The evening times., 1898-05-26

1t is customary among historians. phi
| losophers and religionists to bewail the
| downfall Of the Roman Empire. as one of
| the great catastrophes Of history. but the
fact is overlooked that the Roman people
| had become morally and physically vile
| beyond description; degenerate, weak of
body. with corresponding decay of intel
| lect, they could not compare either in
military strength 1r social virtue with
| the sturdy. hardy races of the North. the
| empire fell because 1t did not deserve to
| live. and in it's stead arose a group of ma
| tions. the men of which were as far supe-
rior to the Romans as the latter had been
to the enervated populations of Greece.
Asia Minor and Egypt. The Goths, the
Visigoths, the Alemanni, the Ostrogoths.
the Suevi, who established their political
supremacy in France, in Spain, in Italy.
in Greece. were Teutonic or OF Teutonic
origin. and thus when the great empire
crumbled into decay the political ascen-
dency of the Teuton was established from
the Mediterranean to the North Sea. 1t
was still further extended by the inva-
sion of the British Isles by the Angles,
Saxons aad Jutes. who were destined to
found two empires which seem even yet
only in their youth: one, the Empire of
Great Britain. the other its sister coun-
try. the empire of the United States.
The Teutonic conquest OF the north was
permanent, that Of the south was tenn
poIary. for in the course of few genera
tions the native populations of Spain.
France and Italy reasserted themselves,
not in a military. but in a social way. the
intermarriages of the conQueror5 with the
people practically reduced the dominant
race to the level Of the people 1t governed
and through amalgamation. the Teuton-
ic element almost disappeared.
Its influence, however. was felt in a
marked degree in the political affairs of
Central and Southern Europe. for what
is known in history as the Holy Roman
Empire was Teutonic empire. whose
head was most commonly Teuton
whose mobiles were Teutons. and the con-
tests Of the empire with France and
Spain. disguise them by whatsoever
name we please. were really contests of
the Teutonic element with the Latin. En-
peror and noble were fighting the battle
Of Teuton versus Latin. often upon loca,
issues, often losing sight of the difference
in race. generally ignorant Of the great
issue which lowered above the petty oc-
casiOns of strife.. the war was incessantly
waged. Through the maze Of mediaeyal
history. which, without some guiding
thread. is an insoluble mystery, may be
traced the antaeonism of the two races
and. though frequently lost to the view
Of the casual observer IL Is never absent
The Thirty Years war was legitimate
outcome of the century of controversy
which preceded, and like the war of words
was a strife between Teuton and Latin
At its beginning the Protestant states of
the north were solidly arrayed against
the Latin element in the empire: before n
ended. Protestant" and Catholic states
were fighting on each side: the religions
phase had been almost entirely lost 70
view. The Reformation, as 1t Is called. or
great rebellion Of Germany, though
against the domination of the south. In
directly resulted in a great revival Of
Latin strength. Protestant historians
lose sight Of the fact that the
Reformation In Germany was a direct
cause of reformation in the church:
that corrupt ponti1s like Alexander vi
were succeeded by ascetics like Adrian.
and the powerful order which owed fts
existence to its promise to devote ALL IT'S
efforts to forwarding the interests of tbe
Papacy, sprang into the arena fully grown |
and ready for battle.
The contest between. the Teutou and
Latin was no: confined to Germany. mo- |
to the districts almost depopulated by |
the Thirty Years wa .sc- Spain- the., |
in the ascendency in = affairs Of E,,-
rope. having apparently overwhelmed |
resistance ON the Continent under. ook the |
Of EnKian1 and this pet object |
Of Charles v. and nfter him Phil,p III |
was to bring the tnsu.ur kingdom not only !