The herald., 1894-02-14
THE LATIN VS.. THE ANGLO-SAXON
A Correction of a Chicago View
of History.
Senator del Vale Replies to a State
ment by Gov. Beyeridge.
A RefutatIon of the Statement That the
Spaniard Was Not Much Better
Than the Indian-Some Ter
tinent Assertions.


banquet at Santa Monica, in which Hon.
John L. Beveridge. ex-governor OF Hi
nois. participated. and who, being re-
quested TO reply to the toast, "Chicago
Its influence on the growth OF Los
Angeles" is reported to have spoken as
follows:
"MR. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN: Cal
ifornia is the product OF three civiliza-
tions-Indian, Spanish and Anglo-sax-
on. Wherever the Latin race dominates
over another, the one is improved and
the other deteriorates. In California
the Spanish dominated over the Indian.
The latter did not improve and the
Spaniard was not much better. APP
plause.l
at is not so with the Anglo-Saxon
race. Your institutions, your progress,
are like your menu card, the product OF
your civilization"
Assuming ss | do, from the HERALD's
we'll known accuracy, that the language
OF the distinguished ex-governor of Hill
pois has been correctly reported. and
feeling assured from the high position
which the gentleman has occupied in
the past, that his historic knowledge OF
our state and county is profound, and
observing by the reported applause,
that the foregoing remarks met with
the approval of many distinguished
| guests present, it may, | trust, not be
deemed amiss for one who belongs to
the Latin race to attempt correction,
if not vindication. The distinguished
ex-governor may not have been suffi-
GENTLY guarded in his remarks. or per-
haps the singularity of the subject to
| which he was called to respond may
have misled him, for 1t may be doubted
whether Chicago has had any more in
huence upon the growth of Los Angeles
than other cities of the United States
nay, it may be questioned by the native
born and pioneers whether the great
city has at all Influenced Los Angeles.
The terms "Latin Race" are broad,
and while including the Spanish people,
include likewise millions OF others; and
its historic title brings US backward to
the civilizing forces of the Roman en-
pire. | scarcely apprehend that race
which has contributed masterpieces to
art, and refined contributions to bellies
lettreH, whose achievements on land and
sea form no uncomfortable part of the
worlds history, is likely to suffer mate
rally from the poHtprandial speech of
Governor Beveridge. Notwithstanding
that the Spanish race may not suffer,
yet as one OF that race l may with pro-
priety reply to words which seem to bear
quasi public import. Many of the cit
izens of this county, through no fault of
their own, cannot share in the glorieH of
ADglo-Saxon civilization. And while
thinking that the prids of ancestry
Haunted by the governor 10 due to no
fault OF his own, still they can Offset it
by a reference to their own Spanish
history. To their assistance, too, may
come the keen historian who will change
the word "Angio-Ssxon" by eliminating
much of the ''anglo" and substituting
the Norman dominating blood, and the
same historian might properly inquire
if the conquering Norman and Saxon
had not caused q deterioration of the
conquered Britons, and he might ask
if this were not true OF all
conquering nations. Analogy might
also stimulate a scrutiny into the great
American civilizing forces, and suspicion
will induce an argument that the condi-
ton of the various Indian tribes in this
most civilized age is not materially
improved since the dayp of Spanish
rule.
'That the Spaniard was not much
better than the Indian" as stated by
Ex-Governor Beveridge, ia strange and
new history for those of US who happen
to have been born and reared in this
state and who have had access to the
states archives, which ignorance on our
part, however, may be applicable ON the
theory that better information is to be
derived by those who live in the state of
Illinois. This statement comes also as
an anomaly in history when we remem-
Der that the great city OF Chicago has
but Just finished it's brilliant tribute to
one of the Latin race, who, through
Spanish help, discovered the great con-
tinent to which Chicago is irrevocably
annexed.
Those OF ua, of Spanish blood at least,
will deny the historic accuracy OF the
statement that the dominating Spanish
race WAS no improvement upon Indian
civilization, when we think of Junipero
Sierra and his companion padres, who,
urged by religious devotion and feelings
of humanity, removed from their Span
ish homes OF luxury to rear missions
and mingle the spirit Of Christianity
with the spirit OF Indian civilization.
Especially may refer to that epoch, in
asmuoh as the cisatlantic and transat-
lantic branches OF the Anglo-Saxon race
we're preparing for the bloody conflict
which led to their final separation.
Many, too, who are not of Spanish
blood, while admitting the civilizing
vigor of the pioneers of 40. and iusti-
lying their frequent resort to force,
would yet compare the conduct OF the
Spanish fathers, aud claim that they
who introduced the gospel OF peace and
increased the wealth of the soil by
planting the orange and vine more than
q century ago, did actually by their
quiet effort tend to the advancement OF
civilization, as those who in '49 and 80
stripped the soil in their search for gold
and submitted their main contention to
individual tribunal.
The necessity of the times in each
case urges the dominating races to their
respective efforts, and perhaps the
Anglo-Saxon race in lS49 would have
done in 1870 what the Spanish padre
and Spanish governor did. and may hap