35
THE LEWIS 7NT) CLA"RK eENTENNIAL
The Occasion and Its Observance, fcy Professor F. G. Yotmg,
Secretary 'of the Oregon Historical Society.
THE SUNDAY OBEGONIAN, P&ETLAKB, MAY 2&, 1903.
TJCH that eems favorable and not
a little that Is clearly unfavorable
has come to the Lewis and Clark
Centennial because Its date Is just a year
later than that of the" Louisiana Purchase :
Centennial. A striking? advantage In
this close succession Is. however, still
to be used. It Is the idea of a can
tennial at Portland in the Columbia
Valley In the very next year follow
ing one at St. Louis on the Mississippi
that needs to be exploited. In this close
succession of these two centennials of
the access of the- American Nationality
to Teglons of which one lies far beyond
the other we have the key to the fullest
Interpretation of the National significance
of the anniversary of the Lewis and Clark
expedition. Nothing else could so telling
ly exhibit the basis for a peculiar National
Interest in out ' anniversary as the fact
that it is virtually contemporary with
that to be observed at St. Louis-. The pur
chase of Louisiana .bears practically the
same natal relation to the western half
of" the Mississippi Vallay that the Lewis
and Clark expedition does to the Pacific
Northwest. This the average American
citizen no doubt finds It hard to realize.
Oregon, however, can boast age over the
other commonwealths west of the Mls
elsslppl, excepting only Missouri and Iowa
and they are barely older.
The western half of the Mississippi
Valley has far outstripped us In material
development. Nevertheless, considering
the conditions of Isolation under which
the people of Oregon have labored they
can be Justly proud of the progress that
has been made here in all lines of en
deavor. St Louis will be Justified In
vaunting In 1904 the achievements and re
sults of a century of development In the
region of which she Is the metropolis.
But Portland as the metropolis of the Pa
cific Northwest would have been culpably
derelict if she had not undertaken an
observance of the centennial of the Lewis
and Clark expedition that shall empha
size to the Nation and to the world, the
significance of the occupation of the Pa
cific Coast by the Amerelcan people and
to foster the aspirations of one of the
most favorable sections on the face of
the earth. The basis of our claim to a
National recognition of our anniversary
in snmpthlner more solid than the fact
that -we have added what we have to the
material strength of the Nation. The
secret of the unparalleled effort that Ore
gon proposes to make for the observance
of the Lewis and Clark Centennial lies
deeper than a mere feeling of exultation
over material development and the hope
of advertising our resources to the world,
The Lewis and Clark Centennial Expo-
sltlon has clearly two unique and com
plimentary missions: It should bring fully
Into the National consciousness the his
torlc services through which this Nation
attained an outlook upon the Pacific com
parable with that on the Atlantic and the
significance of this to the future of the
American people. It should address Itself
to the peculiar problems of progress on
this Coast and thus mark an epoch In
the added Impetus, the better oreanlza
tlon, and the higher alms It gives us as
a people: rightly planned it woum oe an
exposition of patriotic National services
onii of the problems or largest social
progress an exposition of Western his
tory and Western problems.
Lack Adeauate Interpretation.
The Lewis and Clark expedition and
the Oregon movement or the American
movement to the Pacific, which the Lewis
and Clark expedition initiated, have not
yet had anything like an adequate in
terpretation in American history. Oregon
represents the greatest opportunity in our
National life an opportunity , that the
fathers of Oregon made as well as seized.
A sequel to the Oregon opportunity, or
rather a part of it, were the immense
pains south of the 42d parallel on the Pa,
cl3 slope. Through the Oregon opportu
nity realized this American democracy
has a territorial basis for supremacy
among the nations of the world and this
Nation and all mankind will profit from
It to the end of time. The Louisiana Pur
chase was not an opportunity made but
only one accepted when It was tossed
Into the Nation's lap. The Oregon oppor
tunity as it stands In history and In
promise for the future In what Is realized
and in what Is only potential Is In its
Import only second to the American op
portunity. It had to do with the win
ning of a domain that made our Nation
four-square and continental with a Na
tional territory commensurate with the
spirit and possibilities of the American
people.
The development of the situation on this
Coast which the Lewis and Clark expedi
tion converted Into America's opportunity
was something like this: Pour hundred
years ago this continent lay unoccupied
save by a race destined to melt away be
fore the onslaughts of the sturdier Euro
pean. The Spaniard, schooled by eight
centuries of the crusading against the
Moor, whom he had finally driven from
Spanish soli, was in the moment of vic
tory, when his hands were free and spirit
exultant, pointed by Columbus the sup
posed way to the Indies, long-famed for
unparalled riches. Spanish hopes were
fired and cuvallers came on.
A Irixe Contended For.
They passed by the West Indies In quest
of gold. Cortez and Plzarro found some
thing of their hearts desire In Mexico
and Peru. So on they passed down the
west coast of South America and up the
west coast of North America and across
the Pacific. But the vigor of the Spaniard
was about wasted. He hung helplessly to
his outposts on the flanks of the Pa
cific Northwest. At the beginning of the
las quarter of the 18th century he ral
lied and sent vessels up and down the
coast of Oregon. But his explorations
were not determinate, and they were not
followed by occupation. Early In the 18th
century the Muscovite, advancing cast
ward across S.beria, had reached the
shores of the Pacific and soon gained a
foothold on our northern shores with de
signs on all this Coast. England, too.
was ready to have a hand in the contest
for this last great territorial prize on the
North American Continent. Elated by
her decisive victories over her mortal en
emy. France, and by the treaty of Paris
(1763) tho proud possessor of all of the
eastern half of this continent, of India,
mistress of the seas, conscious also of the
great advantages that the invention of
the steam engine, the power loom and
ether machinery gave her. she dispatched
explorers to scan the different quarters
of the globe for new possessions. Captain
Cook outlined the shores of Australia and
of many other lands of the South Seas,
and in 1778 was oft the Oregon coast. At
the same time enterprising Britons were
pressing westward along the Great Lakes
and overland toward this still available
portion of the continent. Thus the pro
gressive nations of the world were clos
ing in on this last choice Imperial do
main of tho temperate zone awaiting a
pre-emptor the possessor of which would
be the natural master of the Pacific At
this critical juncture the then young
American Nation was fortunate in the
spirit of maritime enterprise among the
merchants of Boston. Seeking the profits
of trade In furs which the voyage of Cook
had revealed, they sent Captains Gray and
Kendtlck to the North Pacific Coast, and
In 1792 Gray, in the ship Columbia, per
formed the feat that secured to this coun
try priority of right to the basin of the.
