New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-12

NlIt''h from an etnlcal point on view lie
breaches a sermon against the Machiavcllian
theory that in the government Of people ii is
legitimate to do evil that good may come. AS
statement OF the moral law the book is not
original But We recall no other volume in
which the fruits OF political misdoing mar
shallcd in such concise and terrible array. NJ
Proal proves Ill over again. by sheer accumula
ton Of evidence. that from the Greeks down To
our own time the politician has again and again
based his trumphs upon the most immoral pro-
cedurc. Assassination, tyrannicde, anarchsm.
hatrcds and hypocriscs ~ the most malignant
character, spoation, the corruption Of the
electorate, of law ard justice aud Of public
morals, he travcrscs at length showing that in
the pursuit Of gain man has from the beginning
sown seeds Of wickcdness with utter reckless
ness. 1t is a fearsomc and an amazing record
that is summarized in these pages
Two facts are very strongly established by NJ
Proal. the first explicitly. the second ~ implica
ton. ITO establish their supremacy" he says.
! "Charles and Napoleon caused millions Of
men to perish. and they Were unable 20 attain
their goal the former died in "A convent Tho
latter on the rocks Of Saint Helena: Spain and
France were ruined 10y their ambitious policy"
All through this volume there are testimonies
TO tho ephcmeral character OF the political fabric
immorally erected The precepts Of Machiavelli
and tyrants Of Athens and Rome have com
mcnded themselves 10 thousands Of men The
fame Of those men has persisted. Napoleon ad
mitted on his doathbed that power affects thu
intelligence u men" Immoral methods seem
legitimate to the politician soldier whose
vision has become clOudcd instead Of building
on Mo eternal veritics he builds Lies and lies
come home 30 roost "Political like other
crimes" says cur author. are not committed
with impunity. The disciples ~ Machiavelli who.
out Of political considerations. have caused tn"
death Of innocent persons have ufi'n come
themselves To q tragic end Those who have
prescribed Others are themselves prescribed
in turn The Giroudins. who were rcspon-
eible for the events Of the list January.
were the victims II the 3lst May The Danton-
lists. who accused the Girondus OF moderation.
were themselves prescribed as moderatcs. Robes
pierre and his friends. who sent 30 mary si"timF
10 the guillo,nc. were guilloiincd in their turn
Tie principal Jacobins 10 whose initiative was
due the ostab,ishncn, Of the revolutionary trih-
unal persisted the victims II that tribunal Th'
/ members Of tn Long Parliament. who had
Charles | executed and who prescribed er"h'
many u their colleague were themselves dr.''n
ignominiously from their seats hy Cromwell"
We need not multiply example, Il is sum.
'cient 10 state that Proal enum'fat"f eo many
that The reader runs the risk az imArIuinG that
the world has meyer had any good in lt. and here
We think the author docs himself injustice. II,
is intent upon proving that politicians have been
frequently immoral. hence he paints his entire
narrative in somhrc colors and. in improssng
upon w that the Law has somctimcs been turned
into an engine OF injustice. forpcts To remind us
that the law has also been developed with civil
ization. But this is a minor fault. W
forgive NJ Proal He shows beyond question
that immortality has caused nothing but insta-
bilitv 10 the state his first and almost his most
important argument. There s that other. how
ever. TO which We have referred as only tacitly
EXPRESSED in his book. the argument for "A rcfor-
nation Of politics from below. Politics without
morality" hc declares ARE the ruin OF society"
The saying may be- reversed and it may safely
be asserted that society without morality is thc
ruin Of politics The character Of n nation"
We are told. is always modelled upoa the char
actcr Of its Government and much nay be- ad-
duccd in support Of this view. but VI. Proal
himself declares that the people have "a Tx |
ing for charldtans ana scaTcgrac"s' that est |
inable rulers have not been popular, Will. tn"
| prodigal the warlikc and the dissoute have
/ been acclaimed. In other words the pOnsi- /
bility for many "A political crime has belonged /
upon the shoulders Of the people themselves. /
who have fostcrcd tyranny and dishonesty /
through their enthusiasm for the personality OF !
one wicked prince d another. NJ. Proal does not
perhaps realize how urgently his book brings |
this lesson before the public, how every reader |
in America for example. must perceive AT once /
that tho first thing we must do in order 10 cor |
IA, poiiiiec ig "A public |