The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-12
w..

In the third chapter. which is devoted to
"The Gracchi and the New Italy our
author recalls that Tiberius, the elder
brother, had been brought up under the
most distinguished Greek philosophers OF
the day. He was familiar from boyhood
! with discussions OF the difficulties that
beset the Roman State. He had heard
Rome's most notable statesmen lament
the symptoms of social and military do
cadence and cry out for some reform which
would avert the impending chaos. What
disqlneted them most Of all was the whole
sale disappearance OF the country popula-
ton, upon which the army relied for its
recruits. Tiberius Gracious, young and
~sanguine, made up his mind to deal stimuli
taneously with the two great problems
before him, the distress OF the Roman
proletariat and the decay Of the army.
His conception Of the remedy was sim
pie. In times past the Roman State
had been the landlord Of great public
domains all over Italy, particularly in the
south Of the peninsula. These estates had
for many years been held on lease. or in
some cases merely occupied, without any
bIOW Vi dullOI tLtaNiObt ny iSh BhSlAiSNNhe
from among the Roman ~aristocracy. Tn
State, however, had never resigned its
original rights, and might lawfully at any
time proceed TO enforce them. II all the
State lands were cut up into small holdings
and the distressed poor Of Rome and Latium
were settled upon them as peasant pro-
p~rietors, the military problem would. it
seemed, be solved at a stroke. The dying
country towns OF Italy would be infused
with fresh life and the agricultural dis
tricts around them passing again under
cultivation by his new yeoman class
would once more send their tale Of sturdy
recruits to the Roman legions.
Having been elected TO the ~Tribuneship
OF the people for the year 1871 B. c., Tiberius
Gracious brought forward a land bill,
drawn up for him by two Greek experts.
II provided that no Roman citizen should
possess more than 500 acres OF public land.
with 25o acres for each of his sons, up to a
possible additional maximum OF another
500 acres. The Latins and Italians were
TO be deprived OF all public land that had
not been formally assigned to them. whether
they held II by purchase or merely by
unauthorized occupation. Roman citizens.
however, in occupation Of public lands,
who we're mostly men OF large means,
were TO receive a money compensation
for any improvements made; the Latins
and allies. whose holdings were on a more
moderate scale. were to be compensated
by being allowed to take part with the
distressed poor OF Rome in the new dis
tribution Of estates. The new Roman
settlers were to pay a small annual rental
to the State, and the lands made over to
them we're TO be i~nalienable. Three MaRis-
tratee lone OF whom was Caius Gracious,
the Younger brother Of Tiberius), chosen
by the people in the Assembly Of the Tribes,
were to distribute the estates and 20 ex-
anime into all cases OF disputed owner
ship. In the following year Tiberius was
assassinated by the reactioniste and his
project came to nothing.
Ten years later the abortive enterprise
was taken up by his younger brother. who
was far superior to Tiberius in character
and intellect. He, too. was profoundly
impressed with the necessity OF saving at
least a part Of the ancient order. The
original Graochan idea Of conservative social
reform, however. was doomed to undergo
the fate which has since befallen analogous
schemes under similar conditions. by the
ItlICS u " Noo w bCNbIlib
transmitted into a programme Of the most
far reaching and revolutionary scope, a
programme which. far from preserving
all that was worth preserving in the heritage
Of the past, would ha We contributed most
powerfully to hasten it's dissolution. The
fate Of Tiberius had shown that IL wns USE
less to try TO remedy the distress at Rome
without first breaking down or at least
humiliating the powerful faction Of the
great public landlords, Moreover, eI-
p~erience had demonstrated that, even
granting that the new proprietors would
be Jealous In cultivstinR the INT assigned
TO them (which was by no means sure). ii
would be no easy matter TO reendow the
Roman citizens. 10Y numbering VOC, 900.
and become the rulers Of an extensive
empire. with the sterling qualities Of the
old Roman spirit. The Roman Of the day
was a very different man from his grand
father. The nation was by this time made
up Of a small and exclusive oliRarchy OF
landlords and Of traders. bankers and
concession hunters, artisans, adventures
and ~loafers; the metropolis was pcopled with
q noisy, ~unprincipled and eelf-opinionated
mob, thirsting for pleasure and excitement.
for easy profits and quick returns. No
doubt, discomfort and class hatred might
induce the ~proletartans 20 give a vote in
favor Of reform, but they would not he
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