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OREGON'S GOVERNOR IS PROUD HE IS A MAN OF THE FARM
Wonder Spray of Timothy Brings James Withycombe to West Work With Soil Early Recognized So Aid of Authority on Cattle Early Is Enlisted by 0. A. C.
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BT GEORGE PALMER PUTNAM. 1
RECENTLY there appeared the an
nual report of the Oregon Agri
cultural College Experiment Sta
tion. For 16 years these reports have
teen Issued over the same signature,
"James Withycombe, Director." Just
now, because the "director" has become
"Governor," there is special Interest in
the scientific agricultural work con
ducted for eo long by the ex-dlrector,
and in the Governor's continuation of
that development of Oregon, agricul
tural and otherwise, with which he is
now even more prominently identified.
It is interesting to note, at the out
let, that it was the agricultural at
tractions of Oregon which first brought
Governor Withycombe here.
James Withycombe would not be
Governor today if the Willamette "Val
ley had not produced remarkably fine
timothy In the Spring of 1870. For It
was an enormous head of timothy sent
from Portland to the Withycombe home
In Devonshire, that won the admira
tion of the English farmer boy and
awoke his ambition to Beek the Weet
ern land where grasses grew so boun
tifully and dollars were reputed to
lutngulow upon the trees.
l'arly Memories Awakened,
The other day at Salem, Governor
Withycombe was out at the State
Farm, where he often finds more in
terest and relaxation than at his of
ficial desk, and the preparation of
what is to be a field of hay awoke
memories of 40 years ago.
"It was the grasses of Oregon which
brought me here," he said. "My brother
John came to Portland, and the won
derful productivity of the country
astonished Mm. He wrote to us across
the Atlantic, and he sent us samples
of some Oregon products. I remember
the enormous size of a head of timothy
we received from him as clearly as if
It all happened yesterday. It was an
Immense thing. Right then and there
I decided the place to cast my fortunes
was Oregon."
James Withycombe's older brother,
John, was surveyor on the estate of a
large Devonshire landholder. Their
parents rented a stock farm from the
Duke of Bedford. That was in 1869.
John was receiving the munificent
salary of 30 pounds a year, or about
9150. Needless to say, he was not ac
cumulating a bulky bank account, and
one day he complained to the stewards
of the estate.
"Look here, Mr. Steward, "said young
Withycombe, or however land' tenants
address the chief representative of a
British Duke, a detail of some uncer
tainty to the average Oregonian, "it's
pretty hard to get along on this
salary. I've studied my profession and
worked at It steadily. It seems to me
I ought to receive more than a bare
living out of it."
California la Reached.
Evidently the steward didn't like this
"strike for a raise," as it would be
termed hereabout. Anyway he failed
to take the hint.
"All right, my man." said he. "Tou
should understand that one must be
contented to earn enough to pay for
bed and board until one is 30. That Is
doing well."
Further, the steward intimated that
If John wasn't -pleased he knew what
he could do about it, to employ an
Americanism quite foreign to Devon
shire and Duke's stewards. And John
knew. Furthermore, he did it.
Three months later found John
Withycombe in California, having
crossed the continent on the Central
Pacific in the first year of its exist
ence. But it had been an off season
in. California, and the young immigrant
found a brown and burned country,
drought-stricken and vastly different
from his verdant Devonshire. He didn't
like it a tilt, and was about to give
up in disgunt when a traveler from
the north told him about Oregon.
"It was the tales of the Oregon pro
ductiveness which impressed John,"
nald James Withycombe today. "That
original Oregon booster told of waist-
high wild grass and bountiful Willam
ctte crops, which made my brother's
yes ooige."
Timothy Sample Brings Governor.
So John. Withycombe came to Ore
gon, and he found the country all, that
had been claimed for It. Forthwith
this pioneer of the Withycombe family
wrote to his parents and his brother.
6000 miles away, and sent the sample
of Oregon, timothy which acted as the
magnet to draw Oregon's present Gov
ernor from the land of Lorna Doone
over the Atlantic and across the West
ern continent.
