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of schools Is increasing constantly; the atten
dance upon tho bcIiooIb is incrcaaing every year;
the standard of education is rising every year.
That is true In this country, in every state in
this country; it is true on this hemisphere and
in every country on this hemisphere; it is true
in the eastern world and in every country there.
Now if it be true that everywhere there is in
tellectual progress, if it Is true that everywhere
the minds of men are becoming unfettered, if
it is true that everywhere people are rising in
tellectually and taking a larger survey of their
relation to the world, it must necessarily follow
that with this intellectual growth there will
come a greater demand for peace; for the more
intelligent a man Is, the more clearly he dis
cerns that might can not make right; the more
clearly ho discerns that no moral question can
be Bettled by force and that where force settles
a question it is only a temporary settlement
that, If Jt is settled on the wrong side It simply
means that there will be accumulating protest
until a new settlement is undertaken. The
first force, therefore, that makes for peace is the
world's intellectual progress. I might add that
in these assemblies we see the evidences of this
fact, because we find great educators raising
tholr voices in behalf of peace; we find these
persons who are foremost in tho educational
world giving of their time and cf their thought
for the promotion of peace. This is true not
only hero but everywhere. If there were no
other evidence of the coming of a world-wide
peace wo could find sufficient proof of it i.i
this one fact alone, that tho world is growing
more intelligent, and we can believe that in
proportion as it grows more intelligent , it will
substitute brain methods for the physical orce
methods that have in the past been employed
for the settlement of differences.
But there is another force that works for
peace; it is the progress of tho world toward
popular government; and this is just as marked
and just as universal as tho progress of the
world in education. All over tho world you will
find that tho government is being brought nearer
to the people; that all over the world the power
of the individual is increasing; he is asserting
himself more and more. First, we had tho mon
archs who reigned without Jim'itation; then we
had the few who ruled over, the many, but year
by year tho heights are being brought down and
the valleys are being raised and man is more
and more bocoming a man "for a' that." The
power of the individual Is an increasing power
and you can not find a country that has not at
this time, that has not at all times, a contro
versy in which democracy and of course I do
not use it in any partisan sense, but in the
broader sense in which we are all democrats
in which democracy is on one side and aristoc
racy on the other. In this world-wide and con
tinuous contest between aristocracy and democ
racy, democracy is gaining and aristocracy is
dying; and with this growth of popular govern
ment there must necessarily come the discour
agement of war. Kings used to use their people
merely to secure fame and honor and wealth
for themselves. The burden of war has always
been upon the masses, and the time was when
they could not protest against being slaughtered
to advance some person's personal interest. But
with tho growth of popular government, with
the increasing voice of 'the masses in govern
ment, there comes a rising protest against war
and a rising demand that peaceful methods shall
be substituted for violent methods. In war the
masses bear the burden; the children of tho
. masses dio upon the battlefield, while the
glories of war and the profltB of war go to the
very few. .1 say, therefore, that tho second
great force that lies back of this peace move
ment is the growth of popular government.
But there is another force, and I am not sure
but it is a stronger force than either of those I
have mentioned it is the moral growth of the
world. Lot no one think that the world is get
ting worse. Tho world is getting better, and
that ia not only true hero but it is true all
around the world. There is more altruism in
tho world today than there ever was before, and
there is more altruism in this country than in
any other country that ever was or is today.
If any one doubts the altruism in the world
let him investigate what is going on. Let him
stop counting his money for awhile and see
what those people are doing who are spending
money instead of piling it up, who are more
interested in finding out what money will do
than they are in finding out where they cait
get more, and he will learn that altruistic in
fluences are reaching out and are girdling the
world. He will find that this nation is at the
vory head and that this nation is spending more
The Commoner.
money per capita outside of this country in
an unselfish interest in humanity and for the
advancemeilt of the world's welfare than any
other nation in tho world, or any other nation
that the world has ever known. But we have
no monopoly on this, I only speak of our pri
macy, and when I speak of our nation being
ahead, let no one from any other nation take
offense It is necessary that our nation shall
lead to avoid a just censure,- for this nation has
received from, the world as. no other nation has
over received. If it be true that much is re
quired of those to whom much, is given, then
our nation must, if it meets its obligations, give
more than any other nation has ever given.
Every nation in the world has contributed to a
greater or less extent to our grovrth and to
our greatness, and we would be worthy of the
severest condemnation if we did not, in grati
tude for what we have received, give abun
dantly of our abundance. I ropeat that there
ia a moral progress In the world;' there is a
recognition Of the doctrine, of brotherhood such
as has not been known.
I ran across a letter about five or six years
ago that was written by Dumas some eight years
before. He said that we are on the eve of a
new era; that we are on the eve of tho era
of brotherhood; that the world is about to.be
seized with the passion of love; that people are
going to love one another as they had never
loved before. Tolstoy read this letter of Dumas,
and two years after the letter was- written by
the great Frenchman the great Russian endorsed
the doctrine and said that he, too, saw the signs
what we have now. Within ten years men's Bible
years 1 have seen evidences of it. I might give
you one evidence of it.
. j en years ago we had scarcely a men's club
in the churches I say scarcely, I do not mean
to say we had none at all, but compared with
what wq have now. Within ten years men's Bible
classes have been formed in almost every church
of prominence. And this is not only true of
the various branches cf the ,Prqtestant church,
but there is progress along this line -in the
Cathplic church as well. 'AH of the churches
are bringing. their men in;, (bey are.getting thel"
men to study. Go to .the 'book shelves; go to
the catalogues and ee, how many books arp be
ing written today on this one subject-; the ap
plication of religion to life, and you will find
that never beforeuhas there been such a scrutiniz
ing of the individual's act such an effort to
make his life conform to his professions.