Columbia. Still more fortunate was this
country at this time In having the pres- serving the Integrity of China after the
dent mind of Thomas Jefferson devoted to quelling of the Boxer insurrection. It
its interests. While ' Gray's vessel was was written before President Roosevelt
lying In the Columbia he was getting up had set his eyes upon the Pacific North
a subscription for sendlnc explorers over- west. If, after the latter days of this
land tn th TiHflrv "Rwn ten vears be- ! month, he ever afraln has occasion to
fore this he had proposed an expedition J characterize the import of the Lewis and
to the Pacific under the leadership of J Clark expedition his dictum will be more
George Rogers Clark. He then had It In j like this: "It led to the acquisition of
mind to head off an English enterprise j the whole Pacific Coast, containing the
of which he had heard. But It was not fairest and richest regions under the
until 1KB, twenty years after his first ct
fort In this direction, that Jefferson suc
ceeded In getting the means for the first
and by far the most Important of our Na
tional exploring expeditions me iewxa
and Clark.
Aobility of Parposc
But this was not simply an exploring ex
pedition. It represents better than any
other one event the expansion of this
Nation from the Mississippi to the Pacific
The expedition was great not merely even
in what It symbolizes. it was granaiy
great In itself, in Its inception and In exe
cution. It was the herald of tho American
democracy making Its way across the con
tinent to the Pacific but it was more.
There was the highest nobility of pur
pose In Its inceptionfl and matchless skill
and fortitude in its execution. Not only
in the train of its consequences, but in
every respect was it glorious and worthy
of a National celebration. The burden
of the special message of January 18, 1803,
through which President Jefferson secured
an appropriation for It, was the main
tenance of the factory system or the trad
ing posts among the Indian tribes of the
West. Jefferson took keenest delight in a
project to extend the bounds of knowledge
and which he hoped would open a water
route of commerce across the continent
with Asia. Yet on the face or it the iewis
and Clark expedition had primarily its
American flag, and made Inevitable the
American mastery of the Pacific, and
American supremacy among the nations
of the world." It Is surely not prepos
terous to expect a revision of the verdict
of history on the significance of the Lewis
and Clark expedition. Henry Adams,
than whom no scholar has done better
work on the history of the United States,
meet with disaster when with his slender I passenger trains to the Pacific Northwest
means he was pitted against the mighty tell unmistakably the Nation's need of
corporation in possession here. With 1 thla region. It needs our farm lands. It
Wveth came the .first party of mission
axles. , The "Mountain Men" retired trap
perssoon followed, seeking hones here;
and. beginning with 1342, annual migra
tions of thousands of Oregon pioneers
were on the way. The Lewis and Clark
exploration had thus led to National
movement "the' migration of a people,"
says Captain Chittenden, "seeking to avail
Itself of opportunities which have come
but rarely in the history of the world
and which will never come again." The
route traced by these Oregon pioneers
will some day be restored as a national
memorial highway and will be celebrated
In song and story. Every mile of which
has the tenderest associations or n a ra
in volumn iv of -his hlstorv. with date l shlD and suffering but also of high pur
pose and stern aeterminauon. Ano yet
the Oregon trail was la the strictest
sense a derivative of the Lewis and Clark
tralL For nearly 20 years the Lewis
and Clark route up the Missouri Blver
had been the only one used to reach tho
Rocky Mountain wilderness, but In the
Fall of 1823 a party of trappers pushing
westward from the Tellowstone and de
sirous of avoiding the Implacable Black-
feet on the upper Missouri turned to the
south and discovered- in South Pass ap
easy crossing of the Rocky Mountains.
The region beyond on the headwaters of
the Green and Snake Rivers and in the
mark 1830, speaks of the Lewis and Clark
expedition In this wise: "The crossing
of the continent was a great feat, but
It was" nothing more. . . . Great gains
to civilization could be made only on the
Atlantic Coast under the protection of
civilized life" Mr. Adams in this esti
mate seems wholly blind of the fact that
nations, like Individuals, have opportuni
ties presented to them which seized may
not give great immediate results, but
which have an ever-Increasing Influence
upon their destiny. In the Lewis and
Clark expedition this nation took the
flood tide to world supremacy. Three
years ago, when American arms and
diplomacy were exercising such a deter
mining Influence on the problem of man
kind In China, I heard Professor F. J.
Turner, of the University of Wisconsin,
the highest authority on Western his
tory, who writes so forcibly on the Louis
iana Purchase in the current number of
the Review of Reviews, say that "the
inception as a means for promoting the-; occupation of the Pacific Coast by the
success or tnese iioverament uuuiuu
posts among the Indians. This govern
mental policy, connected with the admin
istration of the factory system, was the
one comprehensive, wise and humane Na
tional effort to raise a lower race to the
nia'np. of civilization. The Idea was to
wiu more- ana more .urgently need- our
lumber and our water power and -our out
look upon the Pacific. And to whom do
the American people owe tho possession
of these incomparable and growing boons
but to Lewis and Clark and to the pio
neers to whom Lewis and Clark pointed
the way? Governor Chamberlain was
right the other night when at Boise he
spoke of the Lewis and Clark expedition
as Jefferson's greatest act. Alongside the
two inscriptions on Jefferson's monUment
selected by him, namely, that he was the
author of the Declaration of Independence
and that he was the founder of the Uni
versity of Virginia, posterity will fain In
scribe the fact that he was the promoter
and organizer of the Lewis and Clark ex
pedition Heaer to tae Nation at Large.
