The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-01-15
The Recurring Cycle.

AAS recurring Vycle.
History is a tracing of the spira]s
that humanity follows in its evolution
and progress. Thus certain great
epochs recur, which fact gives birth to
the saw that HISTORY repeats itself"
II one will closely study the two pc
RODS he will see the startling similari.
ty between the America of today anG
Rome at the beginning Of the empire.
We live more rapidly now and hence
v 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 a transition from
ancient spiritual faiths and the birth
of new cults Both beheld a political
transformation. n the birth Of 3
world empire, the other the birth Of q
career in world politics, with an inn
perfal tinge. The parallel can be car
ried further and applied to more mi.
mute details. 1.-THE reader is sufficient.
ly interested he can do this for him
self. / have neither the time nor 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 wen in individuals. Take
five members OF the group, for exam
pie. surrounding julius Caesar. Their
modern c0hnterparts are obvious.
Here is the manner in 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
sassinated. Augustus Caesar has his
counterpart in Theodore Roosevelt,
both refOrmers Of a strenuous type.
both dominating their period. both
ESOAAnbIA III SOIIIl1CL W lNl1 luSl SCuutSsS,
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 ~ffeutenants Of
the chief. both adopting methods
sweepingly criticised. both coming into
conflict for place with the successor
to the leader and both having charac-
tcristlcs I'm common too obvious to re-
4uire listing.
Brltus IA the prototype Of Bryan.
both. orators. both writer's Of travels.
both opposing Imperialism. both de-
feated, but welding great moral 4nfiu-
ence. Last. Tiberius Caesar. the sue
cessor Of Augustus. suggests William
H. Taft. Not only are thercharacters
and work of all these men like those
of their prototypes. but there is a GER
tain resemblancesfn the very features.
Now. do not jump to the conclusion
that am advocating,any theory. l do
not presume to explain. I merely offer
the facts. the startling parallel, which
grows more startling the more 1t is
studied
Now to the nub. of thes matter. The
ministry Of Jesus of Nazareth occurred
during the reign of Tiberius. We are
almost at 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 in all humanity? Here
is the parallel and here the question 1t
suggests. What do you make Of it all?
Is 1t only fancy or the most significant
fact Of modern times?