The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1895-06-14

iHUO towns. Inc Flcl we're eXJraVagauC,
for life had ceased to have practical in
terest, except for its material pleas
ures; the occupation of the higher
classes was to obtain money without
labor and to spend it in idle enjoy
ment. Patriotism survived on the
| lips, but patriotism meant the ascend
eney Of the party which would main
tain the existing order of things, or
the party which would overthrow it for
a more equal distribution Of the good
things which alone were valued. Re
ligion, once the foundation of the laws
and rule of personal conduct had sub
sided into opinion. The educated in their
hearts disbelieved it. Temples were
still built with increasing splendOr;
the established forms were scrupu-
lousy observed. Public men spoke
COnVentiOnaily of Providence, that they
might throw on their opponents the
odium of impiety; but of general belief
that life had a serious meaning, there
was none remaining beyond the circle
of the silent, patient, ignorant multi
tude. The whole spiritual atmosphere
was saturated with cant-cant moral,
cant political, cant religious; an affec-
tatiOn of high principle which had
ceased to touch the conduct, and
flowed on in an increasing volume of
insincere and unreal speech. The
Romans had ceased to believe, and in
losing their faith they became as steel
becomes when it is demagnetized, the
spiritual quality was gone out of them,
and the high society of Rome itself be-
came society of powerful animals with
an enormous appetite for pleasure.
Wealth poured in more and more, and
luxury grew more unbounded. Palaces
sprang up in the city, castles in the
country, villas at pleasant places by
the sea, and parks and fish ponds, and
game preserves and gardens, and vast
retinues of servants. When natural
pleasures had been INDUCED in to
safety, pleasures which were against
nature we're imported from the east to
stimulate the exhausted appetite To
make money-money by any means,
lawful or unlawful became the uni
versal passion. Moral habits are all
sufficient while they last, but with
rude, strong natures they are but
chains which hold the passions prison
ers. Let the chain break, and the re
leased brute is but the more powerful
for evil from the force which his con-
stitution has inherited. Money! The
cry was still money! Money was the
one thought from the highest senator
to the poorest wretch who sold his vote
in the comitia. For money judges gave
unjust DEGREES, and juries gave corrupt
verdicts. Governors held their pro-
vinces for one, two or three years; they
went out bankrupt from extravaganza,
they returned with millions for fresh
riot. To obtain a province was the first
ambition of Roman noble. The road
to it lay through the praetorship and
the cOnsulship; these Offices became,
therefore, the prizes of the state, and
being in the gift of the people they
were sought after by means which de-
moralized alike the giver and the re-
ceivers. The elections were managed
by clubs and cOterieS, and, except on
occasions of national danger or pOliti-
cal excitement, those who spent most
freely we're most certain of success.
Public spirit in the masses was dead or
sleeping; the commonwealth was
plutocracy. The free forms of
the constitution we're themselves
the instruments of corruption. The
rich were happy in the possession of
all that they could desire. The multi
tude was kept quiet by the morsels Of
meat that were flung to it when it
threatened to be troublesome. The
seven thousand in Isreal,' the few who
in all states and at all times remain
pure III the midst of evil, looked on
with disgust, fearing that any remedy
which they might try might be worse
than the disease. But is was not to be
expected that men of noble natures,
young men especially, whose enthu-
siasm had not been controlled by ex-
| perience, would sit calmly by while
their country was thus going headlong
ltOperdition. Redemption, redemption
was to be hoped for, could only come
from free citizens in the country dis
tricts. whose manners and whose minds
we're still uncontaminated, in which
the ancient habits of life still
survived who still believed in
the gods; who we're content to fol
low the wholesome round of honest
labor The number Of such citizens
we're fast Own ldling away before the
omniyerous sE petite of the rich for
territorial aggr andissment. To. rescue
the land from {. ne monopoiists; to rem
oyate the cid IN dependent yoemanary;
to prevent the fl &c population Of Italy,
out Of which Il le legioRs had been
formed that built up the empire. from.
being pushed Qua Of their places and
euppis1ted by fgz eign slaves, this. if
is could be doe would restore the