The observance of the Lewis and Clark
centennial, therefore, is an occasion In
which the American people as a whole
and through their Government have the
largest reasons for generous participation.
For great wag the Oregon opportunity to
the Nation, and tho Lewis and Clark ex
pedition was the key that opened It. All
honor from the Nation at large Is due to
..those who made this National opportunity
and seized lL The possession of the Pa
cific Coast was the corollary and sequel
basin of the Great Salt Lake was found I to Oregon movement: but the Oregon
to be rich in furs. Henceforth to some . v?mem-, Ilae" TOf ucoro"ai? to
polnt In this region the annual caval- , xn the spirit and vigor -of the
cades of the fur companies would come ( trU J10 and tfceIr thold uPn
nf fhatf n-am- tnnnen ihs ' this continent.
Mnn,a. ot- Trlona nt oil fh.l "W hiVO then
interior country. This was the annual
rendezvous for trading, for the deliv
ery of the season's catch of furs and for
equipment for the next year's activity.
In making this annual roundtrip from
St. Louis the original route Into this
transmontane country, the half-circle
route along the Missouri, was naturally
abandoned for a great cut-off from the
I western borders of the Missouri to the
American people was not only the great
est event In American history, but a
great event in all history."
Beginning; of Immigration.
That tho American movement Oregon-
waro. anu -acincwara rouowea stncuy gt,, Pass. A different route northward
aunnlv the Indian at cost. In exchange for I m "e waKe or ine J-ewis ana -iaric ex- across the plains of present Kansas and
- - - i ii.. m i nmiiinn nun m imv nrnnrR r.vn npinrn
n3 furs ana o trier products, tnc unpie- i - j - , - v V .
mLts of husbandry and the comforts of C1 "ached St. Louis on
civilized life, and at the same time pro- elr homeward Journey they met par
tect Mm from the demoralizing influences fs of traders and trappers bound for
of the vicious among the white men. The the heart of the wilderness from which
t i rinrk- prnedltlon was thus in I they were returning. These were acUng
Nebraska to the Platte, up the Platte
and the North Fork and its tributary, the
Sweetwater was found to be the finest
natural highway In the world. To reach
Oregon the pioneers took this great cut
off of the Lewis and Clark trail and from
National occasion sec
ond only to that of Philadelphia In 1876.
And the first great mission of the cen
tennial will be realized when its occa
sion has been so Interpreted and enforced
that a hearty and liberal participation In
the celebration on the part of the Nation
has "been secured so that our American
National consciousness may fully realize
what has been "the course of empire"
with us as a Nation and what It Is almost
certain to be In the future.
The accomplishment of the other mis
sion of the Exposition requires a true In
terpretation of tho problem of largest
progress for the Pacific Northwest. Ex
positions worthy of the name can not be
hit or miss affairs. They are not mere
congeries of remarkable products. An ex-
Lewis and ClarK expeaiuon who uiub m " - . J " " iuu. ml me aau v,ir trail ana irum ...1,1.. v,,,j y,0,. ". ,,u ,.
its origin associated with a work of the , on the Information Lewis and Clark had Uts western terminus on the upper waters H&fX .m m? h r i Lv
it pntianthropy-a system." ys "nt back from thHr Mandan Wlntor Kof the Snake tney had but to follow jj .IVL 5J!
Captain Chittenden, author of "The Araer- I quarters, a lew monuis axter tney reacnea ( the route of Hunt's Astor party until the
lean Fur Trade in the Far West," "whirfvl St. Louis the Missouri Fur Company was , original Lewis and Clark trail was struck
uit.tuii.cu iu cuuuuci uijciiiuum uu uio i ugain on the Columbia. The Lewis and
upper Missouri; that Is, on the trail of j ciark trail was thus the basis from
if followed out as It should have been.
would have led the Indian to his new des
tiny by easy etages. and would have
averted the long and bloody wars, corrup
tion and bad faith which have gained for
a hundred years of our dealings with the
Indians the unenviable distinction of a
'century of dishonor.' "
National Epic of Exploration.
In his instructions to the leaders of
the expedition Jefferson showed the ten
derest solicitude for the welfare of the
redman. The expedition could not have
been In better hands. Captain Chitten
den says of it: "This celebrated per
formance stands as Incomparably the
most perfect achievement of Its kind
!n th hlatorv of the world." Dr. Elliott
Lewis and Clark. Fcur years later John
Jacob Aster organized the Pacific Fur
Company and devised plans, including a
great emporium at the mouth of the
Columbia, trade with China on the west,
with tho Russian settlements on the
north and a line of trading posts over
land on the Lewis and Clark route As
ter's scheme was a feasible one, but tho
War of 1S12 came on arid England dis
patched a vessel to capture the American
post on the Columbia. Before this reached
Astoria the British sympathizers among
Astor's partners sold him out. Astor was
probably the first to have a vision not
only of what the nation was to gain on
which was developed the Oregon trail.
Neglect of Oregon.
