New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-20

more details than can be given in work Oh hiio
scale 1t is not to be supposed that Caesar, 2rea'
though he was, or any other individual Ooulu nave
really purified and redeemed that incredloiy CUT
rupt and disordered Roman world. le" SCI"
fences from Mr.. Fowler will throw light upon ,'''
situation. IT," he observes. I'VE could imagine
the England of to-day governed by Indian hapoos'
and the India of to-day regarded OILY as laii
field for the enrichment Of that class: and ii oy
further effort we could substitute for the Enaish
working classes population composed chiehS vi
slaves we should then have some idea OIL the pic'
ture presented by the Roman world during 'ne
greater part OF the last century OF the repuohoah
government. On the one hand a compact OIL
garchy, without any sense OF duty or trusees'hP'
maintaining it's hold on the government by wealth
wrung from its best subjects; on the Cther' pro
ctariate, idle at Rome, dying out in ltay' ana
IMPOVERISHED in thc provinces And below all,
"a vast slave-p population which had already @eh
proved to be in itself serious danger TO the STATE
as well as indirectly chief cause of other perils'
AS Mommsen has most truly said, none OF the evils
fer which the capitalists OF our day can DC called
10 account are TO be compared for moment 10
the hideous ruin which the Roman ollgarch hau
wrought in a couple of centuries on the ialr SHORES
Of the Mediterranean"
Called to deal with such state OF thlhge'
Caesar could only hope 10 tempoIiHe TO apply
palliatives Direct and absolute cure for the as
eases of the state there, was none. Az the peSV
some beginning of better things was pOSSIpe'
The Imperator sought to induce healthier TOM
in the patient lie lcgisated against the oppreS-
sion of the poor, against the abuse OF dep'ors,
aaainst the corruption in office which had enjoyed
immunity so long. lie srcve to check the dram
of capital from the provinces TO Rome, and the
a., of t1,o NiciOuS classes 10
the center IIc endeavorcd to restore public credit
wrecked by civil war and anarchy. lie aimed al
guarding the interests of all classes but especially
of the door and struggling II had been expected.
by the extremists that he would decree the aDnli-
tion of all debt and because he too enlightened
70 adopt so ruinols course what he did do caused
much disappointment among the ignorant masses.
lie took measures TO provide for his veterans with
ont recruiting the paupcr!sm OF the capitai, ana
without erecting a standing menace to the peace
of Italy. To encourage home industry he miro
duccd tariff upon foreign goods. lie tired 10
discourage ahsenteesm. which was serious eVll
among senators and rich men. lie pald great
attention 10 the administration Of the provinces.
In short he devoted himself 10 rcmedylng, or at
least checking the most fragrant evils OF the time.
and in endeavoring to restore respect for justice
and honor, and integrity.
During these last years nc dlspaN'" 'h """"'-
nal growth of vanity, Yielding too often TO the
batteries Of the sycoTtants who Swarmcd a"o".
him. But he would not take the kingly tue, ahI
always said, when urged to do 50, 81 am not n
king: I am Caesar lie was aSSasslnatcd ny a
band Of impractical fanatics when 1T the he3ht oil
his power Mr.. Fowler SAYS of their crime, IL
is the most brutal and the most pathetic scene mat
profarc history he's to record it was, as Goethe las
said the most scnseless deed that ever was done.
Ii was wholly useless for it did not and could not
save Rome from monarchy. II was cOwardly and
tlcacherous in all it's details and il was utterly
wrong headed, for it showed that the men VINO
we're guilty of it neither knew what liberty nor
government meant. 1t PLUNGED the Empire INTO
another long period Of civil war in which whole
provinces were devastated, the East divided against
the West and all fair hopes shattered II u>>ty and
honest government. All this ruin could he caused
by n handful of men. who. pursuing phantom
liberty and following the lead II personal hatred,
slew the one man who saw the trlth Of things.
Mr. Fowlers volume is well illustrated and fur
nished with maps and plans, and he has ayaiici
himself OF the important discoveries made upon
| tho sites Of Caesars battles by Colonel Stoncl,
who was employed in the interest Of That life If
Caesar which the third Napoleon assumed the
authorship of, TO the deception OF few