The sun., 1898-01-23
Z Z.

| 1t is a new vista which Is opened to us in Hell.
lenic policy by the 4Etolia and AchGen leagues.
Federalism has now become tho rule, and any
State which does not attach itself to Of those
| two associations is an isolated unit which
| must either lead life of political torpor or link
itself to one Of the great foreign powers. 1t is
pointed out by Mr.. Grcenidee that the forces
which had been silently working for unity in
the Crock world. but had hitherto found vol
untary expression chiefly in religious associa-
! tions, now wero led under the pressure Of enc.
mics from without or tyranny from within to
| the acceptance of political organization which
saved the independence Of the city-statc by in
| frnging 1t. and which. recognized as the last
| safeguard of Greek city life. was consciously
| thought out and carefully elaborated. The
highest political unity. however. which Greece
| now attained was singularly incomplete. Not
, to speak of the stubborn resistance of Sparta
and the proud isolation OF Athens we find that
tho history of the two leagues is one of con.
| quest, and that, finally, their rivalry compelled
| them to invoke tho aid of foreign powers whose
alliance brought Greece into the vortex of the
world-polit;cs Of Rome, and submerged her with
Macedon under the protectorate of the great
| Western powers.
In Etolia what was at first q confed Grafton Of
| tribes expanded into one of cities which seems
to have had an uninterrupted life up to the date
of the reformation of the Achean League in
$50 B. C. In 33s and 3O5 there is proof Of
united action on the part Of the whole Etolian
nation in foreign politics. so that we have rea-
son to believe that tho federal organization.
such as we know 1t In later times. had been per.
fected in its main outlines at early period.
| The constitution Of tho Etolian League at the
| period when 1t becomes conspicuous in history
was as thoroughly democratic as is consistent
| with federal institutions. 1t is possible to
prove for Etolia what can be only sug.
gested for the other federations Of the Greek
world, to wit. tho presence of repro
sentative institutions. The system of repro
| sentation. however. was modified In manner
which made tho federal organization kind of
mean between the pure democracy of Greek
city and the popular government of q modern
nation. The Council Senate Of Etolia. like
! a modern parliament, was permanently repre-
sentative body. The members of 1t were chosen
| by the city-states. and Mr.. Greenidge finds it
! probable that, in accordance with the true fed.
! eral principle which recognizes the interests OF
every State, whether great or small. as being
exactly equal. every commune furnished one
Senator. and had but ono vote. But, though the
voting capacity Of tho States was fixed and
their permanent representation was secured
! by the Council or Senate. there was
! another body, namely, the popular as
sembly. in which every individual citizen of the
| Ktolian League had the right to deliberate and
to vote. The citizens from any particular city
! or commune who chose to attend the popular
assembly voted in conjunction with the Senator
| from that State all their votes, however,
! counted only as one. though the majority of
| voices decided Its character. It will be remem-
| bered that. under our old Articles Of Confedera-
| fiOn n State might aend aa al otaat
tho Congress as It chose, but all their votes
| counted only as one. To return to the
| Etolian federation; We observe that II
! no unofficial members presented themselves
from q given city the Senator alone
gave tho vote for that city. The gen.
erAl assemblies. therefore. of the Etolians were
partly representative. partly primary. and
| through the possession of this double charac-
ter they secured the rights of minorities more
| effectively than modern parliament. For.
| whereas tho elected Senator would necessarily
represent tho majority OF his city. a largo pro-
portion of the unofficial members from the same
town who voluntarily appeared In the assem-
| bly, would probably be politicians OF opposite
views who were eager to outvote him. Even
| with this provision the federal State could not
| be as democratic as the city-state. Tho poorest
| class in distant cities or districts would not
| be able to attond tho assemblies at all.
anu tno VOtinR WOuiu DO practlcally
| In the hands of the aristocratic element;
moreover, tho impossibility of the exercise of
direct personal government by tho masses rem
| dered the permanent executive authority very
| powerful. This executive authority may, to
| large extent. have been represented by tho
Council or Senate which. in addition to its being
! the board OF permanent representatives In the
! General Assembly. may have been also prObou-
| leutic notwithstanding and executive body.
| Tho General Assembly. which. as We have seen
was composed OF tho Senators and the chance
| attendants, had one regular meeting year for
the election of magistrates Other meetings
were specially convoked by the Executive for
the discussion of important affairs. such as q
! declaration OF war or an acceptance OF peace
! At the head OF tho League stood
Strategus or General. annually elected, and
| entering Office on the day of his election
| He was invested with both civil and military
power, commanding in tho field and represent
ing the State In negotiations. That is to say.
ho corresponded in theory to tho President Of
| tho United States under the existing Constitu-
tion. The popularity of tho htolan General
was his relation to the General Assembly. A
judicious attempt can be detected 10 keep the
executive and tho deliberAtive powers apart.
/ for. although tho Commander-inchief presided
over the Assembly. he was forbidden TO givo
any opinion on questions of peace or war. He
was. In short. President and not . Minister.
| We note finally among the features OF the
, Etolian federal Syatem the oxiStanoO q .