Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-03-15
TWELVE PAGES
WEDNESDAY. MARCH Is. 1899.
SOME ROMAN LESSONS.

History is philosophy teaching by
example," and Froude, in his life OF
Caesar. gives us a series of object-les-
sons, that, vivid and striking, are sin
gularly applicable to American condi-
tione, and should be we'll studied and
pondered by every intelligent and pa
triotic American statesman and cit-
zen. Setting forth the effect Of the
growth OF wealth and power upon men.
even of the sturdiest characters and
simplest habits, he says:
"And thus it happened with the high
err classes at Rome after the dcstruc-
ton of Carthage. Italy had fallen to
them by natural and wholesome eX-
pansion: but, from being sovereigns
of Italy, they became n race OF impe-
rial conquerors. Suddenly, and in
comparatively a few years after the
one power was gone that could resist
them, they became the actual or vir-
tual rulers OF the entire circuit of the
Mediterranean
cover this enormous territory. rich
with the accumulated treasures of CEN
turtles, ard Inhabited by thriving, in
dustrlous races. the energetic Roman
men of business had spread and set
tied themselves. gathering into their
hands the trade. the financial admins
tration, the entire commercial control
of the Mediterranean basin.
Money poured in upon them in rolling
streams of gold. The largest share Of
the spells fell to the Senate and the
Senatorial families. The Senate was
the permanent Council of State and
was the real administrator of the EN-
pire. The Senate had the control of the
Treasury, conducted the public policy.
appointed from its own ranks the Gov
ernors OF the Provinces. 1t was patri-
clan in sentiment. but not necessarily
patrician in composition. 1t was
an aristocracy, III theory a real one,
but tending 20 become. as civilization
went forward. an aristocracy of the
rich. 1t is enough at present 10
say that the mobiles and great COM
moners of Rome rapidly found them
selves in possession OF revenues which
their fathers could not have imagined
in their dreams; and money, in the
stage of progress at which Rome had
arrived. was convertible into power"
How similar this is to American
"progreys" is already obvious enough.
and likely to become more so as ex-
pansion and imperialism develop. Calf
ing attention to the engrossing. mo-
nopolzing and usurping practices and
methods stimulated and made easy by
wealth and power united. Froude says:
Thus everywhere the small farmers
were disappearing. and the soil of Italy
was fast passing Into the hands of a
few territorial masnates: the dregs II
the free population that were left be-
hind, crowded into Rome. without oc-
cupation except in politics, and with
no property save in their votes, of
course to become the clients of the
mlllionaires. and to sell themselves 10
the highest bidders. With all his
wealth there We're but two things
which the Roman noble could buy po-
litical power and luxury; and in these
directions his whole resources were cX-
pended. The elections. once pure, be-
came matters of annual bargain be
tween himself and his supporters. The
once hardy abs temious mode of living
degenerated into grossness ana SEN
suality"
Rome Itself became a society OF
powerful animals With an enormous