The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-01-22
Edgerton's
Fl arm.

copyright, 1909, by American Press Asso.
citation. This matter must not be re.
printed without special permfssion.l
The Recurring Cycle.
History is a tracing Of the spirals
that humanity follows in its evolution
and progress. Thus certain great
epochs rccur, which fact gives birth to
the saw that History repeats itself"
If n Will closely study the two pc
RODS he will see the startling similati.
ty between the America of today anG
Rome at the beginning Of the empire.
We live more rapidly 10Y and hence
cover in a decade the phases that re-
quired a half century then. Skill, the
parallel holds good. Rome was the
greatest republic of antiquity, while
ours is the greatest republic of the
modern world. One was building a
civilization in western Europe. while
the other Is building a civilization
also to the westward, but this time
around the shores of the Pacific ocean.
Both reached the height Of intellectual
greatness and material wealth and
splendor. Both saw q transition from
ancient spiritual faiths and the birth
Of new cults Both beheld a political
transformation, one the birth Of 8
world empire, the other the birth Of a
career In world politics, with an I'm
perial tinge. The parallel can be car
ried further and applied to more mi.
mute details. If the reader is sufficient
ly interested he can do this for him
self. l have neither the time o the
space to go into the matter more mi
nutely here.
The similarity is not confined to
events and general setting, however.
1t is found even in individuals. Take
five members Of the group, for exam
pie, surrounding Julius Caesar. Their
modern counterparts are obviohs.
Here Is the manner III which the
groups line up. Julius Caesar finds his
modern type in William Mckinley.
both great captains and administra-
tors, both mild in personal character,
both effective speakers and writer's.
both accused of imperialism, both as
s%assinated. Augustus Caesar has his
counterpart in Theodore Roosevelt,
both reformers Of a strenuous type,
both dominating their period, both
coming into conflict with their senates.
both standing for Capitalization and
both succeeding the assassinated lead
er of the group. Mark Antony finds
his recurrent figure in Mark Hanna,
both sworn friends and lleutenants of
the chief, both adopting methods
sweepingly criticised. both coming into
conflict for place with the successor
to the leader and both having charac-'
teristics in common too obvious to rees
quire listing.
Brutus vas the prototype of Bryan.
both orators. both writer's Of travels,
both opposing Imperialism, both de-
feated, but welding great moral influ-
ence. Last. Tiberius Caesar, the sue
cessor Of Augustus, suggests William
H. Taft. Not only are the characters
and work Of all these men like those
Of their prototypes, but there is a GER
tain resemblance In the very features.
Now, do not jump to the conclusion
that l am advocating any theory. l do
not presume to explain. l merely offer
the facts. the startling parallel, which
grows more startling the more 1t is
studied
Now to the nub of the matter. The
ministry of Jesus of Nazareth occurred
during the reign Of Tiberius. We are
almost ut the same point of the spiral
on the recurrent round. Has this fact
any meaning for us? Is the Christ
coming again, this time as an inner
spiritual force I'M all humanity? Here
is the parallel and here the question it
suggests. What do you make OF it all?
Is it only fancy or the most significant
fact Of modern times?