The herald., 1895-02-18
A LESSON IN PATRIOTIsn

The Fiesta is pre-eminently al Ameri-
can celebration. 1t is the only festival OF
| it's character that is not tinctured with
foreign sentiment. The pictures pre-
sented are based on the traditions of the
| earliest American civilization, drawn
| from the descriptions of Prescott. the
most vivid of American historians. Lo-
, callv, the Fiesta deals with the discovery
and early settlement of California, the
| landing of Cabrllo, the establishment of
! the missions, the coming of the Saxon, the
/ founding of this splendid Southern en-
| pire. And over all floats the glorious col
ors of our country-woven in the yellow
and crimson mesh of La Fiesta are the
red and the white and the blue and the
spangle of the stars that gleam for states
of the Union.
La Fiesta is panorama of events-a
living poem-a picture to impress the
patriotic citizen and fix in the minds OF
children the truth OF IA history that may
be only vaguely remembered from the dull
cold pages of silent books.
Mardi Gras, the famous pageant and
festival of New Orleans, is but modern
reflex of the carnivals of Venice and
INOllic-i stINllt VI ohNANA' -
ligious ceremonial the local celebrations
of Memphis, st. Louis, Kansas City are
but mummeries. La Fiesta, however, is
full of purpose, and aside from its COM
mercial features and the fact that Its an
nual recurrence enhances the material
prosperity of the community by adver-
tising Los Angeles as the metropolis OF
Southern California and the queen OF
cities, compels attention to the romance
and the poesy of our history. There IS
but one other celebration that might be
made to teach the lessons of patriotism so
well as this local festival and that occurs
on the Fourth of July. During century
of glorious achievement the peo-
pie of the United States loved
to honor the day on which
freedom was proclaimed to the nations OF
the earth by that devoted band of patriots
who staked their lives fortunes and lib
critics in revolt against expressions sane
toned and perpetuated under 'the di-
vine right of kings" Three generations
OF loyal, liberty-loving, enthusiastic
Americans gathered annually, on the
Fourth day of July in every city. VILLAGE
and hamlet of the Union, at ev,ri ctoss
roads and in every backwools settlement,
to proclaim their Independence and re-
joice in their sovereignty, Lattcrly the
spirit oi rs seems to have become dor
mant-the enthusiasm, the fervor the
patriotism, that animated our fo:efathers
seem to have been absorbed in an indif-
ference inctel by the sordid struggle for
the almighty dollar-an ignoble crav-
ing for the greasy nickel and the
profit of conscienc .less usury. Fourth
of July has degeneratcd into Il mere form
ality-an opportunity for spread eagle
speeches and buncombe-an incentive
to vain rhetoric and an occasion for
cheap bombast and fustan politics.
Los Angeles and Southern California
is an American community-it is in
tensely American, and being imbued with
the enterprise, the patriotism and the
civic pride of Americans the people
have instituted this American festival
"a festival peculiar to the locality and
the traditions of the races and peoples
along the slopes of these towering noun
tains. AS the celebration of Independence
Day should be to the American nation, so
La Fiesta will be for the Americans OF
Southern California-an epitome of pa
triotism and fervid expression of the love
of home and local institutions-the pride of
men and women in the result of the good
they have accomplished and the pros
perity they have founded.