During the '40s. when the National
movement was setting strongly towards
the Pacific, Oregon was an uppermost sub
ject in the thought and frequently In the
plans of a large portion of the people of j
this country. Oregon pioneers were 1
i clinching our hold upon the Pacific Coast
, The party slogan of "54:40 or fight" in
1844 had response deep in the hearts of a
great majority of the people of the north
ern part of the Mississippi Valley 'and
stirred the whole Nation. American Influ
ence and activities In California from 1846
on the highest Interests of the supporting
community. There are peculiar reasons
for the exercise of the highest degree pf
care and Insight in the organization of
the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposi
tion. No people ever befcre Invested so
heavily In proportion to their means as
Portland and Oregon propose to Invest
In the Lewis and Clark Centennial. No
exposition was ever held In a community
so plastic, so completely in the making
as are .foruana ana uregon. xne current
r. v.. oni- nh'ntit It; "The this Coast, but alSO Of What more might I on radiated malnlv frnm Orirnn. Hun.
story of this adventure stands easily first ave been gained had President Madl- j tain Fremont was sent out originally to
and alone. This Is our national epic of son Deen oo'd ln regard to his enter- explore the best route to Oregon, and sent
exploration." To appreciate the unique vnse as Jefferson ln the Louisiana Pur- i to California from Oregon. William Mar
skill of leadership in this expedition we cime. Had this been so Captain Chit- shall, the discoverer of gold ln California
need but compare its success with the tenden thinks "the political map of North in 1848. was an Oregon pioneer of 1844,
ni,,rft nt tho "Ypllowstone Ex- America, wuuiu noi oo wnai n is loaay, ' Peter H. Burnett, the first Governor of
pedltton" of 1820. which was to have gone implying that there would have been an California, was an Oregon pioneer of 1843.
over but a Dart of the route of .Lewis uninterrupted American Pacific coast line i The exclusion of slave labor from the
and Clark. This had an outfit many "om.tne xtreme norin t0 tne Mexican
times more expensive than that of Lewis boundary.
and Clark and ten times as many men, Onr Rights to the Region.
but it went to pieces before it got be
yond what is now Omaha.
Unique as the Lewis and Clarke expe
dition was In Its original purposes and
in its execution the Oregon people are
sponsors for the celebration of Its com
ing centennial anniversary mainly be
cause of the consequences with which
It was fraught. Theodore Roosevelt, ln
his "Winning of the West," speaks of It
as "opening the door Into the heart of
the West." His book has the date mark
1896." It was written before the battle
of Manila, and the treaty closing the
Spanish-American war which placed the
Philippines permanently under our care;
before America's determining part in pre-
So far our rights to the region were
based on priority in discovery, in. ex-
mines of California was largely due to the
"Columbia River men." But now at the
close of the '40s came the diversion of the
National Interest from Oregon amounting
almost to an eclipse of It for some 50
ploratlon, and In occupation. But now I years. The annexation of Texas, the
for a period of 30 years the British Hud
son's Bay Company was to have almost
undisputed possession. However, the
rights established by Gray, Lewis and
Clark and Astor did not lapse and could
not be set aside through occupation by
a mere trading company. During nearly
all of this 30-year period the Boston
schoolmaster. Hall J. Kelley, was agi
tating the colonization of Oregon, and
ln 1832 and again In 1834 Nathaniel J.
Wyeth, with Herculean effort. Indomit
able perseverance and Incredible energy
led expeditions to the Columbia only to
war with Mexico, the gold discovery ln
California, the opening of the Kansas and
Nebraska lands, the Civil War, the de
velopment of the manufacturing lndus-i
tries, the occupation of the Dakotas, ab
sorbed ln turn the main attention and
energies of the Nation, leaving outlying
Oregon ln comparative obscurity with re
sources developing but slowly.
Oregon's day, however, Is dawning
again. America's surplus energy Is no
longer absorbed ln gold mining ln Cali
fornia, ln ojfcupylng the plans of Kansas.
Nebraska or the Dakotas. The overloaded
of common thought and effort is so
strongly set towards the Lewis and Clark
Centennial that the very cast of Oregon's
civilization in the future will surely come
from what is realized in that event. The
Exposition will leave an Inspired, unified
and enlightened people, with ideals newly
defined and elevated; or It will be followed
by more or less of humiliation, factional
; strife, disgrace, blighting discouragement
with sordid Ideals and disordered social
! relations.
Most auspicious was Oregon's response
to the idea of a celebration. Stronger faith
ln the good that may come from unity In
action toward higher things no other peo
ple has ever shown. And why should
not Oregon have faith in greater things
for herself and the Pacific Northwest?
The Pacific Northwest bears almost ex
actly the same relation to the rest of
the Nation East of us geographically, his
torically and economically that Greece
bore to the Orient and that England bore
f to the Continental nations of Europe.
A Serious Undertaking.
I take it then that the normal attitude
towards the Exposition project is one
that regards It as a serious undertaking
having tremendous possibilities for mak
lng or marring mucn m the future of
Oregon. The Exposition comes when
Oregon is Just at the flood tide of new
opportunities opportunities that require
20th century enlightenment on the part
of the masses If these opportunities are
to yield anything like unmixed good. Just
as the Lewis and Clark expedition was
the key that opened the Oregon oppor
tunity to the Nation so Is the Lewis and
Clark Centennial admirably adapted to
become the key to open the way to the
highest development of lndusarlal de-,
mocray ln the Pacific Northwest and to
realize Its leadership In social progress on
this continent. We have, I think, a fine
example given us by the authorities of
the Louisiana. Purchase Exposition of how
to plan definitely an exposition to accom
plish a great purpose. The main Idea
with them Is to make a world's fair for
the first time represent the world ln epi
tome as a "going concern," They thus
express their main purpose: "As to the
lesson for the world, the directorate de
sire to make a leading point. It Is to
show life and movement. An attempt
will be made to put the world before the
eye of the visitor, each exhibit being so
displayed as to make plain Its story, its
purpose and Its aim." And again. "The
department of education Is made the first
department of the classification ln ac
cordance with the theory upon which the
entire exposition Is founded. . . .