In 1871, then, James Withycombe be
came an Oregonian. At once, automat
ically, superlatively and irrevocably,
he found himself an Oregon enthusiast.
Not only that, but he became a part of
Oregon, and it is doubtful if any other
one man has done as much as he to
further the fundamental development
of the state, which Is to say its agri
cultural growth. His brother John, had
from the first been an enthusiast. But
for James Oregon became a -religion.
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almost a fetich, of which he has
preached and for which he has labored
with the faith of the true pioneer, the
foresight of a builder for tomorrow,
and the intelligence -of one who works
along lines long tried and scientifical
ly thought out.
Karly Appearance Recalled.
"I remember how Portland looked
when I saw It first in the Fall of 1871,"
said Governor Withycombe. "It was
then scarcely more than a straggling
village, with ill-kept streets, poor
lighting and no such luxuries as street
cars. The jitneys of that time were
furnished motive power by horses, and
even at that they were few and far
between.
"I remember, about the only imposing
building was the St. Charles Hotel,
which was of brick. I patronized a
more modest hostelry, the International,
down on Front street. It was destroyed
in the great fire of 1873. At that time.
The Oregonian was published at the
corner of Front and Stark, and was
regarded universally as the strongest
newspaper in all the Northwest."
In the seventies, as now, Portland
had Its optimists, says the Governor,
who were predicting great things for
her future.
"It's really worth while to look back
and try to piece together their pro
phecies. Then we were Inclined to
regard them as too rosy, as dreams that
for the most part never would be
realized. But time has proved the
doubters liars, for all the most glowing
predictions for Oregon's growth which
we are making today will become two
fold realities."
Farm Contracted by Acre.
After four years on his father's
farm, which was near Hillsboro, James
Withycombe struck out for himself.
The State of Oregon was then 16 years
old. and Withycombe was 20.
The farm was 100 acres. He didn't
buy it for the good and sufficient rea
son that the cash was lacking. But he
contracted to pay $15 an acre for the
land, and signed notes for the total
amount, bearing 13 per cent interest.
By the end of three years he could at
least see light ahead, so far as the
debt was concerned.
At the outset, young Farmer Wlhfoy-
combe determined that the way to be
successful was to have nothing iut the
best. Methods of cultivation must be
correct, and, especially the stock, which
was to lay the foundation of his herds.
must be the best.
So he broke all precedents by paying
the fabulous price of $190 for four
blooded sheep. Neighbors thousrht him
a dreamer, but the dreams prove gold
en, for later an individual sheep from
the same stock sold for more than all
four of the flrBt lot cost.
Blooded sheep always had been a
hobby of the Governor's. Just before
he assumed office in January he visited
the stock show at the Portland Union
Stock Yards. In the course of viewing
the fine exhibits there he came upon
a flock of Shropshire sheep, and to the
Governor it was almost like finding old
mends, or at least the descendants of
old friends.
Withycombe Karat Expands.
For 21 years ago he imported their
ancestors from England, and they had
been developed in Oregon ever since.
One of them, by the way, has won all
the prizes as the champion wether
exhibited in the Western fair circuit.
All of which was a pertinent instance
of tho mark which Doctor Withy
combe's pioneering in livestock better
ment has left upon the -state.
But to get back to the AVithycombe
farm. It expanded to 256 acres, and
the hard work and painstaking ability
of its owner -speedily established it as
a model among Oregon farms. There
was at all times combined on this farm
scientific method without any "frills,"
so that the reputation of the young
farmer spread far and wide, and he
became recognized as an authority both
among scientific agriculturists and
plain" farmers. Incidentally Doctor
Withycombe, as he was now called,
through his knowledge and practice as
a veterinarian won from his acres a
comfortable dependency.
Seventeen years ago it occurred to
the authorities at the Oregon Agri
cultural College that what the institu
tion needed above all else was a suc
cessful scientific-practical farmer, who
would take the gospel of agricultural
education from the college to the men
at the plows.
Aid Is Lent to College Work.
