Page images
PDF
EPUB

and the battles of Lutzen, Bautzen, and Leipsic, had taught him the power of an aroused people, and when too late he saw the fatal mistake of his treason to liberty. In 1802 to 1803, during the peace of Amiens, Napoleon might have established in western and southern Europe a grand confederation of Latin republics, on which, through fear of their own people, the kings would not have dared to make war. In 1812 he might have established a Latin empire, embracing France and affiliated and adjacent nations from the Rhine to the Red Sea, including Rome, Athens, Alexandria, Carthage, and other ancient seats of empire, with opportunity to enter Asia through the valley of the Euphrates, as Alexander did, or by the way of the reopened Suez canal of the ancients, as contemplated by Napoleon himself when in Egypt.

But all these dreams and possibilities gave place to the fatal invasion of Russia! Why was this? Popular writers tell us that it was because of his uncontrollable ambition. The answer is unsatisfactory. The establishment of a united and impregnable Latin empire, converting the Mediterranean into a "French lake," frequently contemplated by Napoleon, with two practicable routes into the richest parts of Asia, and with Russia solidly locked up among her snowdrifts and icebergs, would have yielded him tenfold more glory than could possibly be gained by the most successful invasion of Russia. These subjects had all passed in review before his mind, and were more or less seriously considered. Why then did Napoleon choose the more costly, more hazardous, and less glorious enterprise? There can be but one satisfactory answer, and Napoleon stated that answer to Count Molien:

...

My finances are embarrassed and require war. I shall make this war for a political object, and also for the sake of my finances. Have I not always reëstablished them by war?

He neglected no details of the subject. He calculated the resources which the war would place in his hands. He thought it would add to his political importance, and give him, likewise, "the means of restoring his finances." In other words, Russia had a rich and tempting treasury which had not been robbed, and Napoleon needed money. To reach that treasury he filled his army chest with forged paper roubles, and made the effort. Had he established a Latin empire instead of invading Russia, his finances must have taken the form of the English paper system, or the long- and well-tried system of Venice, or, still better, the

system adopted by France two generations later after the German invasion. But Napoleon preferred the money of barbarism. In order to secure it he adopted the devices of the counterfeiter and the methods of the brigand; he marched to Moscow and fattened the wolves of Russia on the flesh of half a million soldiers. But he obtained no money. His finances were not "reëstablished," and from that moment his downfall became inevitable.

(To be concluded.)

BROTHERHOOD.

BY BIRCH ARNOLD.

Lo! a mighty passion pulses,

And swells adown the aisles of time.
Loud its clarion voice is ringing,

Ever ringing words sublime:-
"Men of thought and men of purpose,
Slaves no longer bow ye down!
God is God, and God in manhood
Shall your holy efforts crown.

"Long the world has slept and slumbered,
Lulled by false and futile peace,
While the souls of men were hungered,
Starved with wants that never cease.

There is work, O men my brothers,

Work to conquer schism, creed;

Close within the arms of mercy,

Fold these hungering ones of need.

"Long the world, in drunken pleasure, Steeped in sense of self and gold, Madly faced, in bold defiance,

Sinai's thunders loudly rolled.

But to-day and now, my brothers,
Justice lifts her drooping head,

Cries aloud in bitter anguish
Like a soul in bondage led.

"Half the world is crushed and stifled,
'Neath Oppression's iron heel;
Few there are who dare for Freedom,
Few there are with hearts to feel.

But to work, O men my brothers,

Break for God the tyrant's power;

Rend the chains of caste and Mammon,
Bring the serf his freeman's dower.

"Not for triumph's noisy plaudits, Not for greed of gold or fame, Into earth's discordant noises

He, the Prince of Heaven, came: But to show you, O my brothers, Love's triumphant power to heal, Teach you all of Heaven's mercy, All its pity how to feel.

"E'en though scoffers may decry you,
Love is balm for every stroke;
Shoulders bent to righteous burdens
Find how easy grows the yoke.
Shall we falter, then, my brothers?
Men are dying, ours to save;
Bring the oil of cheer and healing,
Cover up the yawning grave.

"Crush the Self that wars with Mercy,
Slay the fiends of gold and pride;
Never man was made more holy,
Till the soul was crucified.
Courage then, O men my brothers,
Be as soldiers in Truth's cause;
Foes may strike, but strike the harder,
Till earth yields to Heaven's laws!"

For lo! a mighty passion pulses

And swells adown the aisles of time;
Loud its clarion voice is ringing,
Ever ringing words sublime:

"Men of thought, and men of action,
Slaves no longer bow ye down!
God is God, and God in manhood
Shall your holy efforts crown."

A NEW SYSTEM OF STATE WARRANTS.

BY HON. HOWARD L. WEED, OF STATE OF WASHINGTON.

In this age of combines, corporations, pools, and trusts, it were well to investigate somewhat in order to see if any good can be drawn from these institutions which can be used to offset the multitudinous evils which they have produced the world over. Without entering elaborately into details at this time, concerning the enslaved condition of mankind, their mighty woes and terrible sufferings as being the direct results of the workings of these same institutions, I will introduce the subject in contemplation at once by making the preliminary remark, that the individuals who compose these various corporations, trusts, etc., have formed these different combinations for the purpose of securing greater and more continuous prosperity, both individually and collectively. From a business point of view the plan has proved to be a brilliant success to the individuals who have so extensively given up competition and have pooled their separate interests to form these enormous trusts.

Why can not the taxpayers of any state of this Union take a lesson from trusts and combine their forces in the matter of the issuance and redemption of warrants and the payment of taxes?

We find that in nearly all of the counties of each of the states several kinds of warrants are being issued against the various existing funds, so that we have a floating indebtedness consisting of state warrants, county warrants, city warrants, town warrants, school-district warrants, etc., which are drawn against their various funds, when cash is not available, in payment for public supplies and improvements and for salaries of public officials and employees.

In order to redeem outstanding warrants various taxes are levied, known as the school tax, city tax, county tax, state tax, etc., payable in cash and apportioned to appropri ate funds, at which time the warrants with accumulated interest are paid according to numerical order and cancelled.

There must be, in the aggregate, over two hundred thousand public funds in existence in the United States; 'therefore the market price of the outstanding warrants ranges

« PreviousContinue »