Through education man comes to a
knowledge of his powers, and of the pos
sibilities of life, and upon It are depend
ent the processes which extend through
out all the fields of Industry. This cor
relation of the powers of the brain and
of the hand of man extending- through
out the entire exhibit scheme of the ex
position, will for the first time in the his
tory of expositions, afford a strictly
scientific basis for the collection and clas
sification of objects." And finally: "At
St. Louis, the prevailing characteristic, it
Is Intended, shall be life and motion, and
the installation of products and processes
ln juxtaposition. The classification Is
based upon this plan and Its effects upon
the proportions of the buildings Is no-
L tloeable In that Machinery Hall Is rela
tively so small ln area. The machines
through whose operation raw- material is
converted into use and the processes em
ployed ln utilizing natural pdoducts will
be exhibited, so that not only will the
fund of human information be greatly In
creased, but suggestion will be made to
students, scientists and Inventors that will
give still greater development to genius
in the following than ln the preceding
decade."
Flood Tide of OpportHnity.
The World's Fair In this carefully
planned purpose affords a fine model for
the Lewis and Clark Exposition. But
Portland Is. not simply to do for the Pa
cific Northwest and the other peoples ln
close economic and commercial relations
with 4t what St, Louis aspires to do for
the world. St. Louis undertakes what
was distinctly the 19th century problem
that of complete mastery by man of the
physical forces of the world and of more
nearly perfect adjustment to his natural
environment. The Louisiana Purchase
Exposition with Its World Congress of the
Arts and Sciences and all of its exhibits
arranged to promote the development of
Invention and the application of sclen
tiflc methods to Industry has a great
mission. And yet the peculiar field which
belongs to the Lewis and Clark Expos!
tlon gives it, if not a greater mission, at
least one more advanced If you please a
20th century mission. Man ln the Pacific
Northwest has a peculiar problem. AU the
science and art of the past are his legacy.
They fairly press In upon him ln their
appeal to him for utilization here. Man
here has a physical environment so rich
and so diversified as not only to invite the
largest application of science and art, but
also one that demands the highest organ
izatlon of associated effort. In other
words the Pacific Northwest places man
In such relation to history, to nature and
to iris fellow-man as to promise him here,
If his Inheritance Is not sold for a mess
of pottage, man's highest development,
It rests with the Lewis and Clark Expo
sltlon to rise to the occasion. For it
represents a first possible step in a grand
co-operative effort to develop a social en
vlronment here commensurate with what
nature has done for us. If for a ruth
less, wasteful course of social evolution
that would never reach any desirable goal
we wouia realize one of steady, friction
less progrees, with opportunities of full
est life open to all, we must make the
Lewis and Clark Centennial fulfill Its high
mission. If the people of Oregon and the
Pacific Northwest do not persist ln their
determination to make this concerted
PH I LETC1S AKNOLD, G. A. U
BY "W. H. McM ASTERS
HILETE" everybody called him,
except his old comrades ln arms
of the Kentish Guards Post 23.
G. A R. The post was made up of 150
members when Phlletus first Joined In
'73, but ln '97 the old guard was barely
30 strong.
Only since the last Memorial day, an
observance that PhlletU3 looked forward
to. with more zeal than Christmas and
Fourth of July combined, Just one little
year, and five less members had marched
In tho parade to place the flags on the
graves of their comrades. Five more flags
to carry and Ave less boys to carry them.
Phlletus was not as spry and his feet
went heavier ln trying to keep time to the
music this year. Maybe the last sick spell
had done it..
But Phlletus was still strong, he as
sured the old members. "Why," he said,
"I am the only flve-year man left on the
rolls," and the old members all said "he's
right."
Sergeant Williams was six months in his
last camp ground. He and Phlletus had
Joined on the first call and reached Wash
ington when the Army of the Potomac
was merely an idea in the leader's brain.
And they had stayed right through to the
end. even six months after Appomattox,
before they wer.e discharged and got their
transportation "home.
Phlletus didn't go home at first, he
wasn't married and had no call to go
home, so the transportation money was
used another way. and Phlletus made a
a whaling voyage and then another, and it
was eight years before he reached Ap
ponaug, and the yarns he insisted on spin
ning when he joined the boys at the ar
mory the first night, soldier talk mixed
with sailor talk, with hundreds of adven
tures to draw from, made Phlletus popu
lar. Then he settled down and soon came
the wife and later the boy, and a little
later the wife was taken away and Phlle
tus had only the baby boy to care for and
a grave on the hill.
Surely there was nothing strange that
a man with only a baby boy to care for
should liave a lot of time to spend ln the
old armory, and It therefore was a most
unusual thing for the members to meet on
Winter nights and not catch Phlletus giv
ing his old stories another chance to be
heard.
One week during the Winter of '79 Phlle
tus didn't come near the armory at night,
but the members all knew it was Phlletus'
baby that was sick and Phlletus was
home watching him, because the landlady
was too busy, and as she told the other
boarders, she wasn't a trained nurse any
way. Soon the boy was 10, then 15, and finally
he was earning his own living, and three
years ago he married and moved away
where carpenters could get better wages.
Phlletus used to hang around until the
mall was sorted every afternoon, waiting
for a letter from tho boy, and then he
would .go back to the dingy hotel office
and answer it on tho hotel p&per. abd the
boy would tell the neighbors that his
father was stopping at the hotel.
He never told them that his father car
ried the mail bag, and cleaned out the
office at the hotel, and for this he re
ceived $7 a month from the Government,
and his board and a very small room in
the hotel: No, It wasn't necessary to tell
the neighbors that, and they thought that
Mr. and Mrs. Arnold would probably have
a lot of money when Mr. Arnold's father
died. '
Phlletus used to write cheery letters to
the boy. and the boy, of course, didn't
know that his father had been laid up
pretty much all Winter with the rheu
matism, and when he was out again, that
the hotel people told him that he owed
them 550. but he; could pay a dollar a week
on account, and would be all paid up ln
a year.
