The Washington herald., 1909-04-25
BY RUDOLPH DE zAPP.

/ seems that the upTisings which are TAX
ing place amcng the Turkish troops are
OK & progressive revolutionary character,
to restore the constitutional government,
but It does not seem quite clear whether
the revolutionary movements sgitatlng
Frances working classes viii make for
progress or reaction.
Cries OF Down with the republic
were heard recently at & gathering OF
strikers in Meru. France. and # IS said
that the soldiers are bearing the insults
Of the people with great stoicism. using
only the FATS OF their saberg in dispers-
ing the mobs It IS claimed by psrtissns
that the French army is permeated by
monarchistic propagandists
revolution OF progress is often de-
structive. sweeping away much which
| should have been preserved. But such q
revolution has q regenerating force; il
I rsnews the youth Of nation and gives
free play 20 its vital powers. Lost limbs
are replaced by new \ revolution Of re-
action. on the other hand. IS benumbing
/ influence. paraIyzing effort and leveiing
! character In such conservative reTO-
luton the mean. the selfish. and the cor
rupt come 70 the top; man seeks ease and
| Ienjoyment rather than duty; virtue. hon
/ OF. patriotism, and disinterestedness dis
appear altogether from a society which
! has ceased TO believe In them
Revolutions are brought about some
times by apparently Insignificant causes.
a. the following incident viii show As
the citizens OF Palermo focked 10 yes
pers on one Of the festivals OF Easter
week. March 30. 12S2 a French soldier in
suited a young and beautiful Sicilisn
I maiden in the presence OF her betrothed
husband The latter instantly drew hts
dagger and stabbed the offender 20 the
heart This was the signal for a violent
| explosion Of popular fury Cries OF
Death 10 the French" were heard on all
sides. Upward Of 90 were cut down on
the spot. and the massacre was continued
[ in the streets Of Palermo through the
whole night From the capital the insuT-
rection spread to Messina. from Messlna
/ 10 the other towns Of the island Every
where the French were ruthlessly butch
condition. The total number OF the slain
is said to have exceeded Soa9. Such was
tte terrible catastrophe Of the 'SicilIsR
vespers
Sometimes revolutions are bred by the
climate. and historians say that plain
/ in the Chinese Tartary only eight leagues
! from the great wall was found by the
missionaries 20 be 1900 geometricai PAGES
above the level Of the sea MontesGuieu,
who has used and abused the relations OF
travellers. deduces the revolutions OF Asia
from this important circumstance. that
/ heat and cold. weakness and strength
touch each other without any temperate
zone
IL is a historical fact thar some Of the
British officials sent over 20 their Amer
I lean colonies were held IN such contempt
I By The people as 10 sdd 10 The cause Of
/ the American Revolution. OF this Ban
croft saws that the Duke OF Newcastle,
minister Of British America Tor twenty
T four wears would crafty his connections
/ in the aristocratic families % England by
/ iatrusting the royal prerogative to rneE
( Of broken fortunes. diSsolute and ignor-
snt. too vile 20 be employed near home.
50 that America became the hospital of
I Great Britain Tor is decsyed members OF
/ Parliament and abandoned courtiers- OF
such officers the conduct was sure 10
/ provoke jealous distTuSJ and 20 justify
perpetual opposition
(
/ Every revolution in history has had its
source in the masses. its discomfort and
/ The oppression Of the poor on the part Of
the rich and those in power The follow
- .os-.. --..r.- - --,ao hin o
I OF the revOlutionized Roman government.
SAYS that the creation OF the tribune OF
/ the people is the era Of change in the
| Roman constitution
/ The Valerian law had given severe
blow 10 the aristocracy, or party of the
Datricians and the creation of popular
magistrates with such high powers had
now plainly converted the government
| into a democracy. But the immediate
cause Of things coming 10 an open rup-
ture was the intolerable burden OF the
cebts owing by the poor 10 the rich This
grievance became al length SO general.
from the frequency OF the military cam
paigns. in which every soldier was obliged
10 serve al his own charges. and from the
ravages committed on the lands by the
hostile armies. which reduced the poorer
sort entirely 10 beggary. that the plebe-
ians began 20 look upon their order as
born 20 q state OF hereditary seTVitude
Hence that desperate measure OF aban-
doning the city and eucamping N arms
upon the Mons Sacer.
All that the people al this time desired
was. not power. but a relief from oppres-
sion and cruelty: and had this just claim
been readily listened 10 and a relief
! b. f-1 oh
l:tion OF the debts. al least by Tepressing
the enormous usUry and taking away the
inhuman rights OF slavery and Of cor
poraI punishment, this people would In al
probability have cheerfully returned 10
order and Submission and the Roman
constitution might long have remained
what We have seen II was st first. aristo-
craticaL But torrent imprudently re-
sisted will IN time acquire that inpetuOus
force which carries everything before II.
The patricians. sensible that they had
pushed matters 10 a most alarming ex-
treme and now thoroughly intimidated.
we're obliged 10 grant the demand OF ere
ating popular magistrates.
One Of the important factors in the
provocation OF the American Revolution
was the burdening of this country's COM
merce with taxes Of all sorts On the
restoration Of monarchy all vessels not
bearing the English flag were forbidden
TO enter the harbors OF New England. A
law Of expectation was enacted by which
all articles produced in the colonies snd
demanded IN England should be shipped
10 England only. Such articles of pro-
6uction as the English merchants did not
desire might be sold IN any Of the ports OF
Europe The law OF Importation was
equally cdious Such articles as were
produced in England should not be manu-
featured IN America. but should be
bought from England only Free trade
between the colonies was forbidden, and
duty or per cent. levied fer the benefit
of the English King, was put on both ex-