1 went three years ago to the first meeting
of the National Brotherhood ot the Presbyte
rian church. They had about one thousand
delegates there. At the second meeting they
had about fifteen hundred and at the third about
two thousand. It is only a few years ago that
that first meeting was held. After the Brother
hood had been formed in the local churches all
of these denominations began linking local or
ganizations together in great national organi
zations. We have here one (Mr. Clark) who
is identified with a great .m6vement;I Can al
most say with whom a great movement is iden
tified. 1 attended a Christian Endeavor conven
tion last year at St. Paul and I fojind there, an
Immense gathering representing some two mil
lions and a half. The growth of this is signifi-
cant. The growth of. the Young Men's Chris
tian Association is equally significant. I think
I am entiroly within the truth when I say that
more money has been raised for Young Men's
Christian Association buildings the last ten
years than was raised in the preceding fifty
years. I mention these as some of the evidences.
.This peace movement is another evidence. It
is an outgrowth, a symptom, an illustration,
and to this awakening sense of brotherhood I
look for mighty results in the spread of this
movement. I would say, therefore, that back of
this peace movement there are three mighty
forces: the world's intellectual progress, the
world's growth toward popular gbvernment and
the world's recognition of the doctrine of human
brotherhood.
Now, as naturally and necessarily follows,
thero are different ways of expressing this de
sire for peace; there are different ways of secur
ing peace, of attempting to secure it, I might bet
ter say. We do not all think alike. When we
agree as to the end we differ as to the means
of reaching it, not only on this subject, but on
all subjects. In the family t .you attend a
meeting where they discuss how to train children
you will find that some will believe that you
ought never to use the rod; and others will
tell you there has been no change from the
old doctrine, "spare the rod and spoil the child,"
and yet they are equally anxious to improve the
child; it is only a difference as to how to get
at it, how to- reach that desired end.
I went to a peace meeting a few years ago
and heard a speech made byan eminent scientist
of Europe. He gave an argument in favor of
peace that I had never heard before, and I doubt
if I will ever hear it again. He said he was op
posed to war because it was -not in harmony
with the theory of the survival of the fittest;
that war killed off the strongest instead of the
weakest, therefore he was opposed to it. 1 am
glad to have anybody and everybody, help in
securing peace, no matter what his reason is;
glad to have his influence on our side no matter
upon what he bases his argument, i think more
of us believe that war is . bad because it. kills
anybody, strong or weak, but we will get all
the people we can to help bring peace on the
theory that it is bad to kill anybody, and when
we are near to the point of getting peace there
may be enough of those who' think war is bad
because it kills the strongest to make a ma
jority and we will be grateful to them if they
will come in and help.
So you will find two schools of thought as to
the best way to bring about peace. I attonde'd a
peace meeting the other day and there was one
dther speaker besides myself and he spoke first.
He advocated the large navy plan of bringing
peace argued that we could promote peace bet
ter ' by standing in d. position where we could
tell people that they must do this or that. Well
they are honest, just as honest as we are, and
they seem to be more numerous just now than
we are that is another reason why prudence
would dictate that I say they are as' honest as
we are. I would not like to believe that there
are as few people honest as seem to agree with
me. 1 am bound to .believe that there are ' a'
great many honest but misguided people who
ought to agree with me. I am anxious to have
these people who believe in coercing peace,
who believe in peace with a swaggering accom
paniment 1 am glad to hayo them help all they
will, and I hope they will help a great deal. It
is barely possible that they may get the arma
ments so argo ill some nations' as. to make it
impossible for these nations t support : the1 : ex
'perises of war. That is posublfe, ' tftU, lih'er&'jis
'no reason why we should not work on the other
line at the same' time. While 'these,Vpeopi'e,
with all their' hotiesty and good intent, are tr'y
ihg to scare tlie World 'into peace, I think some
of us, at least, ought to stand for the doctrine
that we may ldve the world into peace.
1 do not want to say that those who differ
from us can not find Bible authority, for un
fortunately people have found Bible authority
for- most everything, but I find Bible authority
for our idea; it is good doctrine, it comes frdm
the highest source, it not only comes from the
Bible but from Christ Himself who said, "Let
your light so shine before men that they, seeing
your good works, may glorify your Father,' Which
is in heaven." Christ placed the emphasis upon
the 'example, upon the influence of the upright
life, and I know of no way of judging nations
except to apply to nations the rules that we ap
ply to Individuals. I know Uf no limitation that
can be placed upon' moral principle. I know
of no moral prihciple that applies to one human
being that does not apply to a group, no matter
how large it is. I' do not understand "how a
nation can become great except upon the very
plan that the Almighty has laid down on which
tp build individual greatness and it seems to. me
that there is an element of Infidelity today in
the idea that we can not afford to do right until
soihebody else joins with Us. You can- not tell
what a good example will do Until you set it.
You can not tell, except by testing it, what in
fluence will go out from an upright life, nor can
you tell until you try it, 'what influence will go
out from a nation that sets an uplifting example.
T 'believe in these international meetings; I
believe that our nation ought to be represented
and that we' ought' to try to get agreements
with nations to do the things tliat are good,
hut I do not believe' that this riation ought to
wait for any other nation to agree to do what
is- right. It ought to do what is right itself.
I have faith in what I understand to be the
Bible plan of ' producing peace, or bringing it
about.
Suppose we had two men hero who differed
as to the method of bringing peace into the
world, honestly differed. I would suggest this
method of testing the two plans on a small
scale that we might then judge as to how they
would work on a large scale. I would ask
these1 two men to put their plans into practice.
Let one of them strap revolvers around him and
announce that he stood Teady to avenge any in-
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