James Withycombe was pre-eminently
the man they needed for the
task, and as there were tnen boys and
girls in the family who required col
lege education, Doctor Withycombe was
persuaded to move to Corvallis and be
come active In the college work.
For 16 years. Doctor Withycombe re
mained 'at the head of the Oregon Agri
cultural College experiment station. It
was his pleasurable duty to go to cue
farmers of the state and help them
work out their local problems. Liter
ally, he "took the college to the
farmer."
Under his inspiration, branch exper-
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iment btations were established I
throughout the state, each one demon
strating the things to be done, and the
things not to do, agriculturally speak
ing, in the various localities.
To get back to that report of the
Oregon Agricultural College experiment
station Issued recently. At the be
ginning of it appears a brief review
of the growth of the station work dur
in the period between 1898 and 1913.
That phenomenial growth, in tabloid
form, tells the story of Oregon s own
agricultural strides.
Incidentally, it is -worth noting that
during these years the state's agricul
tural products have increased nearly
five fold in value, and dairy products
six fold and more. But here is what
Director Withycombe himself wrote:
Station Progress Reviewed.
"Since this report concludes my
services as director of the Experiment
Station, I beg your indulgence for this
deviation in presenting a brief review
of the progress of the Station, and the
development of agriculture through
out the state during the past 16 years,
concurrent with ray administration as
director of the Experiment Station.
"In 189S there were 10 members of
the Station staff. - At this date there
are 45. In 1898 there was the home
Station with its five departments.
Now there are in addition to the home
Station seven branch stations and
some 12 co-operative experimental
plats, with nine departments.
"The total value of the agricultural
products of the state In 1898 was less
than $30,000,000, while the total value
of these products in 1913 was $139.
505.328. "Dairying, during the past 16 years,
has shown a phenomenal growth in
production, having increased in value
from less than $3,000,000 to $18,425,000.
Poultry has also shown a large in
crease in production; and the produc
tion of clover seed has grown from
practically nothing to a crop valued at
$2,000,000.
"Perhaps the "most notable value of
the experiment station work has been
Its influence for better agricultural
and horticultural practices through
out the state, including its Influence
for better methods of handling live
stock, especially the growing and fat
tening of swine.
Demonstration Work Valued High.
"The demonstration work of the sta
tion, showing improved methods of
moisture conservation, has been worth
millions of dollars to the farmers In
the drier sections of the state. These
demonstrations, in fact, have shown
that lean years may be largely averted
in dry-farm districts."
That the Influence for better agri
culture will be continued from the
Governor's office, as well as for bet
ter business in fundamental state ad
ministration, is apparent to all famil
iar with the every-day methods and
aims of the "farmer Governor." who is
as much scientist as farmer, and per
haps more of a commercial builder for
the future than either. .
For instance, a big detail of admin
istration which Interested Governor
Withycombe immediately, and to which
he Is devoting much, attention, la the
OREGOXIAX, PORTLAND,
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development of the flax industry in the
Willamette Valley.
A-s soon as he became Governor the
difficulty of providing labor for the
inmates of the Penitentiary became ap
parent. In considering schemes for
creating occupation for the convicts,
naturally the Governor's attention
turned to agricultural possibilities, and
after investigation he found that the
growing of flax could be made of great
value in solving the Penitentiary la
bor problem.
As a result of the Governor's Inter
est and efforts, the last Legislature
made a generous appropriation for de
veloping the flax industry. If all goes
well, this will mean not only a con
siderable area in flax near Salem this
Summer, but it will open the way to a
big development of flaxgrowing in all
the etate.
That flax flourishes here already has
been proved. Now that satisfactory
labor is to be supplied, and with the
European producing areas practically
out of commission and a profitable
market assured, there seems a bright
future for this new branch of Oregon
MODERN INDUSTRY NEW
FIELD FOR WATER COLOR
Exhibit at Museum of Art Is Declared Especially Free in Methods and
Brilliant in Light and Color Effects.
BT LILLIAM TINGLE.
