Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-08
The Roman Republic

To the Editor OF the Evening Public Ledger:
Sir-May I be permitted to suggest that
IN your editorial headed Wilson. in the
Forum, Ties the Strands of History" there
Is an entire misconception of the spirit which
animates this great Republic of the New
World. You say. sir, that "the very modes
OF thought In which the founders of the
United states gave expression to their pur-
poses were grounded in Roman republican
ism as II endured for seven centuries" To
that statement ! cannot agree. The Roman
Republic was pagan. Its gods were pagan
gods. Its modes 81 thought were heathenish.
Its idea of liberty extended no further than
to citizens of Rome. All others were slaves
or tribute-bayers to the republic. In what
are called It's days of grandeur, the Roman
Republic was the exponent of militarism and
It's lesions were conquering and subjecting
the peoples of Europe, Africa and Asia Minor.
Lust was Its guiding principle-lust of
PRIDE. of covetousness. of wealth. of power.
And when at last these lusts became con-
centrated In the breast Of one strong man
he led his legions against the republic itself.
When Caesar crossed the Rubicon, he
sounded the knell of. the Roman Republic.
He was the flower OF Its modes of thought
and the end of the republic was the natural
and logical consequence of these modes of
thought. For the Roman Republic lived by
the sword. and it met its death by the sword.
But this great American Republic was not
conceived In, nor were H. purposes expressed
IN the modes of thought OF Roman repub-
ilCanlSm. Inc FOUNDERS of the United states
OF America looked not to man, but to God.
as the source of their rights and their liber-
ties. Where In Roman republicanism ia to
be found the thought. I'VE hold these truths
to be self-evidcnt: that all men are created
equal that they are endowed by their Gre
ator with certain unalienable rights that
among these are life. liberty and the pursuit
or happiness? You will search pagan history
In vain for that great thought. Roman re-
publicanism had no conception of 1t. Yet it
4 a lnnn TINT ran 1A.,uh aaI ah.. -tl--,
equally American thought, that all Govern
ments derive their just powers from the con-
sent of the governed" that this Republic
of ours Is grounded. In spirit those thoughts
are as far above the modes of thought of
Roman republicanism as Christ is above
Janu; as God is above Mars. The Roman
Republic knew nothing of the great divine
truths and principles of Justice contained In
the gospel Of Christ. The American Republic
Is grounded upon those truths and principles.
President Wilson. therefore, does not go
to Rome to link UP the great republic of
the New World with the great republic OF
the Old World, He goes with n spirit that
was wholly unknown to the Roman Republic,
1t Is the spirit which peacefully tr!unphed
over the empire of Rome the spirit which
enlightens the great American Republic; the
spirit of Him who taught mankind the way
Of peace and who gave His life for the
whole world on Calvary's Mount. That
spirit starting from Jerusalem, conquering
the Roman Empire. crossing the seas to
America, Is now carried back to Rome by the
President of the American Republic that 1t
may conquer the whole world. This, I am
constrained to believe. Is the profound
Significance OF Mr.. Wilson'S visit to Rome,
1t is not from the Italians as heirs Of pagan
Rome that he can hope for the acceptance
Of the spirit of America. 1t is to the Ital-
ians as heirs of Christian Rome that he must
make his appeal. 1t Is not to the spirit of
the Forum. but to the spirit of the Gaia
combs that the spirit of America speaks
through its chief executive. Who can doubt
In the presence of these spirits that God
reigns and rules over the world which lie
made or that He Is working out His will
among the nations of the earth? II. Il.
Philadelphia, January 3. 1919.
Imperfect and narrow though il was in
many ways. the Roman Republic, up to the
time Of the dictatorship of Caesar, stood
for certain vital principles In government
whose traditions have given a thread of
continuity TO history. II was this link to
which reference was made in the editorial.
How potent was the force of this tradition
is readily seen In the application Of the word
Senate to describe the upper house of the
American Congress. Discrepancies between
the pretensions of alleged democracies and
the way In which their doctrines, are observed
are exemplifed. many times in world annals.
The Declaration Of independence proclaimed
that all men are created equal and with
inalienable rights and yet at the time of
the adoption OF the American Constitution
universal manhood suffrage was unknown In
the United States. Nevertheless the s~alutary
influence OF that statement set down In all
sincerity Is Observation-Disclosures