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JULlf !19, 190T W '
The Commoner.
r.
War With Japan? '
Denver News: Already the criticism Is be
ing heard and not wholly from his enemies
that President Roosevelt is trying to fix -things
so that his own ro-nominafton by acclamation is
inevitable. Whether this criticism bo true or
not, every move -Which gives it color strengthens
the hands of those who oppose' the policies of
reforint which have- given the president his hold
on the American people. We want no war. Wo
want no attempt to avert war by shaking our
fists in the faces "of those who might be ready
to quarrel with us. And we want no policy
which will compel us to choose between jingoism
abroad and .reactionism at home.
Sioux City (Iowa) Journal. The govern
ments at Tokio and Washington are friendly.
The- Tokio government has the jingoes on its
hands. The Washington government has the
Pacific "coast on its hands. Both of these influ
ences tend to complicate what would otherwise
be a simple problom. There should bo mutual
patience while the logical solution is being
worked out.
Pittsburg Post: The only reason Japan can
have for war with us is the. treatment some of
her immigrants have been receiving on the Pa
cific coast. The blindest Japanese jingo can
hardly see any way of bettering this unfortunate
situation by war. 'Nor is there any other sub
stantial advantage apparent from such a step.'
Buffalo (N. Tv) News: The United States
has no quarrel whatever with Japan. Japan
has no ground fora quarrel with the United
States. The rulers of Japan have a perfect
understanding of the California case and of the
nature, of our system of government which per
mits a" state to don things that are not within
the power of provinces under an imperial or
ganization. The treatment of the Japanese in
San Francisco provides no occasion even for
national hostility on either side of the Pacific.
It is a, closed. .incident in itself. It may lead to
a settlement of'the question of whether a treaty
may deal with topics not within the range of
the constitution in domestic affairs, and if it
does have that result the way is made clear for
the government to handle all such outbreaks
as disgraced the California city.
Jew York Evening Post;v,'But on no
ground, of dispiplino or efficiency. could a voyage
to tjiiPaciflc rather than to any other seas be
justified, while a cruise to California or the
Philippines would be accepted the world over,
as a threat to the Japanese. We could hardly
have a better example of the way a navy, so far
from being a safeguard, can become a grave
mpnacevto. the peace of a nation.
tOII-l
Pittsburg Dispatch: There is just as much
reason why an American squadron. should be in
Pacific-waters as in waters of the Atlantic. The
Atlanftc -fleet has maneuvered in Caribbean war
ters for two years and a squadron has once
gone Mown the South American coast without
causing comment. It is no indication of war
that six or a doen vessels may be ordered
larthe'rthis year to pass the Straits of Magellan.
It is ngwn that work on the warships that were
to becjbuilt at San Francisco has been stopped,
More are being constructed in Atlantic ports.
There is no reason why the whole navy should
be kepton this side of the continent, when the
country has large insular possessions and a very
considerable commerce in the Pacific. The opin
ion cfn be safely ventured that the t Japanese
government will take precisely this view of the
matter and the breathless diplomatists will be'
allowed to find some other excitement to while
away 'the dull- and silly season in Washington.
New York World: Mr. Roosevelt is in duty
bound to take into consideration the state of
public opinion in Japan no less 'than the state
of public opinion on the Pacific coast. A states
man has no moral right to throw a match into
the tin.der and pretend, that he had- no Intention
of starting a flre ,j There is no,jreason known
to sensible government or sensible diplomacy
why the battleships Bhould be -sent -to the Pa
cific it Their presence anight revive-some of Sec
retary Metcalf's withered political laurels at
home. Their presence might even exercise no
little influonco upon tho complexion of the Cali
fornia delegation to the next republican national
convention. But is Mr. Roosevelt going to sot
the hounds of sensationalism and raco hatred
baying again for such an object as this? Ono
simple, plain duty now confronts tho president.
It is .to announce officially, authoritatively, flatly,
and positively that the North Atlantic fleet will,
not bo sent to the Pacific.
Washington Herald: What has boon really
accomplished by the course of the administra
tion so far Is to rouso the warlike passions of
two nations and to set the faces of America
and Japan against each other in suspicion and
misunderstanding. Tho great question in
volved in our relations with Japan, said Secre
tary RooC Is whether the two countries shall
confront each other across the Pacific in anger
and growing hatred. This question It is pro
posed to answer by a naval threat of the moat
provocative character, and wo are solemnly told
that that ,is the best way to preserve peace!
New York Sun: Already the Pacific enter
prise, whatever it may really have been, is hope
lessly entangled inUhe ridiculous. It is various
ly represented now as an insignificant voyage
of practice, which might equally be directed to
"the Mediterranean or the South Atlantic; as an
object lesson of the future value of tho Panama
canal; as an incentive to liberal appropriations
for battleship construction; as a display for the
benefit of those inhabitants of the slopo who
don't get a chance to see many of our fine war
vessels; as a spectacular sequel to Secretary
Root's beneficient voyage around South America,
and as a far-sighted attempt to impress a friend
ly Oriental neighbor with tho extent and pre
paredness of our naval resources. In the last
mentioned aspect it would have been entirely
legitimate if pursued in silence or with a frank
avowal of the purpose, and in either case it
would perhaps have been welcomed by the not
unintelligent nation fpr whose instruction it was
designed; but, promoted under a false explana
tion, or under irreconcilable explanations from
official sources, it becomes a the same time pre- '
pqsterous and exceedingly misjchievous .in its
possibilities as mischievous, perhaps, as' any
thing in a long succession of hair-trigger
policies.
