The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-11-09
TODAY IN HISTORY
Birthday Of Hannibal.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 9. 1910.


Tradition sets the 9th OF November as
the birthday OF Hannibal; history sets
IA r. C. as tho year He may be said
TO have been born Into The army. for at
the early age OF he succeeded In per-
suadng his father To take him on inc
Spanish campaign, lilo received me
training OF soldier In camp at inc
hands OF his father, and when he was
only lS years Of age he proved hl,sseas m he
took charge Of tie entire army. Two
years later all Spain had submitted 10
his power Then he boldly marched into
Italy, and for seventeen vc3rS hurled dc"
armies from tho field,
| When Scipio crossed over into Africa.
| Carthage called Hannibal home to pro-
tcct her, but Il was TOO late. BY her
jealousy she had let the opportunity TO
crush Rome slip from her. Hannibal 8
power was then so weak that ne coud
make only u feeble resistance to Scipio q
strong force. With his fearless disposi-
ZION. however, he drew his army up be
fore the Romans at Zama and struck
his last blow at Rome. :,
After this little battle Hannibal direct
ed all his attention to political affairs
and in a few years he had made Garth
age a powerful government bni again
jeaously was destined TO shatter his sue
cess. Hc had aroused the suspicion OF
Rome, and to save his lifc he had 10
fee to the cour, of Antiocl,us. and from
there 10 Persia, but the vengeance OF
Rome was upon him. and 10 escape her
hand he poisoned himself, Thus ended
the life of one OF tho greatest generals
the world has ever seen.
Hannibal always lahnrca under dfficUl'
ties. The ruling faction Of his country
feared that III he became too successful
he would rob them Of their power, and
rather Than him do this they pre-
ferred to submit to Rome, their bitterest
enemy, They virtually refused him all
aid and even went so far as to attempt
to betray him into the hands OF Rome,
but fortunately he escaped
After Trebia Lake Trasmene and of
Carnee. no general dared to meet him In
open conflict, Nearly all Italy bowed TO
his standard, but with all This power and
success he was not strong enough 10 cf-
fec,ivcly besIcge a city. He lacked the
men and the Instruments and his own
country refused to give him what would
unquestionably have made il master OF
the world and would have lulled its
greatest enemy to steep forever,
II we can judge from circumstances:
Hannibal was n fayoritc with all his SOL
diers. They were so attached TO him
that Carthage did not dare 10 refuse to
sanction his leadership, although 1t hated
To do so. lie must have been kind
leader to keep the will of an army that
was composed of Numidlanss men from
the Belcaric isles. Spaniards. Africans,
GaulS and Italians.
We find him striving ever for the well
fare OF Carthage. He seized the helm
credit, and ii sprang to its feet; he
Smotc the rock OF internal resources. and
abundant revenues gushed forth. In six
years he paid off the debt OF Sl1, 900 600,
which was imposed Carthage by
SciDio. He made Just laws, reformed
her narrow Institutions, and was direct
ing the government In such a way that,
If he had been permitted he would have
raised Carthage to greater cmlnence
than II had formely enjoyed.
Yet jealousy swept away all hopes OF
his ever becoming powerful again. His
political enemies cautioped Rome to be-
ware Of his ambition, They declared he
was already making preparations to
strike another blow at his sworn enemy.
AS result Of this jealousy he was
forced 10 fec to save his life. But eau
tious Rome would take no chances: They
determined to pursue him, even to the
end OF the world II necessary.
Every action of his life was directed
TO the one end. and to accomplish that
end he did what no other general ever
dared to do; he went into the heart OF
the enemy's country, and, 10 use the
his own bases, He had no opportunity
To escape nor to receive assistance. For
wears he supplied the needs Of his men
from the ,enemy's stores. He was sur
rounded on every side, so that he had TO
conquer at all times be sWopt away.
Although he saw these dangers, he never
hesitated nor felt down hearted He told
his soldiers that victory on one
er. and for them to choose for them
selves. They chose victory: and as a
result we see Hannibal and his men cut
ting their way up and down through
Italy al will.
Today is the birthday of Mark AIKEN
side the English poet OT2D; Benjamin
Banneker. known as "Thc African AS
tronomcr' Q7$D; Josiah Tattnall the
Confederate naval officer d795); Elijah
P. LoreJoy the noted abolitionist GS02)
Thomas Bragg. The North Carolina
statesman GS10); Ivan Tureenieff. the
Russian novelist USlS): Ambrose p.
Hill. Confederate general Gs25) the late
King Edward VII of England 0SiD:
and Frederick Funston, who captured
Aguinaldo in the Philippines GSG5). 1t
is the date OF the death OF William Cam
den, the eminent English scholar and
author 0623). and Marshal Count de
Bourmont. French commander QS46).