Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-03
PORTUGAL's POSITION.
"nshinEtonfsn Takes In the Cud-
gels for the Little Kingdom.

/ Kingdom.
Portugal is not greatly considered today
os world observers. Few tourists go there.
/ Ie" events OF wide Importance occur there.
te" "ofus are uttered in International
nearing concerning the country. Some in
teresting facts concerning Portugal nafion-
/ ally and the Portuguese in this country
/ have developed i'm a controversy over "a.
true status of Portugal among the states.
In which Mr.. S. G. w BENJAMIN Of This
/ CITY has been participating. The affair
/ started with an article in the November
number of Self Culture a monthly maya
zlhe' on Holland Place in Europe =, I'm
the course OF which the author EXPRESSED
the opinion that the small states Of Europe
ShouId be maintained I'm their integrity.
WIN the single exception OF Portugal
which he urged should be absorbed bv
Spain.
MI. benjamin, who has Travelled extcu-
slvely. and, as a former member ~ -ba
American diplomatic CORPS has had ,ccs-
ZION 10 study European conditions. took
issue with this exception. and In = N
4 Culture" for February proclaimed his
views about Portugal in an ilumiuativa and
instructive manner. He pointed ont how
marked is the antagoniSm between tba
spanish and the Portuguese. and how i'm
possible Is an affiliation between The ma
lions. He sketched the factors Of por-
tuguese national character and presented
these people in far more favorable LIGHT
lhah Is usually thrown around them by in
cohslderate or uniformed writer's and
speakers In pleading for a higher placa
In the International regard for the Portu
eCese. Mr.. Benjamin pointed To tbatr ~
ceptional achievements as mariners "a
noted that some of the worlds most fam
Gus exploits at sea may be traced in a way
to Portuguese Influences
These he mentions as the VOYAGES ~ Co
iumbus, who. though an italian and aided
Dy Spain, nevertheless imbibed his early
inspiration for his immortal expeditions
from the Portuguese navigators al Lisbon
among whom he lived for some years: the
appalling voyage across the Pacific NV
Magellan" who was Portuguese who left
Lisbon because of affronts he had received
mere; the discovery of the Cane of Good
Hope by Bartholomew Diaz. and the nas
sage TO India by Nasco da Cana these two
being portuguese captains, sailing fleets Of
thelr own country. After thus laying the
foundation of the claim of the Portuguese
10 large share OF the credit for the his
tory-making nautical exploits Mr.. Renta-
min proceeds as follows to show the partici-
patton of these people in the world OF mari
time enterprise of today:
our hshing and whaling fleets are man.
ned largely by Portuguese and IL is SAFE 10
say that they are little inferior TO our own
native Yankees, whether in the forecastla
or on the quarter deck They have ali tbe
Qualities Of the born sailor such as one
looks for among the northern races. but
rarely nnds among the Latin peoples to the
same degree. | have sailed with portu
guese many time, and must admit that L
nave high respect for their maritime tall
ents. One of my livelest experiences was
a cruise in a sailing ship engaged I'm SNUG
CLING Portuguese out of the Azore IsIa nds
who were seeking to avoid the conscrip-
ton We had many adventures and the
daring and skill of the Portuguese sailor
were brilliantly displayed"
One result Of this article is as surprising
in Its way the revelations within IL Mr.
benjamin the other day received a formid-
aole-appearing document through the mails
from San Francisco. 1t bore a red seal
with ribbons, and, upon translation, proved
10 be series OF resolutions adopted by the
Portuguese Protective and Benevolent As
ISOLATION Of San Francisco expressive Of the
thanks of that organization to Mr. Benja-
min Tor the Impartial and credltable man
her In which he had. in the article describ-
ed, upheld the Portuguese national charac-
ter, and commencing him to the entire Por-
tuguese colony in this country as an I'M
prejudiced and able writer familiar with
the history, manners and customs of the
Portuguese people.
Accompanying this token of esteem came
a newspaper published in San Francisco by
representatives of the Portuguese colony in
the native tongue. 1t contained an account
OF the Self Culture" article and an an
probation of Mr.. Benjamins services. The
paper, the organization and the article it.
sell all attest to the fact that the Portu-
guese are far more worthy of considera-
ton thar has generally been supposed by
people who only think of that country as a
strip of land on the sea side of Spain which
offers few reasons for national existence
why do they have those glass cases
with the ak. hammer. crowbar. etc, In on
these cars?" asked a traveller on the rail-
road going to New York.
"Oh, those are put there to use in case
any one wants a window Open" replied the
facetious manufacturers Statesman
You always patronize young doctors, L
notice, Mr.. Higgs."
Yes; they are timid about making big
bills, and they take genuine interest IN
Their patients. "-Detroit Free Press.
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