By virtue of their mutual interest does nature unite people against violence and war...the spirit of trade cannot coexist with war, and sooner or later this spirit dominates every people. For among all those powers...that belong to a nation, financial power may be the most reliable in forcing nations to pursue the noble cause of peace...and wherever in the world war threatens to break out, they will try to head it off through mediation, just as if they were permanently leagued for this purpose.