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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 21, 1889)
WEST SHORE. Washington has a good start in eilucntionul mat ters. The generous gift of the government of land in every township for the benefit of the common schools gives a foundation upon which tho public school sys tem may securely rest for all time if tho gift be wisely handled. Hut, beyond this, the question of a higher education Beems well settled.. A number of years ago a generous and philanthropic citizen of Seattle, dona ted a tract of land in that city for a territorial uni versity, and upon this site such an institution is now maintained. This tract is now in tho heart of the city, and its valuo is estimated at half a million dol lars. It is now proposed that with the joint consent of the legislature and tho donor, the land Ihi sold and the money realized therefrom 1m used as an endow ment fund for tho state university, an eligible site for which will be donated, covering a larger area and ly ing alunit two miles from the city. This proposition seems satisfactory and will probably lie adopted. Washington will thus be splendidly equipped, both in its common schools and university, for giving its youth a good education. Thero seems now no doubt that the Union Pacific will push its lino through Southern Nevada to Califor nia, as has been asserted so often. Engineering par ties arc being made up for field work early in the spring, and at headquarters in Omaha it is the com mon talk. There docs, however, seem to 1h reason to question tho statement that tho road is headed solely for Southern California. It docs not seem possible that San Francisco can be passed by and a terminus mado where not one-half the business could bo secured that awaits it in tho city at the (iolden (late. Its route through Nevada is directly opposite the best pass in tho Sierra Nevada on a direct line to San Francisco, and that it will reach out for that city is not doubted by men who view the situation critically. Tho Southern Pacific is preparing itself against this new invasion of its territory, ami will next year build no less than four new branch lines in the great central valley of California. If royalty and titled nobility go to the wall in England because of the repeated scandals with which members of the royal family and leading noble houses have lxH-n connected, it will not prove that royalty is any worse in our day than it was in the "good old times," but that the world as a whole is better. No one can read of the protligacy, cruelty and contempt for tho rights of tho lower classes exhibited in former times by tho nobility, and nut be convinced that any thing now happening is mild i comparison, but the JHH.ple have been growing, and it takes much !'' now to bring out a protest from them than formerly. If royalty is overthrown it will bo berauso it has not been able to keep pace with tho people in their intel lectual and moral development. Senator Mitchell has taken the first practical step in the direction of excluding undesirable European from our shore, by introducing a bill into congress by which the passport system will be adopted in this country. Every foreigner, immigrant or otherwise, who lands upon American soil must jmssess a pass port from the authorities of tho country from which lie came. The time when America could Is' made a " refuge for the oppressed of all nation" has gone by. If we continue to do so wo will soon liecomo the worst "oppressed" of all and havo no refuge to llee to, Hy all means let us close our doors to nil but desirable visitors. Itcports of the massacre of a party of Silurian ex iles in a most brutal in fart a thorough Russian -manner incline one to talieve the recent declaration that political exile to Sils-ria is to 1st almlishod, and to the further liclief that massacre I to In substitut ed. The time may come when the clvilied govern ments of the world will consider it their duly to com pel Russia to change her cruel ways, nnd let us hope that Secretary Tracy will get enough Iron clads ready so that Cncle Sam can take a hand in the good work. l'rince Mural has lowered his price and will ac cept Miss Caldwell' terms, trusting, ns ho naively puts it, to the pride of his souso not to let her hus band In'coiih financially embarrassed. This is by far tho most disgraceful of all the case In which America has added to her stis k of second hand royalty. It would In well for the girls not to be in too much haste. If England conclude to disM-nso with princes, there will be a great addition to the crop thrown uxin the American market, and price will tumble. Washington ladie having decided that deeollettit dress.- will Is- worn at receptions, emigre can resume work after the holiday and tackle the lartlf question without fear of domestic complication to divide their attention. If ladie want to d.iollar their dresses, no one should object and the phylelan and undertak er should rejoice. All Europe I holding It nose, not over tho Un don scandal, but Imaus. of an epidemic of inhViua. If they neexe hard enough to send ome of their uruU-t acros the Atlantic to Wher the Isak of the American eagle, she may bo complied to lift up her vii in shriek for liberty from KurHn encroachment.
