would have been
but for the war,- is now a little over $7,000,000 a
year.
prepare for full responsibility when all of tho
American soldiers have been ordered home. It
is said there are now 5,000 United States sol
diers in Cuba. Tho adoption of General
Miles' suggestion would mean that the United
States troops on the island of Cuba would
number about 2,500.
A Washington dispatch says "Notwith
standing tho strong argument used by General
Miles to support his recommendation it is not
believed that tho President and Secretary Root
will deem it advisable to reduce the forces in
Cuba until next spring when there will begin a
gradual withdrawal of troops."
Tho administration seems determined to
retain its hold on Cuba so long as any sort of
an excuse for retaining that hold may be de
vised by administration politicians. General
Miles is a man of order, and it is not at all
likely that he would press strongly such a rec
ommendation as he made with reference to tho
troops in Cuba unless he believed that course
to be the very best for all concerned. It is
not at all surprising, however, to be told that
the president and his secretary of war will hot
act on General Miles' suggestion. Nor will it
be surprising if, when "next spring" shall ar
rive, that some new" device will be presqnted
which will enable-the administration to violate
tho letter as well as the spirit, of the war reso-
unions.
The Seed Is
Being Sown.
the creation
-y"
Determined to
Mold Cuba.
General Miles has officially
recommended to the secretary
of war that one half of the
military force in tho island of Cuba be imme
diately withdrawn, and that the work now be
ing done by the United States troops be deliv
ered to the Cubans. General Miles thinks that
this will give the Cubans an opportunity to
l ." . .i . '.
The 'Review of Reviews says
that . the pew movement
towards consolidation ,and
of great corporations has been
going forward of Jate with almost none of
that bitter antagonism toward it which was so
manifest even a year ago. This publication
adds: "One might have expected the huge steel
company to arouse a great deal of public an
tagonism, but very little can yet be discovered.
It is not to be expected that there will always
be such smooth sailing for tho corporations,
but at present the skies are clear and the
breezes are equable."
What this publication says concerning the
public attitude toward the trusts may be said
with equal truth concerning the public attitude
toward imperialism, militarism, colonialism,
dishonesty in public service of our new pos
sessions, and immorality in the public life of
our large cities. The fact is that the antago
nism toward these evils yet exists and is even
greater than it was a year ago. It may not
be said, however, that the people who fully re- -alize
tho dangers of these evils arc yet in tho
majority. It certainly is true that the majority
of the people are yet unwilling to speak out
boldly and sternly against these great wrongs.
Every great trust organized, every public
wrong committed, every large principle sacri
fieed, brings to the ranks those who are willing
to speak in protest against evils which threaten
the welfare of the public. All over this coun
try today there are men and women who lose
no opportunity to protest within their immedi
ate circle and in their humble way against
these enormous evils. These people are sow
ing seed that will ultimately .be reaped to the
benefit and advantage of the American people.
Not Entirely
a Waste
of Breath.
Let no one deceive himself that the intelli
gence and morality of this country is of so
feeble a character that great wrongs' can bo
continued indefinitely without meeting vigor
ous and effectivo protest.
An eastern paper referring to
the great imposition placed
upon the peoplo of Philadel
phia, which imposition was
exposed by John Wanamakcr, said: "It is a
waste of time to denounco Quay, Stone, the
Quay legislators and the Quay city officials.
It is a waste of breath to sympathize with the
peoplo of Philadelphia."
Commenting upon this the Philadelphia
North American admits that this castigation
bas "the sting of truth." The American adds:
"Every citizen of Pennsylvania capable of
reading and understanding what ho reads knows
thoroughly tho character of tho men composing
the machine and cannot protend to be surprised at
the audacity of their crimes. They have dono
only what it was expected they would do and what
they were given full power and permission to do
by tho people. Tho machine is the outward and
-visible sign of the state of the public conscience,
the degradation of citizenship, tho pollution of tho
body politic, which have made possible this un
paralleled debauchery of government In ono of
tho oldest and greatest of American common
wealths." ,.,; It i-.tr.UQ that in. many quarters the people
appear to have gone to sleep. In many cities
they seem to be wholly indifferent as to
whether their .public servants discharge their
duty honestly or. robthq public treasury with
impunity. Yet it is not 'a waste of time" to
denounce dishonest methods. To bo sure no
people who will tolerate impositions such as
have been placed upon the people of Philadel
phia are entitled to sympathy. Yet the duty
remains, nevertheless, upon every newspaper
and every individual to strike a blow at dis
honesty wherever dishonesty shows its foul
head.
The seed sown by Mr. Wanamakcr and his
associates in Philadelphia have already taken
root, and although many people may now seem
to be indifferent to the wrongs done them, the
time will yet com3 when the public conscience
will be thoroughly stirred and public indigna
tion will be fully aroused. When that. time
comes, Quay legislators and Quay city officiate
will-make a hasty retreat. ;'V;,
A Prophesy.
(By Bishop Berkeley.)
The muse, disgusted at an age and clime
Barren of every glorious theme,
In distant lands now waits a better time,
Producing subjects worthy fame:
In happy climes, where from the genial sun
And virgra earth such scenes ensue,
The force of art by nature seems outdone,
And fancied beauties by the true;
In happy climes, the seat of innocence,
Where nature guides and virtue rules,
"Where men shall not Impose for truth and sens
. Tho pedantry of courts and schools:
There shall be sung another golden age,
- The rise of empire and of arts,
The good and great Inspiring epic rage,
The wisest heads and noblest hearts.
Not such as Europe breeds in her decay;
Such as she bred when fresh and young,
"When heavenly flame did animate .her clay,
By future poets shall be sung.
"Westward the course of empire takes its way;
The first four Acts already past,
A fifth shall close the Drama with the day:
Time's noblest offspring is the last.
."-'
n. JL
