338 THE WONDERFUL CENTURY. CHAP. xix. 



means that these Christian governments do not exist for 

 the good of the governed, still less for the good of hu- 

 manity or civilization, but for the aggrandizement and 

 greed and lust of power of the ruling classes kings and 

 kaisers, ministers and generals, nobles and millionaires 

 the true vampires of our civilization, ever seeking 

 fresh dominions from whose people they may suck the 

 very life-blood. Witness their recent conduct toward 

 Crete and Greece, upholding the most terrible despotism 

 in the world because each one hopes for a favorable op- 

 portunity to obtain some advantage, leading ultimately 

 to the largest share of the spoil. Witness their struggle 

 in Africa and in Asia, where millions of savage or semi- 

 civilized peoples may be enslaved and bled for the bene- 

 fit of their new rulers. The wjiole world is now but the 

 gambling table of the six Great Powers. Just as gam- 

 bling deteriorates and demoralizes the individual, so the 

 greed for dominion demoralizes governments. The 

 welfare of the people is little cared for, except so far as 

 to make them submissive tax-payers, enabling the ruling 

 and moneyed classes to extend their sway over new ter- 

 ritories and to create well-paid places and exciting work 

 for their sons and relatives. Hence comes the force that 

 ever urges on the increase of armaments and extensions 

 of empire. Great vested interests are at stake ; and ever- 

 growing pressure is brought to bear upon the too-willing 

 governments in the name of the greatness or the safety 

 of the Empire, the extension of commerce, or the ad- 

 vance of civilization. Anything to distract attention 

 from the starvation and wretchedness and death-dealing 

 trades at home, and the thinly-veiled slavery in many of 

 our tropical or sub-tropical colonies. The condemna- 



