New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-30

Thus the world was prepared 10 renew its earlier
civilized ways. II there any important change
in Syria II amounted only to the formation of
kingdoms somewhat larger than the ancient chief
tanships. How difficult 1t was. however 10 hold
together people of the same blood show.
by the fate of the Hebrew monarchy, which was
maintained intact only by the personal merits Of
David and Solomon. The Phnnician cities though
their interests identical, preferred usually
he independent of each other. and the great H!tte
towns could hardly he forced TO act together even
in the presence of the greatest danger. Trade
lourished grew rich and luxurious. well salts
fed with a kind Of order that to become
anarchy In any moment of excitement. Meanwhile
the morals Of trade had improved little. Robbery
land and piracy deemed perfectly
legitimate. II some capable man powerful race
to take this system. conseorated by long
usage, and make downright wholesale robbery the
cornerstone of a monarchy. there was no question
that the whole Of the known world would be
under tribute. This precisely what happened
just ages afterward. bands OF outlaws gathered
the Tiber and started republic. so groups Of
people cmigrating from Chadaca joined with more
or less disconnected tribesmen TO found State
which should exist for other purpose than inces-
SAINT and universal robbery The core of the popl.-
aton Semitic and the language was Semitic
But this was rapidly becoming true of the whole
civilized world, with the exception OF Egypt. At
the outset the robbcr kingdom of Assyra differed
from its neghbors simply in the fact that 1t re-
duced all the vices Of the earliest culture 10 prac-
lice on r. large scale. 1t began by raids Wherever
its stout troopers went the people were plundered
right and left. When the troops disappeared the
tribes rested and gathered property anew Year
after year, from age to age. this process was re-
peated. While trade could not be suppressed even
by this enormous method Of exaction, while even
the towns Of Assyria from mere garrisoned strong
holds became mercantile centres. yet the Govern
,,1I ,yi,a
stronger the King became. the sternly he do
mandei the wealth OF the world. Annual raids
were followed by systematic wars. the only object
of which was booty in the form o: property In
the people carried off to be settled in uninhabited
districts. Assyran armies forced their way IN ali
directions They conquered Egypt. marched over
Asia Minor as far as Cyprus. seized the riches of
the 1yrians, impoverished the Hebrews. and swept
the old Hittitc civic system out Of existence In
short, they reduced the old-fashoned. easy-gonI
anarchy TO an absurdity. II they showed what "A
frigh'ful thing an irresponsible tyranny was. they
also demonstrated how Indispensable central ruler
ship was. If the world was TO make any further
advancement
Meanwhile Egypt. after one prolonged effort as
conqueror. settled down within her ancient boun-
oailes 10 Try oiher experiments OF negative benefit
10 CIVILIZATION Her people had little taste for war.
ana yet other races We're pressing upon them from
All SIDES More persistent than all the rest were
the predatory trIbesmen from the islands Of the
Mediterranean and from the coast OF Africa The
were beaten off when they came as foes Never
theless. they got foothold in the country The
nation unable 10 get rid OF them converted them
INTO SOLDIERS. They protected the country but
they also mastered IT, and Egypt began the long
career OF subsection 10 aliens which is not ended
even yet For one brief moment under a Pharaoh
himself perhaps, OF foreign blood the nation held
syria as a conquered province But this was only
an episode In the course Of political decay. Thus
the long struggle CT the Powers created by the
primeval civilization had resulted in misfortunes
The trading spirit had raised organized robbery 10
perfection on the one hand while conservatism on
the other hand, had created that most dangerous OF
pohticai tools. mercenary army. But it had done
more than this. IT had created the tradition OF
esitifnate trade. which needed time only to purify
itself from the faint Of piracy. 1t had brought