It wasn't necessary to put all that stuff
ln a letter, thought Phlletus, so he told
the boy he never was feeling better ln
his life and that only that very day "he
had been thinking of buying a bicycle at
the hardware store. He said it was a
second-hand one just to make it sound
more like the truth when the boy read it.
And here It was Memorial day again,
and they were now going Into the ceme
tery, and the orator of the day was tell
ing about the brave boys ln blue. This
was the 24th time Phlletus had done this,
and he reckoned on doing It a great many
time more.
"If It wasn't for this rheumatism,"
he said, using some of his sailor language.
"I wouldn't ask for anything better than
to run back to the army," but as he was
only speaking for himself, it was not dis
puted.
The boys allowed Phlletus to put the flag
into tho mound over the grave of Corporal
Williams, and some of the old ladles whis
pered among themselves as they saw him
stoop over and stick the flag ln Its place.
"Phlletus won't bo putting out flags
next year," said the old women, .but Phlle
tus was thinking of Antletam and the
second Bull Run. and his ears were so full
of musketry and shouting that he didn't
hear the old women.
And the blurring- stayed ln his ears so
he didn't hear the commander say, "Fall
in," ho Just heard that fearful roar as he
heard It the day Corporal Williams had
his left foot shattered, and he and Phllete
had waited till night to find out If the
Union troops had won or lost a battle.
That was a hot day, hotter by far than
this day, and yet his head must have been
clearer.
And then the old woman saw him fall
beside the grave of Corporal Williams
and saw several of the men spring to
lift him Into the wagon which carried
the feeble men of the post.
"Overcome with the heat; ought not
have tried to walk up the bill," said the
men; and they saw them bending over
Phllete, and Dr. Smith feeling his pulse,
and then he was lifted into the doctor's
team and with a pair of blue arms around
him was driven out of the cemetery and
down toward the village. ,
The next day they all heard that Phl
lete was ln bed ln his little room ln tho
hotel, and the young doctor thought It
was going to be a hard Job to savo -him
for another roll call-
roof, and said a great many other things
that were very Impolite for a young doc
tor to say who Is trying to establish a
practice, especially to a man who was so
Important as the hotel man; which 1
showed that the young doctor was a hu
manitarian first and a politician after
ward. Phllete recognized no one during the
first two weeks after he was taken sick,
but one day when one of the post called,
he opened his eyes, spoke the visitor's
name, and then closed them again and
was off to sleep. And the man went out
and told the rest of the members that
Phlletus was getting better.
But the young doctor knew that Phllete
was bound to go. He knew there was
nothing to build on.
"Oh, if they had only given him one
square meal a day, I might do some
thing," he said. "My God! the poor farm
patients get more to eat than this man
has had. He has been starved to death,
and was too much of a man, too much of
a soldier to complain. We will do our
best for you, old vet, but I'm afraid we
came ln too late."
And Phlletus was growing weaker and
weaker, but he was able to talk a little
now, and the doctor let the old man ln
to see him and Bay a few words, and
then came the last day, and the doctor
knew he could not keep life ln the old
body another night, and, leaning over, he
asked Phlletus if he would like to see the
minister, and Phlletus, who didn't quite
understand, said, "Tea, bring him In."
So a messenger was sent to the parson
age, and the minister came down ana
the doctor explained matters to him, and
the minister knelt and asked the Great
Commander to take a new recruit Into
his army. Then he took Phlletus by the
hand, and asked him If there was any
thing he wished before he went away,
and Phlletus knew that he was going
to die.
"I don't want much," he whispered,
"Just take me out on the hill and put me
beside the wife and have all the boys
come to the funeral. I always wanted to
be buried like a soldier," and, looking
down at , his hand, he saw a tear splash
on It. and wondered where it came from,
as he wasn't crying; and the minister
took the old, wrinkled hand and folded it
with the other over the breast, near the
place where the old bronze badge had
hung- for years, ' and tiptoed out of the
room.
Afterward the young doctor made out
a certificate which said that Phlletus Ar
nold died June 18; 1897, at 3 o'clock in the
afternoon, and that evening the doctor
attended a special meeting of Post 23,
G. A R., and told them of the dying wish
of their comrade.
Captain Norton rose and said: "Com
rades, you have heard what the doctor
tells us. We all knew Phlletus for a
good soldier and a stanch and loyal
member of the post, and I think he de
serves all the honors we can give him
when Tie makes his last march, but our
numbers, have greatly diminished, we are
only 25 weak old men, where once we
were 150 strong young men. Our finances
are low, we have no music We cannot
do much for our comrade, but we must
The members went home to rest and
the young doctor and Captain Norton
went down to the hotel and told the man
to put some crepe on the door at the
front entrance, and the man went out
and did It. The flag at the armory was
unfurled at half staff, and they said
"Good night" .and went home, leaving
flapping ln the breeze.
"Pneumonia," the doctor 6ald, "and the do the beet we can, and as commander
poor old frame Isn't good for a very hard - of the post, I ask that all the members
siege," and then he got the hotel man ln shall be present ln uniform at the funeral
a corner and told him that an old vet- j of Comrade Arnold Wednesday morning,
eran had been starving under his very The post is dismissed for tonight."
Wednesday morning was bright, and
clear, and at 9 o'clock the hearse was
backed up to the curbing at the little
Baptist Church waiting for the service
to finish. The old guard was seated, lis
tening to the words of the minister, and
the smell of the wild flowers, picked by
wrinkled old hands, filled the air in the
church.
Then came the benediction, and the
bearers took up tbelr burden and marched
down the aisle and out Into the open.
Everything was solemnly hushed, except
for a distant rumbling far up the street
and the echo of a bugle call, which chimed
with the chirping of the birds.
