be Conservative. 3
Oh , yes 1 Therefore , my friends , I wish
for peace on yon and yours. "
Mr. McKinley's general tone toward
the Filipinos is what he calls "benevo
lent assimilation. " In outward seeming
it is like the language of the Rev. Mr.
Ohadband. But in actual practice Mr.
McKinley's "benevolent assimilation"
seems to be conducted with solid shot ,
shrapnel-shell , and machine-guns.
We have already commented on the
thrust of Congressman Wheeler , of Ken
tucky , at Mr. McKiuley when ho said
that the president's policy reminded him
of Wilkins Micawber , because the presi
dent was always "waiting for something
to turn up. " Turning again to the
pages of Dickens , we find Mr. Micawber
described as "a gentleman remarkable
for his pecuniary involvements , his love
of speech-making , his grandiloquent
rhetoric , and his constantly 'waiting for
something to turn up. ' " The latter two
clauses can with justice be attributed to
Mr. McKinloy. As for the preceding
ones , it would be unkind to complete the
parallel.
Still another biting reference to Presi
dent McKiuley was made upon the floor
of the house last week by Congressman
Johnson. He , too , found the president
reminiscent of Dickens. To him Mr.
McKinley resembles Mr. Pecksniff.
This gentleman , according to Dickens ,
"was a moral man : "
"Perhaps there never was a more
moral man than Mr. Pecksniff , especi
ally in his conversation and correspond
ence. He was a most exemplary man
fuller of virtuous precept than a copy
book. Some people likened him to a di
rection-post , which is always telling the
way to a place , and never goes there.
His person was sleek , though free from
C9rpulency. His plain , black suit and
dangling double eye-glass cried aloud ,
'Behold the moral Pecksniff ! ' "
' 'Mr. Anthony Chuzzlewit does netlike
like some of Mr. Pecksniff's actions , and
tells him bluntly not to be a hypocrite.
" 'A what , my good sir ? ' demanded
Mr. Pecksniff.
" 'A hypocrite. "
" 'Charity , my dear , ' said Mr. Peck
sniff , ' when I take my chamber candle
stick tonight , remind me to be more
than usually particular in praying for
Mr. Anthony Ohuzzlewit , who has done
me an injustice. ' "
Do not let our readers suppose that the
writer is pointing these unpleasant par
allels at Mr. McKinley. They are the
work of the representatives of the Amer
ican people in the congress of the Unitec
States. Our readers will have to judge
whether they bo just or unjust , but no
one can deny that they are amusing.
And if it bo that these gentlemen have
done Mr. McKiuloy an injustice , let the
president , like Mr. Pecksniff , pray for
Senator Vest , of Missouri , Congressman
Johnson , of Indiana , and Congressman
Wheeler , of Kentucky , when he takes
his chamber candlestick at night. Argo
uaut.
MIGHT AND IIIGIIT : WHICH MAKES
WHICH ?
By E. Farqulmr , of the United States patent
olllce. ] AWe
Wo have heard patriotic talk , of
sound and ringing quality , took the
ligher ground of patriotism , too , that
the country was plenty great enough to
advance its greatness from within ,
omitting to encumber itself with an
incubus of foreign acquisition. At the
same time our doctrine of moderate
armament has been contested by these
very speakers , who have held that a
liberal military or at least naval equip
ment was a good thing to have , whether
it were used or not. Perhaps having it
would prevent the use. We may any
moment find ourselves in some interna
tional tangle , where a stout navy would
be just the thing for enabling us to
maintain an essential position , often
saving a trial of arms ; or bearing us
through in far better shape if it came to
that.
This is precisely the argument for
carrying personal weapons habitually ,
neither more nor less. There is noth
ing true of the one which is not true of
the other , rightly applied. It must have
seemed risky indeed , when people began
to disuse what had been considered
so necessary , and no doubt it was
the brave and strong rather than the
weak and timid who first did so ; but it
rapidly proved that the occasions of
strife abated with the implements ; that
even as old as Homer was the observa
tion that "the sword draws the man , "
as well as the man the sword ; that men
were far more apt to conduct their de
bates in peace in reason , when the tempt
ing means of a summary solution were
out of reach.
A very important phase of human
nature seems to bo overlooked in this
contention ; a telling factor in the psy
chology of nations as of men. Given a
power , known by every one to be of the
very foremost rank in potential strength ,
in courage and resolution , fallen into
such a complication ; with the last resort
at hand in full provision , great iudeec
would be the temptation to an overbearing
style , an appeal at once to might rather
than right , a general arrogance of be
havior , precious to the jingo heart , and
such as might indeed sweep on to vic
tory once and again , but must inevit
ably league the nations against it like a
fate , and leave but a question of time
when it should be pulled down among
them. While if it were felt by all alike
that this power when once aroused
would be formidable to the last degree
but that the arming would be a matter
of some time and difficulty , to be in
curred if necessary but avoided as long
as honorable , how vastly would the
chances grow of peaceful settlement
which then would almost certainly be
right settlement ; how nobly would the
habit spread of seeking and applying
ustico instead of more force ! Not the
slightest likelihood of the other power
> resuming the more , and every likeli-
lood of its conducting the affair in better
; emper , feeling no immediate pressure of
'honor" to the contrary , which so often
drives the weaker party into hopeless con
flict. No country is better placed in every
regard for such a memorable advance in
international relations than the United
States ; nor could higher ambition move
our diplomacy than to stand before all
future time as the iuaugurator of such
a system. Weaker nations could not do
the same with such effect. As surely as
Christianity is truth , its principles of
justice and good will must come to pre
vail between nations as individuals ,
however the clumsier body may lag be
hind ; but Washington already marked
the course in the farewell address , and
bequeathed the fulfillment to his coun
trymen ; and he was no visionary.
The immense economy of this method ,
the frightful waste of even attempting
to keep up with the ever swift advance
of art in all its military and naval appli
cation on the great scale , the perpetual
disuse of most expensive armament by
the next invention is no small item in
the consideration. We take it to be
an axiom with right-thinking men that
the true use of military force in general
is as that of police ; and in all questions
of its proportion that should be the reg
ulating principle. If there ever was an
officer not likely to undervalue the mili
tary function wo might suppose it to
have been General Sherman ; this was
his teaching in a notable discourse to an
army gathering. As the police keep
order in the city , by vigorous action
when needful , but far more by the mere
knowledge of its existence , so let fleets
and armies ; and as the end is secured
in the one case not by useless masses
.drawn from work on a mere possibility
no more should it be in the other. Here
we have the resort of physical force
occasionally needed by the individual ;
so with the nation.
It is such a risk 1 we shall hear again.
Like first striking out to walk or to
swim ; like standing up to one's first
speech ; like a first suggestion to try deal
ing with a man as if he were honest in
stead of a rogue ; or as when suffrage
and office are first extended to intel
ligent classes who had not enjoyed
them before. In each case there are
ghastly tremors , and the sense of going
off without support ; in each case there
is found a strength and element that
upbears , not known until tried , created
often by the trying , which ignorance or
cynicism has missed.
Mistress "Jane , I've mislaid the key
of my escritoire. I wish you'd just
fetch me that box of odd keys ; I dare
say I can find one to open it. " Jane
"It's no use , ma'am. There isn't a key
in the 'ouse as ' 11 fit that desk. " Punch.