The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-11-14
Mommsen,s gloomy Views.

In the recently published opinion OF
Theodore Mommsen concerning the
English American alliance. only those
familiar with the authors works fully
appreciate the weight OF opinion and
consistency therein expressed.
Probably the people OF no other
European nation have more readily i'm
bibed the spirit OF American independ
ence OF which we pirate than have
his countrymen. Certainly none have
at heart So little reverence for royalty
are so ready TO leave the mother coun,
try or entertain such socialistic senti-
ments as they. and this of itself 10 a
narrow mind might convert us into a
menace But TO Mommscn IL Is other
wise. He Is a man of broad vision with
an eye 10 the ultimate good. and yet
he believes great republic Is a great
evil and "a constant menace 20 human
libeTt and the. life OF nations. That
IS why he breads the possibility ~
England's heroic endeavors 10 draw
America into the meshes Of an alliance
That this great German historian "A
conservative; that he believes the best
form OF government TO be that In
which the masses are subordinate To
the Classes-an aristocracy OF blood
that lac deems the power 80 increase
the amount Of money in circulation 70
be a government Junction. preroga
tive OF the agstocratic ruling class-of
all this no one win entertain a doubt
But that an autaEonism 10 the spread
of democratic principles Is the base OF
his opinion. rs recently intimated by
contemporary. no one can believe.
a conCcntiou OF his thought may b.
gathered from his description OF re-
publican Rome during It's last years
There with graphic skill he holds be.
fore the readers vision the one certain
cause OF decay that was allowed Ia
eat into The heart OF Roman national
nfc-"thc same that desolated tho
Hellas Of Polybius' and the Carthage OF
Hannihars time"-the perverted use Of
money IN public affairs.
Regarding the all-powerful rule OF
money i'm Rome, he says. 1T ruined
the middle class. raised trade and es-
tate-farming TO the highest prosperity,
and ultimately led 60 a-hypocritically
-v.A,itewashed-mora and political cor
rupuon OF the nation in which there
was nothing TO bridge over the fatal
contrast between the world Of beggal :
and the world OF the rich"
The rich, ne tells us. lived luxurious
~. constantly serving dinners OF the
most expensive delcacies obtalnable.
equal even 20 manufacturers dinner
given 10y the members OF the modern
National Protective League. and owing
great sums Of money, while the poor
indulSed in bread riots and We're inn
prisoucd for small debts And. final
ly. when matters got TO an impossible
pass, wars we're undertaken on TRUMP
ed-up prcteNts. NJ first 10 furnish en-
ployment FOR the troublesome hungry
element of society. and at last FOR con-
quest and a place OF settlement for
the discontented beggars where they
might Zoe useful and be drawn upon
FOR revenue. Wherever the two ex-
tremcs, wealth and poverty. have long
prevailed. they have annihiiated fam
iy hfe-the germ Of nationality
I'm Rome a large standing army. which
became necessary To guard their for
eign possessions, completed the moral
degradation
Following upon a detailed accoun,
or the life and habits in republican
Rome, Mommsen penned in 1856 a
prophecy that the world VIII no,
again have similar fruits 70 reap until
the dragon-seed of North America rip
ems. Knowing -as We do, that this
was written concerning period Of
history in which every principle Of
democracy was hopelessly lost. it is
easy 10 believe that il Is not the spread
of democratic Ideas alone that thought
ful men in Europe fear. but an aristoc-
reey of wealth founded upon graspins
greed
interesting as these reflections Of
Mommsen are. they will awaken in
this country no especial concern as an
Piled TO the American republic.