Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-05-23

quietly 10 fupcal tile law.
Ten years altsrwati the came thing
had 10 he done over again. rms
time II was accomplished under
the leadership ~ Caius Gracious
brother OF Tiberius; hut II was
not enough that he should restore the
land law tina, had been secured by
his brother. That law, even while II
was being worked ut its best, was salts
factory 70 but few Of It, benelioiaflee.
Tho law was restored, II il true, but
the prospect Of leaving Rome, and
going perhaps 10 some distant part OF
Italy TO engage In hard work, was not
much OF u temptation 10 men who mad
spent any length Of time Ia Rome, in
vOlvcd IN it, political strifcs, aud whose
principal desire was 10 obtain money
and the means Of subsistence with ~
little work az possible. IL required
something more than the restorBtion OF
the land law 10 satisfy these, aud Calus
granted II.
with the "onthudastic clapping" Of
every pair Of poor hands In Rome, he
secured the passage Of u law decreuing
that there should be established In
Rome public grauarlcs ~ be filled
and maintained at the cost OF
the State, and that from these
the wheat should lie sold to tile
poor citizens, at merely nominal
price. This law applied only 10 Rome,
because IN Rome the elections were
held. "rhe effect was 10 gather Into
the city mob Of needy, unemployed
voters, living ON the charity Of the
State, 10 crowd the circus and %
clamor nj the elections, available no
doubt Immediately TO strengthen tho
hands Of the popular tribune, but GER
tain IN the long run 70 sell themselves
TO those who could bid highest for their
voices. ''-Iroudo.
This same thing was rcpeatci over
and over before the government be.
came merged In an emperor. In fact
IL became necessary TO repeat II; be-
cause, although II was easy enough To
distribute the lanti, II was not 10 easy
10 keep II distributed. Those 10
whom the land was given lived
far beyond their means and az
the public grannrles were open
and tho poor citizen could get
the main part OF his living FOR
nothing those who received the land
for nothing were not likely 10 cultivate
habits OF economy. Their lands were
soon mortgag.d and at last forfeited,
falling hack Into the hands OF the capt.
talists who, In the nature nf things,
at each successive turn became mono
polists.
Thus NJ last the distribution Of tho
land became nm old story, the di-tribu-
ton OF grain still remained fixture
and ~ money had 10 he raid by the
government In order to give to tn,
citizen either land or grain, there
next naturally grew up tho demand
that the money should be given direct
10 the citizen. and In tho eye. Of
demsgogy, political necessity Justified
this step. Cesar gave TO zach soldier
about ono Thousand dollarr, and
to each citizen about twenty
dollars with house rent free for a year
In addition TO this lac provided n magnl
flccnt feast for tho citizens who wer,
supported by tho public grants Of grain
Twenty-Five thousand tables wer,
spread with the richest viandB from
which the two hundred thousand
State paupera feasted, while from
hogsheads tho finest wine flowed
freely.
: Thsn came Augustus, the Empero
In whom was merged all that portaiue'
TO the State and the people. lie wa
paFcns patrio. So long az ROm'
was ln the full tide OF conquest sub
= DUNG populous and wealthy coun
, tries, levying upon them cnOr
| NOUS tributes, robhlng their treas
| uries, and Tliiing their temples, Their
) was always money In the ROmni
: treasury 10 furnish the lands, tn
grain, or even tho ready money, whlcl
; occasion might demand. But wen tn
/. era OF conquest censej, as II did will
, Augustus, then also ceased the nbund
, ant supply Of money. so far from til
{ demands ceaslng, however, they wen
/. ON M before. AS the demands wor
. imperative, the money had 20 be H
cured from some source, and as now
/. could no longer beaecured 10y conquest
u II had 10 DO secured by other mean
and other means were employed.
i During the reign Of Augustus ther
: was need OF money by many classe,
= Tho regular and legal system OF taxa
v ton did not furnish enough, an
u logically enough. coniiscation was tn
Y next step. And why not? Was no
y the Emperor the iather OF the pee
9 nle? And may not tho father dlvid
UP tut IhtliuAoHy hhohkbt WV 'hil
Il dren? II some OF the children hav
| abundance and others have little o
y none, may not the father see tina
! there Is an equable distribution? IL
o the father's Office to care for the chi
3 dren. The emperor Ia the exercise O
{ his office ofparens pdtriG, did just tn
0 thing. Accordingly, says Suctonlus
@ Gas often rs large sums OF monV,
/ came into his possession, by means q
@ confiscatiOns, he would lend II free O
: interest, for fixed term 10 such a
u could give security for double OF wha
Q was. borrowed. Tlberius continuedth
q same practice, for, says the author
r "atter the example Of Augustus an,
4 10 satisiy the olnmors OF the people, h
\ loaned money without interest for thro
n year. TO all who wanted to borrow"
r But the parens patrto had no
" enough money 10 supply all VIII
wanted to borrow; accordingly, "h
n nrst compelled NIL money-lenders /
II advance two.thirds Of their capital Of
Is land; and the debtors 10 pay of a
!; once the came proportion OF thei
y debts. And still there were many VIII
II wanted 10 borrow. Five million dollar
n was vet required, and In order TO Oh
Al taIn II he turned his mind 10 she,
"a robbery. II Is certain that Cneiu
10 Lent,ilus, the pugur, man OF VA
4; estate, was 30 terrified by his threat
e: and importunities that he was oblige
,r 10 make him his heir.
0, Several persons, likewise, OF the fir
| ,t..l...,i.,, la l.aul Suain. Svrla nm