Arizona citizen. [volume] (Tucson, Pima County, A.T. [i.e. Ariz.]) 1870-1880, 1879-09-12
The American Feast.

Good old Saint Augustine, like al
other dead and gone individuals. mus
have great deal Of nonsense perpe
lrsted in his honorable name. Among
other things he has this town of Tue
son placed under his sanity care, and
the tire probably was when that cir
cumstance was commemOrated in
some appropriate manner Indeed, il
is still, TO certain extent. The Cath.
Ollie church observes the anniversary
with more than usual ceremony, and
according to its principles pays prop
er tribute to the memory of one 81
prominent in its history. But it has
been publicly declared ~ the highest
resident dignitary of the church, that
/ the celebration ends, as far rs the
church is concerned, with the relig.
ious ceremonies. At that point the
/ church stops and washes its hands of
the proceedings following. The Feast
of Saint Augustine" as il has Just
been exhibited through the ten DAYS
now ending, has no warrant whatever
from the Holy Church. And we are
glad TO say that, judging from the
slender attendance of respectable Mex
leans, they are not responsible for the
the thing either though outsiders
might be led to believe the contrary
The fact is, it is rs plain US the nose
on your face, that but for the Ameri-
cans, who care not penny for Saint
Augustine or any other Saint, or foi
anything but the money which a liitl,
excitement Will induce the people to
spend, there would be no feast at all.
The crowds, is generally composed,
consist of Indians who are the most
innocent parties there, and who hav-
ing no money to spend, merely look
on, or indulge in an unusual midnight
dish of tOmales; and of MeAiCanS of the
lowest pcnn class, with but little more
money than the Indians. but who are.
permitted the privilege of dancing to
free music. and who doubtless have a
better time than anyone else. These
are all that could remind anybody that
this is a semi-tropical frontier fiesta"
The company of miscellaneous idlers
who 90 about, watching the gambling
awhile, and the dancing awhile, soon
retire to the booths for ice cream, An
heuser beer, and the one or two dishes
which give color to a so-called Mex
lean bill Of fare" The Americans
own and run the feast from the top
down, with the insignificant exception
Of the few nut and sweet-meat stands
which are merely transferred from the
street corners to the plaza. They fur
nish the capital to start the thing, and
they pay the bills as it progresses. The
gambling tables are owned by them
from the furnished up old chuSett" pit
to the rickety old concerns on the out
side. They stock the bars and
the booths, and keep up all
the other appearances of thrift. The
whole thing is planned with one OBJ
ject, that few Americans may make
a little money, and this we wish and
hope to have remembered another year,
when the subject OF feast is moot
ed. We do not nov speak Of the dis
graceful immortality of the whole con-
Germ and its degrading influence upon
everyone who touches it; the whole
town knows all about that, and for.
that reason it came pretty near being
defeated this year. But license was
givel this time on the plea that it made
business for the town; poor reason
OF course, and one that will not wash ,"
again. No legitimate business is ever
fOstered by such gathering, ana there.
isn't a merchant in town who is any
better off on account Of the past ten
DAYS excuses. Tucson is stepping
toward a position among the cities
of the country, and it will be for her to
say whether she will tolerate any more
feasts," but if she does, let them no;
be covered with the sham pretense of
business and "sOciability," but let
them appear for what they are-Amer-
lean gambling projects, with inevit'-
bic attachments"