THOSE Interested in fresh, direct,
modern handling of water colors
and pastels should not fail to visit
the Museum of Art before the close on
April 26 of the present exhibition of
work by Floyd Wilson and C. A. Wal
ters. Both are young artists whose
convictions have Jed them to reject
academic conventions, and to devote
themselves to free and spontaneous rec
ords of their own visual impressions.
While many of the most pleasing
sketches are of Portland subjects, the
group of water colors, done recently In
San Francisco by C. A. Walters, is espe
cially free in method and brilliant In
effects of light and color, exemplifying
the characteristic spontaneity of true
water color technique.
Among, these California sketches.
"The Shipyard. Oakland, California," is
particularly good in arrangement and
effective in color. "Out of Commission"
shows bold handling of masses and
spirited drawing.
Most people can feel the grace of line
in a light Japanese bridge, or the
charm of an old English stone arch;
but we are only Just beginning to ap
preciate the picturesque value of the
powerful spans of our modern iron
structures. "Hawthorne Bridge" ex
pressed this. an Is besides interesting
for its simply trjated sparkling water.
In Floyd Wilson's "Laborers, New
Meier & Frank Building." we find an
other expression of the picturesque
side of modern industrial activities.
Henri, under whom both these artists
received, a part of their training, is
APRFL. 18, 1915.
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agriculture and certainly bo far as the
Governor is concerned It will receive
the fullest encouragement
Governor Withycombe's enthusiasm
for Oregon has been referred to. Big
ger than that patriotism is his National
patriotism. He is the most ardent
kind of an American, and side by side
with the more hackreyed slogans, "See
America First" and "Patronize Ameri
can Products," stands another which
reads about like this: "Be Prepared to
Protect America." In other words, tho
Governor, who always has taken care
of himself, believes in being able to
take care of ourselves as a Nation, In
keenly Interested in such aspects of
contemporary life, and advocates the
search for artistic material in the less
hackneyed field of subjects offered by
the great modern industries.
"Laborers" is more quiet in tone than
others in this attractive group of pas
tels, which includes "The Green Par
rot," a brilliant and sensitive bit of
color, and "Crossing the Bridge," in
which a vivid yellow milk wagon is the
strongest note. While these two are
perhaps the finest in composition, the
entire group of pastels shows a good
sense of arrangement and a freshness
of handling all too rare .with the av
erage pastellist.
Two of the oil paintings by Floyd
Wilson, "The Pinto" and "The Relay
Race," are full of the violent move
ment of events in the Pendleton Round
up. In contrast with these are "Peaks
Island. Maine," and tno -sketch," both
of which appeal by the restfulness of
a calm mood instead of by the ex
citement of action. Vigorous action
also is shown in "The Texas Tommle
Dancers," which has besides the rich
coloring, characteristic of Floyd Wil
son's work.
Coos Dairying to Be Profitable.
MARSH FIELD, Or., April 17. (Spe
cial.) From every section of Coos and
Curry counties there comes confirma
tion of the well advanced season and
the ranchers everywhere say they have
more and better grass than, in many
years past. This condition indicates
the dairying season of 1915 will be a
profitable -one, since the early grazing
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the unfortunate event that such should
become necessary.
With this in mind, ha heartily be
lieves in a citizen soldiery as main
tained in our National guards, not for
Oregon use, but as a means to train
every-day men in the rudiments of mil
itary science, so that if it ever became
necessary we at least would have aJ
skeleton of a military structure upon
which to build.
In thla direction it is also true that
to a great extent it was the personal
interest and support of the Governor
which induced the last Legislature to
continue the Naval Militia in exist
ence, when, because it allegedly had
fallen somewhat below the standard
of efficiency, it was proposed to do
away with it.
"Better keep it," counseled the Gov
ernor. "Compared with what It costs it
may mean a lot to us. At the worst,
it shows that the Coast states are wlll-
produces finer butter and the ranchers
obtain higher prices than later. Crops
are doing well all over the coast sec
tion and the milking season Is on in
full swing. Near Myrtle Point a num.
ber of ranchers lost some valuable
cows during the calving season, but no
reason has been assigned for the
unusual occurrences.
