The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-08-11

against ills that other nations have no
been able TO resist. But that is anothc
delusion. The Roman OF the fourth cen
fury before Christ was. OF sterner
more unyielding republican fiber tina,
the American of today. He was NOR,
jealous. Of the slightest infringement o,
his rights. He did not treat betrayal
OF trust on the part OF his servants a
jokes-his sense of llumor was rudimen
tary. When his resentment was aroused
it was relentless.
And yet this Romans descendant
became the abject slaves OF the most de
grading despotism that ever groune
down a civilized people,
There was Brutus once that would
have brook'd the eternal devil to keet
his state in Rome. AS easily as king
Within two years from the time wher
a descendant of that Brutus struck the
last blow for republican liberty Anton,
was laying third of the Roman worlc
at the feet OF harlot queen, and before
some OF the children then living were
dead Caligula was making his horse a
consul
There was never more turbulent, in
dependent democracy than that of Ath-
ems. The people there were not Deepen
dent upon trust-owned senates They
got together in their own popular as
semblies and made their own laws. They
did not hesitate to try and execute VIC
torious generals for slight breaches OF
customary requirements. But the time
came when Athenian philosophers were
the humble fatterers Of Macedonian and
Roman rulers, and when Athens dcgrad-
ed even her primacy in taste to the point
of giving her highest honors in music
and poetry to the imperial mountebank,
Nero.
Who would have thought, to look at
the raving democracy OF the French
Terror, when it was as much as mans
life was worth to call lady madame"
instead OF "citizeness," that in five years
France would be walking with bowed
head under the rule of military des-
pot?
Nor are we without hints nearer home
of the possibility of radical changes In
the government OF people. Ameri-
cans were not always republicans. Two
years before the adoption OF the Decla-
ration of Independence they were pro-
testing their enthusiastic loyalty to the
crown OF Great Britain. After the revo-
luton thousands of the foremost inhab-
itants OF the colonies, unable to recon-
cile themselves to republican govern
ment, emigrated to Canada, where their
descendants are now the most extreme
supporters of monarchical rule.
American women, after long and
honorable apprenticeship at the wash
tub, have availed themselves OF the first
smiles OF fortune to hold and kiss the
hand OF royalty. Foreign noblemen find
their titles readily transmutable into
American cash. Americans like William
Waldorf Astor and Bradley Martin have
exchanged their republican birtlrigllt
for the right to call themselves subjects
OF the English queen. Trusts that are
working for the reelection of William
Mckinley would just as clleerfully work
for the coronation OF an emperor if they
thought that step would promote their
interests.
II visitor from Mars had been per-
mitted to see Rome at the beginning OF
the first Punc war and then had been
able to see America today, which coui,-
try would he have considered more like
ly to hold on to its republican institu-
tons?
The republics of the past have fallen
ii ON various causes, but one rule we
believe to have been invariable:
No republic has ever governed sub
ject provinces and preserved its own
freedom.
Empire abroad has ended in empire
Or collapse at homo.
But do we believe that William Nc
kinley, if reelected, will be formally
crowned as the Emperor William the
FIRST? Certainly not. This is not usu-
ally carried through in that way. Des-
rotism is the same, but the type OF dcs-
pot changes. When the Roman repub-
lie was ripe for its fall the people did
not crown king. First one general
and then another came into power
through the form of law. After the cx-
cesscs OF Marius and Sulla there was a
temporary revival of constitutional gov
crnmcnt under Cicero. Then the same
conferred the powers Of number OF
different officials upon Caesar-so many
that he was in fact monarch, although,
in name only the head OF republic
Then, after period of anarchy, this