Show VBRITAS WRITES He Proclaims Against the Tendency of the Times A few days ago we read an article in reference to an officer from China who had been in this country for some time taking notes and learning a great deal about our naval and military affairs and that he was fully prepared to show his royal master many things that might be of great service to the government We could not help but think that the Christian civilization of the age must have struck the heathen from China as being a little inconsistent with the spirit of Christianity We do not wish to depreciate any move or method that can be adapted to defend our country against the organized piracy that is being carted on under the garb of modern civilization we mean all that is being done by the autocrats of Europe out of pure love of humanity in general and the heathen in particular Sometimes we are led to admire the protests that are being made by large number of the Americans in reference to our naval and military preparations pre-parations This spirit of protest is folly in keeping with the spirit and genius of our government yet the people must not forget for-get that our preparations arc strictly for defensive warfare We fully believe the nation is justified The Great Teacher once said when a strong man armed keepeth his place his goods are in peace There are a great many respectable land pirates in our day it cant be otherwise The nations of Europe live by the sword but America the home of the brave and the land of the free lives in the enjoyment of peace and the blessings of the almighty God of Jacob But how long will this continue con-tinue Is there not an under current that is sapping the foundations of our free institutions in-stitutions We are adopting the customs and follies of the old world The bone and muscle of the American nation are being destroyed by luxury and the vices that follow fol-low wealth and numerical strength It is but a short time ago that we read a description de-scription of New England of today as compared com-pared with New England when it was truly American It was sad to read the story of her former greatness and of her present condition The present generation of Americans have it in their power to check the introduction intro-duction of the foreign element that is weaving the web forour social and political destruction It is not enough for Americans Amer-icans to resist overt acts that may become be-come manifest against our institutions Chore is a force that is more deadly than open resistance The subtle influence that is working in the states and territories of this great republic is of a nature that con trols to a great degree the actions of our representative men in our national legislature legisla-ture Is it not a fact that our representatives representa-tives are compelled to vote to maintain arty interests What use do we make of history which points out the errors of men and the methods of dercagougues that ultimately timately lead to the destruction of the nation Nation after nation has fallen and perished through the vacilating course of corrupt men who live for nothing but spoils What is modern civilation doing for us as a nation Is it cementing the bonds of American brotherhood The efforts forts of the professing Christian churches are as sectional and warped as are the political itical factions of the country If the people peo-ple were as strong in their determination t o maintain constitutional liberty and fraternal feelings as they are to maintain arty strife the force and glory of our free institutions would reach every land and permeate the souls of men until one grand shout would ascend to heaven for he blessings of universal libertyVEHITAS VEHITAS |