The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1908-02-27

~ world are all noted for some
great personality China had
her COnfucius. They honor
him because he was great philoso-
pher and friend of the people. Today
his precepts are as fresh in the annals
OF that coantry's history as they were
when they dropped from the lips of
the great prOverb maker. Carthage is
noted for the exploits of Hannibal, the
great general who humbled the haugh-
ty pride OF Rome. Macedonia is in
separably connected with the life of
Alexander the Great, the audacious
warrior who sighed for more worlds to
conquer. Sparta is noted as the home
of Lycurgus, the man who inaugu-
rated the most peculiar laws the world
ever heard of.
Solon, perhaps more than any other
man, has helped to perpetuate the
glories of ancient Athens. He lived
just previous to the period known as
the Age of Pericles, when philosophy,
the drama, sculpture, literature, AID
a.
art received such an impetus by such
brilliant men as Plato, Aristotle, Soph-
ocIes, Thucydides, Phidias, and The
C:lstocles. The mariner, as he steers
his craft along the seacoast, is more
familiar with the beacon lights which
warn him of impending danger than
he is of the innumerable smaller lights
which guide the waYfarer Oh his way.
So it is with history. We are more in
terested, profoundly so, in the great
personalities who made thrones totter
and who conquered empires than we
are in the careers of those who played
a lesser part in shaping the destinies
lof their country. Rome produced a
thousand generals and heroes, but
their deeds are submerged by the
genius of Julius Caesar. Almost any
schoolboy can tell something of this
wonderful man, but few of them know
anything of Cincinnatus, of Horatius
Coolies, or of Scipio.
In the career of Solon there is little
that can be called spectacular. He did
not pose like Diogenes, who tramped
the streets in the daytime with a.
eighted lantern "lOoking for an honest
man." as he facetiOusly remarked
when asked as to what he was doing
Solon was born 638 B. c. and lived to be
four-score years. He was born in
Athens, of noble parentage, aud re-
ceived thorough education at the
hands of able instructors. Being a
BORN aristocrat hesearly became pro-
tagonist; his tastes were to command,
not to follow. AT very early period
he took an active part in public affairs.
His father, on account of his great
kindness to his fellow-mep. impov-
erished his estate, and Solon was
forced to become a tradesman in or
der to maintain his family's tradition.
at this time he was addicted to the
habit of writing poetical effusions.-
habit which remained with him all his
life. AS he grew older in years and
wisdom, his poetry improved in style
and sentiment.
At the time Solon was called to take,
charge of the destinies of Athens, the
government was divided into several
factions, and each faction wanted to
rule according to what would benefit
them the most. The result was mis-
management and the worst form of
class legislation. The rich oppressed
the poor until their burdens made
them serfs. Anarchy among them
was rife and it was only thru the di-
plomacy of Solon that bloodshed was
prevented. The frst act he did was to
relieve the poor of their unjust debts.
This law failed to meet the approba-
tion of the rich, and Scion received
much condemnation at their hands.
,AlthO he improved the condition of the
poor, they also were incensed at him,
for they surmised he would make an
equal distribution of the land, an act
similar to the one inaugurated by
Sparta about two centuries previous.
However, each soon realized that he
cid the best possible thing under the
circumstances; that he endeavored to
treat each class honestly without dis