Mr. Oseba's Last DiscoveryBell, George W. (George William)
Science
Mr. Oseba's Last Discovery
Bell, George W. (George William)
New Zealand -- Description and travel; Voyages and travels
Mr. Oseba concluded, from the conspicuousness of military show, that
every toiler in Europe carried a soldier on his back. And worse--he
had to feed him, to clothe him, to pay him, and then to constantly
submit to his insolence. From every home and fireside in Europe the
most sturdy supporter, and the best loved one, was taken for target
practice; and the burden imposed upon industry for showy barbarism, was
crushing the whole of Europe and driving the people into revolution,
anarchy and ruin.
"Tell us," said the poetess Vauline, "are you speaking of the superior,
the Christian or civilised peoples?"
"Rather," said the Sage, "for only the Christian nations could enjoy,
and only the superior nations could afford such heroic entertainments.
As a fact, the size of the army and range of the gun are the true tests
of a country's civilisation and 'superiority.'
"Strange, my children, but the 'superior' peoples, those worshipping
Him who said, 'Thou shalt not kill,' have the longest guns, and the
strongest battalions, and they are most ready to kill on the least
provocation."
The audience, say the notes, was most impressed when told that these
arguments--loaded--were aimed by the most civilised nations at each
other. Oseba continues:--"The guns and the military show, help to
amuse the people; they regulate home prices, and guard the dignity of
the managers. They are practically the 'keep off the grass' notice;
but, as a fact, my children, they are kept to-day more to overawe the
people who pay the bills than to ward off any external danger.
"But there is a marked difference between the Oriental and the
Occidental. The Oriental is selfish--he wants peace, and is indifferent
to the fate of others. The Oriental don't care what a man believes, or
what god he worships, so long as he pays the liken, and moves on; while
the superior races are deeply concerned about the soul, and they want
to discover all other people, and get them to join them--afterwhile.
"As social units, the Occidentals are more progressive and free, but
less secure; they are more sympathetic, but less just; more interested
in others, but less tolerant; and more inclined to action, and less to
meditation than the Orientals.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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