Into the hearse they rolled the coffin
and Captain Norton gave the order for
the formation of his little command.
The rumble was growing nearer and
nearer, and as they now looked up the
village road they saw 100 horsemen turn
ing the curve, and a minute later the
command "Halt!" was sounded on the
bugle, and the horsemen came to a stand,
and they heard the word taken up by a
deep voice, way down the line, "Halt!"
and then a fainter "Halt!"
Captain Norton hurriedlj.; walked over
to the minister and said: . "The state
troops bound for the encampment, pir
son. It will take them a half-hour to go
by; what shall we do?"
The minister's eyes glistened. "An act
of Providence, Captain," he said. "God
moves in most mysterious ways. Who
commands these troops?"
"This Is Colonel Stanwood's division, I
believe," replied the Captain. Then he
approached the cavalry Major, who had
Just reached the head of the troops, and
saluted.
Returning the salute, the Major said.
"What have we here?"
"Not much, Major; only an old Grand
Army man, Phlletus Arnold, taking his
last ride. We didn't figure on the boys
going through this morning. If old Phlle
tus had been alive. Instead of lying cold
In the hearse, he would be waiting- for you
at the hotel steps calling at 'Attention!'
He never missed seeing the militia go
through the village on their way to
camp."
The young Major turned his head away
and looked up the line. "A moment, Cap
tain, and I hive something to say to
you; I will consult with Colonel Stan
wood," and wheeling he golloped back
down the line
"I was right," said Captain Norton to
the minister, "It Is Colonel Stanwood's
division, and a right good Colonel he Is,
too. No tin soldier about him. Why, he
was In command of Phlletus company
during the fight at Antletam."'
Down the line galloped the Major, and
found the Colonel seated at the side of
the road, while his horse was grazing In
the .cloven
"What Is the halt for. Major?"
"A funeral at the Baptist Church,
Colonel. An old G. A R. man. The Post
Commander said- his -name was Arnold,
lr, 'Old Phlletus;' be called Mm.
To his horse sprang the Colonel, saying:
"Follow me. Major, I wish to Interview
the commander," and muttering to him
self, " 'Old Phlletus yes. now but onco
it was 'Young Phlletus, and I have run
into his funeral almost 40 years aeo
anu "
But he was halting his horse in front
of the church, and the commander was
approaching. They shook hands, these
old, gray-headed veterans, and the com
mander said: "Sorry we had to halt your
troops, colonel, but I had forgotten all
about you today. You see, 'Old Phlletus
Arnold' Is ln the hearse, and we were
doing our best to give him a military
funeral. That was the only thing ho
asked for when he died, that the boys
might all come out and bury him with
the honors due a soldier. I'm afraid
doesn't impress you as much as a mar
tial cortege, does it. Colonel?"
'"Maybe not. Captain, as it stands now.
but you must not forget that this di
vision of men is under my command, and
old Phlletus will have as good a funeral
as the Rhode Island militia can deliver
at short notice; Major Hicks, detail eight
cavalry and eight Infantry to act under
Commander Norton as escort for the body
of Corporal Arnold I haven't forgotten
his rank, you see then post a trumpeter
200 yards ahead to precede the march to
the grave. Make up the line ln solid
formation, a battalion of Infantry, a bat
talion of cavalry, the detail of 25 men
from the hospital corps, the machine gun
battery, then the platoon of light bat
tery. Order the field music of the di
vision immediately behind the escort."
Hurriedly the orders were passed down
the line. Two hundred yards In advance
Outrider Begman hears the command
March!" and the Impressive procession
marches through the village street to the
sad, slow music of the six trumpeters
playing "Rest, Soldier, Rest," to the time
of the muffled drums, and away back at
the end of the line the springless gun
carriages give out their heavy rumble as
If they, too, were sorry that an old sol
dier was being borne away.
Up, up the long hill they climbed, and
halt at the cemetery gate, and then the
last sad rites were performed, the tat
trW" nld flae was removed from the
bier and given In charge of the color-
bearer of the post, and the minister said,
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust."
As the handful of dirt was thrown onto
the pine box that served as a casket for
one of the country's defenders. Division
'6. with 1100 men, stood at "parade rest"
at the grave of Corporal Arnold, and six
trumpeters sounded "taps."
And as he caught the echo. Bugler Beg
man, away off In the distance, stood at
"attentldn," and said to himself, "It Is
noble to be a soldier!"
Mirrors for Billiard Tables.
The way in which billiard -plftylng la simpli
fied by the device of a Munich professor has
astonished those who have witnessed the test.
says the American Inventor. "The sides of an
ordinary billiard table are provided with six
mirrors, n& or mora of which can be turned
down when a. play is made, and the advantage
rests ln the fad that any Image Is reflected
In the- same angle ln which it falls on
the mirror. Just as the billiard ball rebounds
from the cushion in the same angle as that of
striklntr. The mirror shows at once the differ
ent ways ln which a shot can be made. Even
th tyro Is aald to aalce difficult Indirect shots
as .readily as. direct ones, and the Intricacies
of the gaae are quickly conoicrd b" ay
feodr."
effort towards the Inauguration of the
highest policies of social progress her,e It
Is hard to see what occasion can bring
them so near this mood again. It Is th
spell that the commemoration of a great
event and a great movement casts ovei
them that will hardly be repeated. Tht
Lewis and Clark Centennial then is the
flood tide of opportunity. If it to noi '
seized and we lapse again Into mere In
dividualistic policies "all the voyage" ol
life in the future of the Pacific North
west will be bound ln comparative "shal-
lows and In miseries.".
Ce-Operatlea Xeeded.
An exposition- planned to meet 20th cen
tury needs becomes the herald of an In
dustrial democracy in which there Is a
compietejy harmonious co-operation for
tne realization of the highest social Ideals.
