Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-11-18

RAIL celebrated with particular
HU rejoicing one OF her several
I'm thanksgiving days November 10.
~ the anniversary Of the revolu-
ton Of 1888; and in this day OF turmoil
and tragic overturning Of nonarchies.
the anniversary Of Brazffs bloodless es-
tablishment of republication was .
matter for public expression Of pride
and congratuIation by the entire ma
tion.
The people Of Brasil. in common with
others Of the Latin American races.
love their national holidays and make
them the occasions of elaborate
"aestas." Business Is closed on such
day and rich and poor alike join in the
celebration. which. commencing with q
religious ceremony. continues with pro-
cessions. mummery and music through
out the day, and invariably closes with
dancing in the evening.
<Brazirs Fifteenth Of November cele-
bration Is In reality q sort of Thanks.
giving day and Fourth of July rolled
into one. It is day Of national rejoic-
ing. A public plaza, named fifteenth
Of November Square," stands in Rio
Janeiro. in commemoration Of this
greatest event in the country's history.
AA
II has been q matter Of surprise to
many visitors to Brazil to hnd Pcrtu-
guese the language Of its people. why
not Spanishr' they ask. Tho answer
IL easy. This. largest Of the South
American countries. was a colony Of
Portugal Its history IL picturesque
and romantic Piero Alvares Cabral. q
Portuguese navigator. is usually given
credit for having discovered Brasil.
when. in 1907. he landed not far from
the present site of the city Of Sac Sal
vador. Cabral named the country
Terra de Santa Cruz" or Land Of the
Holy Cross" and took possession Of It
In the name Of the King of Portugal.
The name which was later given came
from the dyewood found In its forests
wood.
The Portuguese crown divided the
country, making grants of land to Portu-
guese mobiles. who were to settle and
co1onize. In 1910 Brazil became a Vice
royalty, with Rio de Janeiro as the capt.
tai. For a matter of two centuries Brazil
was loyal to the mother country, but
early in the nineteenth century she be-
gan to take notice Of her sister repub-
Hes as well as Of the sturdy young ma
ton in North America, which had sue
ceeded in throwing of the shackles of
Britain. She accordingly began to de-
mand greater freedom from the arbitrary
attitude Of Portugal to her colonist chill
Hren.
The matter of Brazirs independence
was. strangely enough, hastened by the
within the borders of this fair colonial
possession OF enormous but largely I'M
known resources When Napoleon in
vaded Spain and Portugal early in the
nineteenth century King John of Portu.
gal lifted his throne. his family and
his court and came straightway to hi.
American kingdom.
royalties who came to rule In person
were men to whom she can look bacl
with respect and affection. King John
who arrived in Brazil early in 1908, uset
all his efforts for the advancement o,
his colony. He opened the ports Of tn,
country to the commerce OF the world
gave unrestricted freedom to the aeri
and. during his regime, education tool
R1ong step forward. II IT had not beef
for the expenses. not to say amazinj
extravaeance of his court. with its rep
resentative following of impecuniou
politicians. who one and all assisted II
the depletion of the national treasury
the country might have regretted NOR
keenly than 1t did their kings return +
Portugal in 1921
King John LIFT his son. Dom Pedro
n regent Of Brasil. Fortunately 70
the country snd for himself. Dom Pc