Arizona silver belt., 1897-07-01
THURSDAY, JULY |, 1897.
SIDE LIGHTS ON THE JUBILEE.

merit any previous similar uhuertah- ing, and of the several accounts cabled to the newspapers of the United States the monograph by Mark Twain easily excels, Yet it would be difficult to recognize it as his production, for there is no levity in it, and the nearest approach to humor is when he ascribes England's acquisition of territory to the bible promise: 'Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. !" His letters are admirable, especially that published on the day preceding the principal event of the celebration, which is notable for its historical remi- niscence, as we'll as for its fine diction and descriptive power.
 The ovation given to King Henry v and his army on their return from the field of Agincourt, with l500 captive knights and nobles of France. is cited as the only similar incident in English history at all comparable to the recent jubilee celebration, and contrasting the two epochs of which those events are symbolIcal, he shows wherein the Victorian pageant excels, illustrating as it does the wonderful progress made in every avenue of human endeavor since Victoria ascended the throne in 1887, and accentuating the truth of the Milton's lines to Cromwell
 Peace hath her victories
 Noless renowned than war"
 The Queens jubilee was certainly A memorable event, one that will live in the history of ''the tight little isle. !" Its importance as national fete is significant. As a pageant it was in- comparable, not alone for the splendor of the demonstration, but for the power and dominion which England exercises in every quarter of the globe, as illustrated by the panorama of the races as they passed in review before the congregated millions of spectators from every country and cline. Au imposing spectacle, truly.
 There are dark blots upon England's escutcheon, however, which mar the brilliancy of Victoria's reign, and which the great industrial achieve ments cannot efface or compensate England's domineering spirit, although in measure curbed by powerful neighbors, has still been exerted in her conquests for territorial posses sions, in which she has oppressed weak and uncivilized countries under the guise of promoting christianity. But England's greatest offence, approach ing the dimensions of crime, has been her harsh treatment of Ireland, which stands against her as an evidence of "man's iDhumauity to man," and from the odium of which only re- versal of her oppressive policy can re- heve her.
 While the celebration was above all q personal tribute to the Queen there were features of greater significance, namely, the revival of the imperial spirit. and the studied effort to pro foundly impress Englands rivals with her surpassing maritime strength. There was mingled with the more peaceful demonstrations display of berbaric splendor and warlike brag- gadocio which gave sinister coloring to the entire spectacle. England glories in her supremacy on the seas md in her vast colonial possession, and these she must maintain at all hazard. And it may be seriously questioned if they are not the chiei elements of her weakness and danger. Her policy must be one of constant preparation against war, which means ever increasing expenditures and the impovcrishment of her people How long can the armed truce between the nations of Europe be maintained. and what will be the result of the inevitable conflict? That is question fraught with monentous consequences to Eng, land. How long will her chief de- pen6encies submit to onerous taxation from which they derlve no direct ben eft? The alienation of Canada has already made some progress, and from the antipodes comes rumblings of dis content.
 Certainly there IS nothing in the po- sition of England or of European nations to excite the envy of the United States We can view with compla- cency their military prowess and ter ritorial aggrandizement, secure in the knowledge that we are not involved in their bickerings, but are masters of the Western hemisphere, conscious of our sublime destiny.
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