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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 23, 1889)
WEST SHORE. 323 Last week's episode in Brazil, besides punctuating the proverbial uneasiness of crowned heads, calls to mind the fleeting brilliancy of the reginio that onco dominated by far the larger portion of the new world. Immediately succeeding the discovery of America, Spain was in the heyday of her glory and power. She was the leading maritime nation of that time and the aggressive and daring spirit of her subjects in America speedily reduced to nominal subjugation the most glittering portions of the new continent. Purely mercenary, fanatically religious, selfish and profligate, the Spanish conquerors swayed scepter from Florida to California and southward away beyond tho realm of the unfortunate Incas. Glutted with her successes thus mercilessly obtained Spain rapidly sank from the first rank of nations to effeminacy. Her new world provinces threw off the yoke of tho mother country and to-day Spain has not a foot of territory on tho continent of America. The Portuguese pursued a eourso parallel with that of their former masters and with similar re sults. Forced by circumstances to acknowledge Bra zil an independent monarchy, tho king of Portugal left his infant son on the new throne, and now this scion of old world royalty i9 compelled to give way to tho demand for a popular government. Canada alone of the new world remains tho only Eurooan depen dency worth mentioning. Of the great maritimo pow ers of tho period of America's colonization Spain and Portugal, England, Franco and Holland only Eng land retains any considerable area, the French and Dutch being represented by a small patch of territory each in Guiana. The reign of fire and sword was ban ished from America long ago. Monarchical institu tions never flourished in tho western world for any considerable period. But there iB no more meteoric or romantic chapter in tho history of modern limes than that emanating from tho throno of Aragon and Castile. The manner of the recent marriage of Walston H. Brown, the New York banker, and Eva, eldest daugh ter of Col. Robert G. Ingersoll, indicated that that pic tures(ue logician was sincere in his views regarding matrimony as expressed in a recent contribution to the Sr(h Amtrira Kerieic. Tho only formality observed was that attending the celebration of a civil contract. There, were no sacramental rites nor even the attend ants and ceremonious display that constitute the trap pings of marriage in ordinary fashionable life. No for mal consecration can take the place of the actual af finity of souls, and there was carried out in his own household what Col. Ingersoll has rejtcatedly sought to impress as tho highest, safest and most sensible form of union. Many peoplo not otherwise in sympa thy with the great "infidel" cannot but admire his views on family life as illustrated in his own homo and in his public utterances on tho subject. Tho proudest man in America to-day should bo George Kennan, whose articles on Siberia have been tho most potent factor leading to the abolition of Si berian banishment in Russia. Ho has done greater work in tho cause of humanity than any author since the days when Harriet Beadier Stowo gave to tho world tho volume that broko the sh11 of African slav ery upon the people of America. Friends of education in tho west will w glad to hear that an endowment subscription of ltX),lXX) has lieen raised for Spokane college, an educational Insti tution under the management of tho Methodists. Tho college has twenty-five acres of ground in the heart of Sjtokano Falls upon which there are already two line buildings. Tho outlook for this college is very bright. Tuesday last the legislature of Washington elected Watson C. Squire, formerly governor of tho territory, and John B. Allen, tho last territorial representative, to sit in tho senate of the United States. It is gen erally admitted that these men have lcon wisely chos en and represent fully tho brain and energy of the new state. Olympia saw the greatest gala day in her history last Monday, which witnessed tho inaugural ceremo nies of the new state government. The address of Governor Ferry was dignified and patriotic, and tho state is to U congratulated upm Irginnlng it career with such a man in tho executive chair. The W. C. T. U. is splitting ami lilting and luting interviewed and doing all tho other regulation circus acts of political conventions. What in the namo of common sense is it their opMnent object to? They net just liko the men, why not lot them Vote? Cltra republican papers cannot see anything good in New Mexico aiul are opHised to her admission to the t'nion. l-et New Mexico but exhibit symptoms of electing republican senators audio I what transfor mation would lie witnessed. Papa Huntington is credited with being at the hot torn of the revolution In Brazil. Ho Is probably try ing to find a Job of kinging for his son-lulaw after tho honeymoon is over. Nihilism s.-ems to bo an all-pervading essence. It has come to tho surface even In Mexico and it sup pised to be lying round loose In Africa as well.