The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-06-30
GID ADAGE VERIFIED
MIGHTY WARS HAVE MARKED EVERY
CENTURYS CLOSE.

SCN oNT . SISOGs
me Lesson of Universal History IL That
tho End of Each Century Has Soon
Some Phenomenal Disturbances Among
the Nations.
The adage of history repeating it
seif is likely to be verified by the pres
snt war with Spain. The lesson of
universal history is that the end of
each century has seen some phenome-
nal civil disturbance either in the
ahape OF great war between existing
Hations or the struggle OF q people
against domestic tyranny. Without
going further back it may be noted
that it was toward the end of the
seventh century that the Saraeens in
vaded Armenia and Asia Minor, and
q the close Of the eighth Charlemagne
began his wars against the Huns and
defeated the Lombards, thus establish
ing the temporal power Of the Popes.
The close of the tenth century saw the
conquest of King Alfred of England
by the Danes; that of the eleventh
the defeat Of the Moors by Spain and
Of the Greeks by otho II at Bareatello.
Towards the end of the same century
the Anglo Saxons were the slaves of
ths Normans in their own land after
hastings, and later there were the
fffghtful wars Of the Crusades pro-
metsd by the Church for the mainte-
nance Of the power conferred upon 1t
By Charlemagne. The end of the
thirteenth century saw the gallant
Scots defeated at Dunbar and at Fall
kirk under Wallace. While the final
years Of the fourteenth century are
lighted up by the story OF William
Tall and the defeat of the Austrians by
the Swiss and of the Spaniards by the
Portuguese. The evening of the If
tsenth was remarkable for the battles
Of Bosworth in 1856, and of Bannock-
barn, while the closing decade of the
sixteenth century saw the wreck of
the Spanish Armada and the Elisa
hsthan wars Of the English in Ire
land under Bagnal and Mountjoy;
while those Of the succeeding century,
1880, had those at the Boyne and
Glencoe between William III and
James II for the British. Even an
eieat battles like those at Marathon
and Troy selected similar epochs.
But all these wars which appear to
be controlled by law based on the prin-
ciple that every century dies in some
phenomenal social convulsion, were
eclfpsed by the magnitude of the
events that terminated the eighteenth
century. And strange presentiment
has seized the ruling classes in Eu-
rope that the present century is fol-
lowing in the wake of its immediate
predecessor. They believe that the at
titude of the United States forbodes a
danger to those family groups that
have survived the Renaissance and the
Reformation, not because of any merit
that would justify survival or preserve
them from extinction, but because
their chiefs have been so far fortunate
in throttling the cause of liberty or
one rickety throne against
These thrones are now like
L lot of old houses in a street In such
position that If one falls the whole
ow is likely to come down with a
terrific crash Of dust and smoke and
einders.
The end of the eighteenth century
witnessed such change in mems
minds as the world had not seen since
he birth of Christ. The regime of
1ne Of the proudest European mon
archs had been swept away by fierce
uprising of the French masses. and
throne and altar, prelates and poten-
tates, alike fell before the stupendous
popular upheaval which sent the cold
shiver Of impending fear through
every state of Europe. The French
Revolution of 1889 was but the rum
bling echo upon distant shore of the
of the American Declaration
II Independence. Liberty, Equality
and Fraternity" was really the Euro
Jean Interpretation of the doctrine OF
l776, that all men are born free and
equal and entitled to life. liberty and
the pursuit of happiness. Apart from
the similarity Of both sets of princi-
2les to the sentiments enumerated by
Thomas Paine, the chronological or
der Of the two revolutions and the cir
eumstance of French soldiers under
Lafayette, partaking in the American
struggle, show that both revolutions
followed each other as Immediately as
cause and effect. The French revolu-
ton was q decided stride towards the
of man from the treach-
cry of theologians and from the trea-
son Of thrones. And had its opera
lions been controlled by wise and
prudent men all Europe would have
to-day a series of republican self-gov-
erning states in the closest sympa-
thy and appreciation with one form of
government instead of being a hor-
nets nest of sceptered schemers stalk
ing upon liberties and sneering when
ever they dare at the spirit Of our in
stitutions.
Napoleon who had more of the ele-
ments of true greatness in his compo-
sition than auy other human being