Louisville Courier-Journal: It Is extreme
ly unfortunate that a mere matter of detail In
the routine of naval management should be the
subject of so much public discussion and vested
with a significance through indiscreet represent
ations which it is now found necessary to cor
rect with such pronounced official disclaimer.
There is no reason why wo should not have a
strong naval force in the Pacific. There, is not
a battleship An those waters, the last having been
withdrawn about a year ago. We have no need
of them inthe Atlantic waters, and if. our gov
ernment regarded it expedient to senda squad-s
ron there or elsewhere for diversity of service,
or whatoyer' object, it should do sotwtthput ex
planation jniich less with? tho semb'larice of
apology. - '
.
V I ' '.
Springfield Republican:- There could bo
no rational criticism of a quiet, unostentatious
strengthening of the American naval force .in
the Pacific; No power could protest against the
sending, one by one, at .intervals, of some battle
ships fromjthe Atlantic to our Pacific coast, and
that Japan would not protest is evident from the
apparent vf act that her government has the self
control to refrain from manifestations of alarm
over the garish performance that is now con
templated by our government. "It is not too
late for the president to modify the grandioso
dimensions of the proposed cruise and demon
stration; and adopt the policy of rational re-enforcement
without a thunder and lightning stage
setting.
Wheeling (W. Va.) Register: There are
something more than surface indications that
the administration is about prepared to recog
nize that the ordering of our battleship fleet
to the Pacific was ill-timed. That the president
himself regrets at least the news "leak" and
most of all that Secretary Metcalf gave the fact
publicity, is undoubted. a '.
. . . ,
i .
It would be sfrange if the United. Sta,tea
could not distribute its xwn ships ini its own
waters without sending to the Orient for a per
mit; Philadelphia Public Ledger.
Tlfft -American Press Humorists have tnkon
up tho subject of croeting a monument to tho ',
late Edgar Wilson Nyo, tho monument to bo
orcctod in Laramie, where Bill Nye first camo
into fame, and whoro tho best of his fun was
concocted. Nye noeds no monument to pprpot
yate his fame, but tho monument lancodcd lo
prove that the world appreciated his genial
humor. Bill Nye mado Hfo easier for many a
burdened man and woman. His humor, always '
kindly nnd. always ready, scattered smiles all
over tho land. Tho American Proas Humorists
will honor themselves when they thus pay trlb
uto to Edgar Wilson Nye. Tho association will
moot In Los Angeles, Soptcmber 15-22, and dur
ing the convention an entortainmont wJHl bo
given for the benefit of the monument fund.
Robert J. Burdetto, Melville D. Langdon, Sam
Davis, Strickland W. Gilliland, Edmund Vanco
Cooke, Thomas A. Daley, Judd If- Lewis, W. D.
Nesblt, Sam E. Klsor and other well kn?wn on
tertainers will have places on tho program. If
every one who has laughod at Bill Nye's drollery
will contribute to tho monument fund,- It could
bo orectod of solid silvor. Contributions may
be sent to Frank Thompson Searight, Lor
Angeles, Cal.
oooo
ET TU BRUTE
v .,
In an editorial in Its issue of Juno 2, tho
Kansas City Star complains because of the fail
ure on the part of a certain railroad company
to keep faith with the people of Kansas and
Missouri. In that editorial tho Star says: "Tho
company's failure to keep faith with the people
because there happens to bo ho law to compel
it to do so discloses the real spirit of tho privi
lege grabbing corporations. As a result of this
insolent disregard of tho public demand tho
railroads will awaken somo day to the truth that
they themselves are the advance agents of .tho
menacing Increase In tho sentiment for govern
ment ownership,"
"Tho railroads themsclve8(.are the adyan,co
agents of the menacing increase in the senti
ment for government ownership I" And this
from the Kansas pity Star that has.' dealt
uncharitably with others who have dared to
point, to tho trend of tho times and to the. logical
results of corporate oppression and lawlessness
OOOO
A nicii TitrnuTE
Theodore 'Franklin Toler died recently at Car
bondale, 111. Mr. Toler was thirty-eight years
of age, and was a faithful democrat. Tho
Southern Illinois Herald, published at Carbon
dale, pays this high and deserved tribute:
"There never lived a more magnificent specimen
of Egyptian stock; never lived a more promising
child, a more highly respected boy, or a man of
higher social standing, more "kindly heart or
unquestionable integrity. His popularity was
not confined to Carbondalo o,Jackson county;
h6 was known and held in'high estimation
throughout tho length and brdadth of tho state.
Frank Toler Is dead! Tho announcement was
' nqt unexpected, but it threw a i)all over our city,
and went as a sword-thrust ( every tiedrt.
Every house became a house of' mourning. Every
one had lost a dear friend."
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WHAT (THE VOICE SAID AT EVENING
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Rest, life, and be still. The task, of the day is
done. - 15 '
What you have sown God trusts to the soil, rain
and the sun.
What' you havp dreamed is his thought, of days
that are yet tx be. -
What you have hoped he-counts In the jmeavea
of eternity.
- ' ' rl
Best, life, and be still. FJor you, falls the nights
sweet boon!
p
- Truth lives in eternal day like the sun, in etor?
nal noon. -
-Touch, O soul, the soul of the infinite, patient
God,
Who plants the seed. of the'ages in the moment'
moldering sod. .
Rest, life, and be still. God gave this sunset
. hour k - ,- "
That, "watching, you might feel, the peaco of His
quiet power. , , .
In lights and colors 6f life no dusk of death can
if mar, ,',.. ,. .
,Godj)aints this day in heaven, and over it h,angs
a star. , , .
. Charles P. Cleaves in Youth's Companion,
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