Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1906-10-20


H1ifh seems to have made n great
|}npFession upon the world of that
|Jcfiod 1t is that inaugurated by
|4ycurgus, q character regarded BY
fQme historians as mythical. but
whose name stands for a body OF
laws or regulations which endured
|lnring period of 500 years in
|ireece. and apparently benefited
Nose who were governed by them
IS sometimes assumed that the ex.
&rlment of Lycurgus owed it's sue
f4a 10 the primitive condition of the
80p}e, but that idea is hardly com.
ekible with the information we
4xe respecting the causes for it's in.
Nxnration and the reforms which II
4lleged to have accomplished. II
traditions are at all trustworthy
Xnrgus. or whoever was RESPONSE
c for the institutions which go by
& name. must have had an oppor-
[&nity to study the disastrous conse-
$s hoes of the land and wealth of
|ne country being absorbed by the
|e~ to the injury of the many, and
NJ determine the cause which pro-
|Qeed an inequality which he con-
||Aded was detrimental to the COM
M pnwealth.
WI we are correctly informed, Ly-
Mgus, like Tolstoi, believed that
Ee d and silver were the roots of all
uble. When this idea struck the
|fcient law-giver he proceeded to
|H nDon it in a comprehensive fash
He first took steps to destroy
monetary feature of the two
als, and provided the people
an iron money of a purely
erary character, which was de-
Bed of its intrinsic value or use
qualities by process which
Harch describes in loose fashion.
which leaves little room for
tbt that its creation was a scien-
achievement and not primi-
|& device, as some historians have
&Hly assumed. He followed this
bal step by making an equal di-
I3n of the lands of individuals as
H as the lands still belonging to
f4tstate. This heroic measure APP
~rs to have met with serious OPP
4ll ion, all hands consenting to the
I1b lishment of new system which |
4Hl ii put all on an equal footing,
- merit the only road to emil |
9fe, and "the disgrace of evil and !
W credit of worthy acts the one
fNf ure of difference between man
TAX nan."
result of the experiment. If 1,
|e+ +hronicles are to be believed, was !
Oduce a species of isolation, J
Ion, however, We are told did not
|<l iniuriously. The artistic skill r
people being diverted from
|4 fashioning of articles OF luxury,
P& devoted TO the perfection of
|ef things, and thus it came TO
W that the artisans became Eek
IT'D pt artists in common. necessary
||4f bedsteads, chairs, tables and
| like staple utensils In a family
W admirably well made; their
particularly, was very much in
pm, and eaglerly bought up by
frs." For this" says Plutarch,
had to thank their lawgiyer.
by relieving the artisans of the
e of making useless things,
hem to show their skill in Civ
RPeauty to those of daily and in
nslble use" But the greatest
< hishest blessing Lycurgus pro-
'eu Tor his people was the abun-
M OF leisure which proceeded
MS forbidding TO them the ex-
OF any mean mechanical
The helots titled the ground
men, and performed the mean
which Lycurgus deprecated,
ne citizens We're happy. This
'lon OF affairs lasted five cen
and was finally terminated
he insidious Introduction Of
and silver, which speedily un-
II that the Institutes had ae-
ished In the way of good. In
me Of Agis these metals hogan
q their way into Sparta. ''and
'hem all those misehiefs which
the inordlnate desire OF
l.ysander Is charged with
ahdoing. FOR by bringing in
'.o'is from the wars. although
ineoFrupt, he yet by this
W alled his country with ayarice