It Is dawning upon us that publicity is
me urst conaiuon or. relief from the trust
evil. We need yet, however, to realize
that essential publicity, or light is the
talisman for developing a true Democratic:
spirit to which are disclosed ever-expand
ing vistas of possibilities. The. first great
duty of the Exposition authorities is to
brtag to the people of the Pacific North
west the largest enlightenment on the nat
ural resources of this region. Taking oui (
timber resources ag an Illustration, w
are painfully aware that the timber hold
ings are not as widely and equably distrib
uted among- the masses as one-could wish.
But we have many rich natural monopo-
lies which tho whole people should share.
They have common and Incalculable per
manent interests in the forests of Ore
gon, in the water power of our streams, in
our facilities for Irrigation, In the mines
and ln the ensemble of natural beauty here.
Shall the great natural forest areas In
Oregon which" may becomethe source of
an ever-Increasing flow of wealth for all
time for the whole people be allowed.
without state forestry activity, to "become
mere waste places for weed trees? We
are told by Mr. Elwood Mead, chief of the
Division of Irrigation, that he believes
Oregon "has the largest area of unim
proved land whereon Irrigation Is possible
of any state in the Union." Here Is a
great Interest ln which, most fortunately, 2
a policy of co-operation between the state
and the Nation has been instituted. What
could be more propitious for the good for
tune of the people than an active co-operation
between the authorities of the Ex
position and the United States bureaus of
forestry, Irrigation and the United States
Geological Survey ln preparing an exhibit
of the data on the Interests of the people
of the state ln these natural resources?
With such definite, earnest and laudable
purposes In view Congref s .nd the Admin
istration would respond to the claims of
the Lewis and Clark Exposition ln a very
different spirit from that with which they
have met recent expositions.
By means of models, relief maps, photo
graphs, drawings, charts and graphic rep
resentations generally, along with con
gresses and the discussions by the press.
the people and their Legislators would
come to take an Intelligent and far-
sighted view of these great inheritances
of theirs. A whole Summer given to the
exposition of the people's Interests in
their .common heritage with the use of
the best art of Illustration, representa
tion and elucidation would awaken a liv
ing Interest, so that they would make sura
of their rights, conserve an equality of
opoprtunlty and make our natural re
sources yield their highest social utility.
Our experience with our state school
lands shows that such a fortunate condi
tion Is absolutely Impossible without the
Influence an exposition could exert to
wards an enlightenment on our public In
heritances. An Example to Copy.
The municipal exposition at Dresden,
Germany, during this Summer, gives a
suggestion for a municipal department for
our Exposition that would work a trans
formation in our civic spirit and enlight
enment. How glorious it would be for
Oregon If the Lewis and Clark Fair clubs
would in dead earnest determine to pos
sess themselves of the philosophy of city
making and to do their best to control
municipal activity ln Oregon so as to
make it conserve highest economic and
esthetic ends, and bring about rational
unity in all municipal development and
foster an architectural spirit? Why not
commission a delegate to Dresden? Why
not begin to make wholesome, beautiful
and edifying the Oregon village and city,
so that as a whole each may be a posi
tive joy forever? The same strenuous
Idealism would find a rich field ln the af
fairs of our counties and of our school
districts. The Oregon farm must come ln
for as many meliorating influences as the
Oregon town. All that good roads, graded
schools, traveling libraries, neighborhood
telepnones and model farm establishments
can do to elevate the social conditions of
farm life will be greatly furthered by the
Exposition. But the problem that 13
fundamental with the people, both of the
town and the country, pertains not merely
to sharing the unearned Increment of the
natural and artificial monopolies, but also
to participation in the gains of all capital
ized Industry. It Is the problem of "peo
plelzlng" the Industries. Corporate or
ganization and management should be a
department of the Exposition. By the
elimination of all the unnecessary risk
In Investments In corporation securities,
through effective governmental regula
tion and supervision, the people may gain
control and reap the large- profits of cap
italized Industry. The Exposition, will
have Its highest mission in securing to
the people an Interest In the gains and a
share ln the control of our Industrial or
ganizations. iVlll Not Be Foand Wanting. -
The next generation of Oregonlans will
not be found wanting in their ardor for
the welfare ot the state as a whole, in pa
triotic zeal for the betterment of all the
conditions of life here and ln aspiration
to give the Pacific Northwest leadership
In social progress if the schools are fur
nished the story of the Oregon opportu
nity as It was made and realized. This, as
told by the actors themselves, should' be
compiled and distributed to the districts.
The highest pitch ot emulation ln tho
mastery of this story and Interest in the
aims of the Exposition may advisedly be
secured by a system of prize essays on
Important topics pertaining to Oregon's
development.
This outline of the features that the Ex
position might Include does not debar
from It popular and recreative attrac
tions. It does not slur the exhibition of
the remarkable products of the farm, the
orchard, the mine, the river, the forests
and the factory. The ideas emphasized
will only give these products multiplied
significance, bringing them into vital rela
tions with life that Is more than meat,
drink and wear. An exposition thus ra
tionally planned will be the poor man's
greatest hope If he loses the aid it would
give him toward the right solution pf the
social problem, the odds are terribly
against him ln the race for an equable
distribution. Such an exposition would
far towards securing an open door to an
equality of opportunity for all ln Oregon.
To block the organization of such an ex
position would not be far from social sui
cide for "the masses.
The dominance of economic forces In
progresses becoming more and more ex
clusive. It devolves upon the people to
comprehend fully the living forces, and by"
comprehending them put themselves In"
position to control them and mold them
to the higher uses of conserving an equal
ity of opportunity for all. The Lewis and
Clark Exposition lends Itself wholly to
this great rates-ion. It Is hard, to see bow
a means quite se propitious will be avall
I able again. F. G. YOUNG.