The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-09-07

and energy took life in the human
breast.
Festivals. holidays and fete days were
celebrated after the dawn of the Chris
tian era as before, and in many OF the
drunken orgies which disgraced these
occasions, while honoring the name of
some warrior, statesman or saint, the
same practices prevailed as when pagan
ism commanded the alteration of some
god of wood or stone
A Hard Struggle.
Slowly the doctrine of equality made
its progress, its every step harassed
by those who believed that the many
should be the property of the few Long
hours of toll made it impossible for the
man to study after entering upon his
life-work, but here and there some man
escaped from the drudgery of the tread
mill and gave his efforts and talent for
the elevation of mankind. Such men
were few in the beginning, but the ex-
ample they set found worthy disciples
as the centuries followed. The abolition
Of human slavery came in the steps of
Christianity and with the shadows OF
liberty in sight the aim and effort was
to reach for and obtain the substance.
The aim OF the organization Of labor
in ancient times was to obtain better
food. more of it. and the right TO the
soil The wage question did not con-
stitute so prominent factor in the de-
alterations of the association, for the
slavery of the past had precluded the
possibility of obtaining wages as a re-
ward for services rendered. 1t was not
considered honorable for a man TO ac-
cept pay for his labor. He might accept
a present OF more than his wage would
amount to, but It must be understood
that IT was not pay.
Call for Vengeance.
The slave worked for clothing. food,
and shelter. He organized for more
food. more clothing, and better shelter.
AS the soil gave forth what he wanted
in the way OF food, his struggles were
in part for the soil. The element of
revenge was not wanting in the stin.u-
lus to organization. for the inhuuan
cruelties practiced upon the slave work
men called for Vengeance
When Mummius, the Roman .onsul.
conquered Corinth, the last vestige of
the Grecian empire was destroyed. and
afterward Rome was the world and the
world was Rome. for she ruled all that
was great on earth. Speaking of The
decline OF the Grecian empire. Prof.
Droysen says:
In her last days. frivolous; marked
only by outward show, instead OF real
worth; without self-controI or noble
motive; without virtue; without re-
ligion. Greece finally attained that in
tellectual. piquant. profigate .mmor-
atty which invariably constitutes the
last phase IN the history of a sinking
people"
The boundaries Of Rome were: On the
north the Lower Rhine, Main. and Dan
ube; on the east. the Euphrates; on the
south. the desert OF Arabia and Africa;
on the west the Atlantic. Caesar had
conquered England. but not Ireland or
Scotland.
Decline of Rome.
With the Eruption OF the hordes of
Germany the power OF Rome declined.
and in the declination the Roman work
men themselves took an active part.
for they had no cause to either love
or respect their country One para
graph from Fay's Three Germanys"
workman had cause to organize for re-
venge above all things:
The field slaves, chained by the feet
and branded with the owners mark.
were at night driven into filthy .ubter-
ranean prisons. single nobleman
sometimes possessed 1000 OF these
Wretched cattle. The boosted Roman
law. TO say nothing OF mercy. had no
Justice for the slave. When a nobleman
was murdered and the murderer was
not discovered. the law required that
every slave who had passed the night
underneath his masters roof, should be
executed. because OF the possibility
that he might be an accessory 20 the
crime
THE project OF Rome. Pedanius Secun-
dias lunder Ncro), was murdered. In his
palace were four hundred slaves, all OF
whom, including women and even new
bDi ~ tA4lulS h' Nt.S put 10 utdtu. SOtnG
protests against this act arose in the
senate. but an eminent senator, c. Cas-
a.us. delivered u speech on the occasion
which may stiu be read in TaciLua
Law Made More Severe.
He warned the senate against any
modification OF the law. pronounced Il
Indispensable TO the safety OF Rome, and
presented arguments of such weight thar
the senate. Instead of abolishing tie law.
made IL more severe. These barbarians,'
said Cassius. arc ready On every occa-
sion 70 rise and massacre US. They can
be governed only by fear. Some limo
cent, no doubt, may suffer, but what does
that weigh against the safety of the
whole empire
Through The bloody scenes Of strife
which have marked the course OF the
world since the dawn of Christianity,
TIC organization or labor has not been
lost sight OF. and wherever it has ex-
listed. there the human race has taken
higher ground upon the plane Of equality
aud freedom.
The establishment OF the Swiss re-