MR. HUME HAS BAIL RAISED
Attorney's Fear of Italian Causes
Increase From $500 to $5000.
When W. T. Hume, the attorney
who was shot in the back by F. A.
Consentlno, an Italian, last week,
learned that Cosentino's ball had been
fixed at $500 by Municipal Judge
Stevenson, he called District Attorney
Evans on the telephone and said that
he was afraid Consentlno would fur
nish that amount, get out of Jail and
make another demonstration against
him.
Three hours later the grand Jury,
under the direction of Deputy District
Attorney Joseph L. Hammersley, re
turned an indictment charging Consen
tlno with assault with intent to kill.
On recommendation of Mr. Hammers
ley the ball was raised to $5000.
SCHOOL RECORD IS MADE
Youth About to Graduate lias No
Tardy Mark In Entire Period.
CORVALLIS, April 17. (Special.)
Carl Glos. a student of the Corvallis
High School, has a record covering his
entire school life of never having been
tardy at school. He began his school
career when 1 years old at Portsmouth
School in Portland, and will graduate
from the Corvallis High School in June
of this year. Ho will complete his
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lng to co-operate with tho Federal au
thorities In naval preparedness, and
certainly we Muuld be willing to keep
up our end. Instead of giving It up,
lets turn to and make it both effi
cient and economical."
But withal, gold lace has no slight
est attraction for the "farmer" Gov
ernor, whose tastes are slmi'le in all
things.
'Uold lace and buttons," says lie,
"rattier embarrassed me when 1 ran
a farm, and now 1 haven't much more
use for them when I'm trying to run a
state."
As evidence of which Is the fart thut
with his sanction the Governor's mil
itary staff was legislated out of ex
istence In February, being considered
an unnecessary official luxury.
During the legislative session a poli
tician of prominence was walking up
the street to the Statehouse with the
new Governor. He was in the irii-i.it
of explaining Just why certain rather
complicated political action should l
taken at once, when, to his dlsjcruntle
ment, he noted that the Governor's at
tention was entirely distracted by a
fine dray horse which was passing.
Farmers' Vlrna Are Awaited.
"Great animal, that," said the ex
stockman Governor.
"Yes. to be sure but how about
pushing the bill through?"
"Oh, that? Well. It seeme to me
there's no great hurry. Let's find out
first what the people want. It appears
as if perhaps the farmers might look
at it different. If they're given a
chance to be heard."
And there you have a glimpse of the
every-day working of Oregon's "farm
er Governor," who is still a farmer In
the best sense of the word, and Is
proud of it, and who sticks to the old
fashioned notion that after all It's
best to let the people, and especially
the agricultural folks, have a hand In
deciding state affairs now and then.
High School course In three years and
a half, having entered in February,
1912, and in that time has devoted much
of his time to music and other duties
outside of his regular school work. His
musical ability is recognized. In that
he became proficient on the saxophone
during the past two years and now
plays difficult selections in band and
orchestra music. He plays in the Cor
vallis High School Band.
His average standing during the
three years and a half of High School
is 91 per cent, and during that time
he has been required to take examina
tions in but two subjects, and then
only because his class standing was a
trifle below 90 per cent.
ARIEL CAMPJS TO BEGIN
Opening of Big Mill at Vancouver
Means More Work at Woodland.
WOODLAND. Wash.. April 17. (Spe
cial.) The announcement thut the Du
bois Lumber Company, of Vancouver,
win start up its big mill there doubt
less means that it will commence op
erations soon at its big logging camp at
Ariel, 15 miles above Woodland, on tre
Lewis River.
It employs about 75 men. The com
pany has large timber holdings at
Woodland and operates a large camp
when in action, as most of the logs ar
taken to the river on a logging road
several miles in length.
Training School Is Improved.
CHEHALIS, Wash., April 17. (Spe
cial.) At the State Training School,
extensive improvements that add mate,
tlally to the appearance of the
grounds recently have been made. New
concrete steps leading to the adminis
tration building from the public drive
way, together with better lighting fa
cilities, give a much better approach.
A pew bakery also is being erected.