The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-03-25
= The Story of Democracy /" ' s.ss.'
The Cycle Begins Again--From feudalism
Democracy Comes 10 a Re- Birth

Chonfer 10
ire FsrupeFaslss rewsr e ~
human raes seems n - N.
limited. No seensr 80 ths resds
enes more hecoms ssfs scr travel
than that we can observe . return
~ commercial activities wAlch had
been absent TOR sems twenty kea-
srasiens
Thls IL not mean International
trade in ths msaeFn sense II the
word. for IN IN age whfn ne sm.
pernrs family travelled In halleck
carts. the exchange AZ geeas wes
stlll - insignificant that peadlsrs
with packs an their backs could
easily take care Al all the psorlss
needs.
Hut after thss lesx period 81
hih~Tnasisn. any r~sars - sas-
mad farm 81 esiss~sce meant ~
enormous ss~p forward. and ~
this rel#t u - nee<s.aFy - rive
the a~sll hls due .na sMs . Ks~a
weird for ~ ln~tituties whlrh ~
eur modern Amersea n usually
regarded with prefeusd aissp-
prevail. I refer n that INTEREST,"
Ing form ef Essera.s<as ks..n
- frssaaii.n.
II In true that from the point ef
view Of the year 1870 fsudailsm a.
an institution M. very little 10
recommend II. nut n ne want u
be fair. we should remember that
II was something absolutely un-
avoldahl..
Feudsllsm during the early MID.
die Ages MAS necessary - the
system Of the vlKilante. which
sprang up all over the far ws.t
during the earliest days Of it de-
selepment. and ~ SELF appointed
policemen these fendal lords per-
formed q most valuable service.
Once more The merchant could
move from place 10 place without
the constant fear OF losing not
only HIS possessions but also hls
life.
The f~udai lord of course did
nothing for nothing. INT a. the
recognised man OF violence. he
promptly etadleated tho smaller
fry and no sooner had = modicum
Of safety returned 10 a much
plagued world than behold com.
mercs and trade once more made
their triumphant entry among the
people of Europe.
Here and there such energetic
individuals banded together. and
amidst the ruins OF ancient Ro-
man towns they re-establlshed
themselves m citizens Of . free
community.
Soon their numbers we're In.
creased by those former aerf. who
by means Of their extraordinary
ability 1t some particular craft
had been able 10 buy their per-
Honai liberty And then came the
twelfth century. when . eomblns-
ton Of circumstances suddenly
rushed 10 their assistance In .
most unexpected fashion.
The primitive agricultural meth
DDS OF the Dark Ages had com.
pletely exhausted the soil. Soon
there was not land enough To- feed
The muitituden. And at that pre-
else moment. the victory In tho
East of the Mohammsdans had
placed the holy shrinss Of Chris.
tendon At the mereiea OF an un.
believing sultan.
The church began 10 preach
those erusades which we're 10
deliver Tho Holy Land from the
yoke Of the lnfldsl. and soon ~
was practically impossible for any
sslf-rsspeotlng country squire not
TO tahs part IN at least one Of
these great miKrations
he waa Of course obliged 10
travel In stats and with . oonsld.
srabls rstinus of soldiers and ssr.
wants. FOR that purpose he needed
ready money. for the shipping
companies Of Venice and Genoa
did not believe In credit. This
money he obtained by borrowing
cash from the only people who had
any from the merchants.
The merchants. not belns un-
dsf ANY particular si,iIKssisa 10
do the fashionable tsiag. asuia
stay peacefully - bssss. AID
when 40 iatsrest wa paid 80
their ieans, they were shis 10 In.
sist upon certain substitutes ia'
the form Of al sorts u right.
and prsroKaaises that usre 10
increase ihs Independents Ut
thsar litile eities And ss this
process continued for slssesi
thrss oeatsriess ibs sasss era
sadss sess ef ths greatest Ina
pertasns ia hslplag The Krs~ah
sf farepe's fnenlsd middle
glasses.
And anes city air meant FREE
air the spirit u Independents
among the inhabitants Of ths hlkh. /
vailed touna grew 10 a point /
where they felt themselves strong
enough 10 act Independently of any
over iofd