Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-10-21
MORE ABOUT CYCLES.

publishes as interesting and ably written
editorial, entitled Something About
Cycles in which it e~ndeavors to show
that periods of prosperity and depression
alternate under the action of an immut-
able principle. The Standard is quite
right as to the hypothesis that human af-
fairs move in cycles. But the principle
cannot be recognized as creating an ebb
and flow in commercial conditions with
out extending into every other sphere
with which the activities of life have to
do.
What has been known as the chiv-
alric age, the religious age, the
commercial age. are merely ex-
pressions of the same principle, as is the
revolution of the atom upon it's own axis,
the whirling of the globe on it's axis. the
greater sweep of the planet around the
sun, and the larger journey of the uni
verse around a still greater center. HUI
man life in all it's phases is essentially
an illustration of this Fundamental prin-
ciple of the cycle, and inanimate nature
is it's photograph.
Therefore, the contention of the Stan.
dard as to periods of depression and peril
DDS of prosperity-human affairs swing
inc around the circle, as it w~ere-his-
tory repeating itself over and over again
lis fundamentally correct. 1t is merely
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cycle, and its definition of details, thai
the Inter Mountain takes issue. Our
contemporary takes this cycle business
into its own hands, in a way, and at
tempts to make it a part of the demo-
cratic machine. AS the democratic ma
chine is not square it naturally conforms
to the universal principle and moves in
a circle. This was illustrated during
the civil war by the Knights of the Gold
en- Circle. AS a rule, however, history
is more successful in repeating itself than
is the democratic party. Still, it is a
part of the great cycle in which human.
ity is moving. usually the under part, po-
litically speaking. But we digress.
The Standard is anxious to use the
cycle to account for the period of PROS
perity which the country is now enjoy
ms but it does not see fit to explain
why he nua edge of the cycle
GETS around into good working order
whenever a democratic president is in
the White House. When Buchanan was
in the presidential chair the secession end
of the cycle, with its career of blood,
swept through the country; and when its
effects Wore off prosperity and peace
eyoluted the fat prophet into public life.
Before the cycle could sweep him off the
stage of action in its swirl through the
affairs of men, the section devoted to ma
tlonai disaster again came along and
precipitated the greatest panic known
to modern times.
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The Standard seems to overlook the
fact that that portion of the cycle which
is devoted to prosperity is accompanied
by a different set of principles and ideas
in the management of national affairs
than the portion which brings disaste,
to the people. AS these principles move
right along with the cycle, in the nature
of things, they come into play alterna-
lively with the political triumph of the
one party or the other. Experience has
present generation that prosperity is ac.
companied by the principles which have
been discovered and applied by the re
publican party, while the astrologers
o. the democracy figured out their place
in the cycle during the dark Of the moon
1t is all very plain, when once under
stood.
The Standard is inclined to measur,
the advent of the respective phases O.
the cycle, as they apply to prosperity
by the monetary conditions of the coun
try. From this reasoning our democrat
is friends would have it appear that tn,
present prosperity of the country is du
to the inflow of gold, resulting from nev
discoveries. rather than to an intelligen