New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-01
PARENTAL GOVERNMENT.
AN ILLUSTRATION FROM CONsTANTl-
NOBLE IN THE NINTH CENTURY

LIE LIvRE DU PERFECTION redit de rEmpereur
Leon lie Sage sur Corporations de CONSTANT H.
Geneve. Par Jules Nicole. professeur la
Faculte des Lettres. AveS uns introduction re ct
Geneve and Bale.
Two years ago Professor Nicole found IN the
library of Geneva copy in Greek OF the
edict Of the Emperor Leo. the Philosopher
respecting The labor organizations OF Con-
stantinople. Last year he published the
original with Latin translation. and the
book was crowned by the Association Tor
the Encourage cement OF Greek Studies IN
France. He has now published French trans
lation, the title OF which Is given above. Inc
little volume is an important contribution not
only TO the history Of the Lower Empire, but also
TO the study Of socialism. AS Professor Nicole
SAYS the history OF the Eastern Empire Is one
long lesson on the results. economical and politi-
cal. that must attend a system which destroys
throughout the ranks o. the great army Of labor
all liberty and all dignitJ. 1t must be remem-
bered that Constantinopls In Its time the nrst
city Of the world. was the point where ASIA ana
Europe met. where the antique civilization ana
the civilization. produced by Christianity mingled
Its Industries, jealousy guarded departed one
after another for the Occident. followed soon by
its commerce. Its riches decayed and It's power
of resisting the enemies who pressed upon 1t
from every side was lessened day by day to the
hour Of the inevitable catastrophe Never was
there in all human experience a fairer field for
paternal government The Emperor had been
deity in pagan times and he thought himself
little less under the new religion. The arrogance
of Leo his predecessors and successors, in speak
ing OF their relations to the people is duly illus
trated In the preface to the edict before us. 1t
Is a nice question in criticism to decide whether
or not this preface came from Leos own hand;
for the writer uses the phrase ''our serenity as
a formula Of imperial authority Now 1t appears
that this phrase Is not used in the Imperial Con-
situations known technically as Novels until the
time Of Constantine Porphyrogenitus. the son OF
Leo But II Leo did not write the preface nor
cause 1t to be written ii nevertheless In &C
cord with his notions Of royal power. Leo is
there compared in many words directly with
the Deity After having created all things and
broughtthe whole universe into order and har
mony. God. says the scribe. graved with His own
finger the law upon tables cf stone and placed
It where It would be most useful TO the members
OF the human family For this reason 1t seemed
good to "our serenity TO put the law in such
form that 1t may be read and enforced for the
good Of mankind
The labor organizations Of Constantinople
had their grand master the project Of the city.
The election OF new members, the choice Of Off
GERS. the relations between the different bodies
Of tradesmen their whore organic life. in fact
rested in him and depended upon him. He stood
between them and the Government, and In most
cases also between them and the foreign popula-
ton He II was who adjudicated and punished all
attractions Of the rules. OF course the Emperor
was above the project He named and invested
him with authority and could at any moment de-
pose him. But the power Of the Emperor is
merely an axiom underlying the DEGREES set forth
IN this book. Carrying out the comparison VEN |
tured In behalf OF Leo II the Emperor enacted the
part OF the Diety in the composition Of the |
Decalogue 1t the project who became the |
visible depositary Of the law and who was ex-
pected to put 1t in execution. 1t IL TO be hoped
that Leo's Moses broke the law no oftener than
his great prototype. AS for Leo himself his
business was 10 make laws and TO obey none
either divine or human. He was called sage
and a philosopher but his mind tinged, says
Gibbon with the most peurtle superstitions His
character was marred by Incidence and effemi- |
macy. The historian will not allow his Volunl-
nous authorship TO go unquestoned, ana fro-
lessor Nicole remarks significantly that leos es-
says In theoogv in strange contrast with the
record of his private life. Nevertheless they have
gained for him place among the Greek Fathers
Of the Church. HIS long reign Of twenty-five
years was marked by only event OF great
Macedonian, should receive the credit.
Basil had undertaken new codihcation Of the
laws of the Empire. Leo completed the task.
He also promulgated certain edicts Of his own,
among the rest the translated in this volume
and his judicial labors are the only ones worthy
TO preserve his name from oblivion. the Con-
stantnople revealed in the book Of the project
was the paradise Of monopoly, Of privilege and OF
parentasm. Not Only were the gateways OF
communication between the different trades her
medically sealed by the law. but the exercise OF
any one Of them subjected 10 a thousand
restrictive conditions The State meddled with
everything; it controlled everything; 1t entered
wherever 1t pleased. the shops and the ware
houses and inspected the books Of accounts. 1t
fixed the wages Of the work men and the day. the
place. and the price for the sale Of every product
The manufacturer could not buy his raw material
directly, not even choose it, He had not word
to say TO the quality nor even as TO the
quantity Of his stock 1t was the business Of the
organization to which he belonged TO buy all the
material for the trade that came into the city.
All that he could do was to pay his proportion OF
the total cost and receive what the society al
lotted to him. Additions to the membership !
Of the trade and mercantile organizations
were subject to the severest restrictions.
and employers had control over the
contracts which they made with worknIeh.
nor even the number Of apprentices that
they might deem necessary. The medd.ing OF
the State did not end here In order TO pre-
serve to the city the exclusive possession of GER
tain Industrial processes strangers We're treated
as suspects, and the time OF their sojourn
was strictly limited. They were confined
to inns watched by the police, and were
subject to heavy penalties II they imported mer
chandise to a value above a fixed maximum
Men in one business could not usually engage at
the same time in any other. They could not
carry on their trade except in places assigned to
them. An employer usually could not engage a