Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Oregon statesman. (Salem, Or.) 1916-1980 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 18, 1921)
FRIDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 18, 1921 LAlYING OF THE CORNER STONE OF THE: OREGON CAPITOL I - ' - ' ; . . - - 1 THE OREGd:STATifAN,;SALOI..bnE(iON the fart that not a century ago. about the lime When Lewis" and Clarlt were making their celebrat ed exploration of the. grand Co lumbia river, the members of a learned society In Europe were sitting in judgment upon Ameri t ca, and tbelr verdict was that seri ously it wis a question whether, on the whole, the discovery of America bud been of advantage to the world. Evidently they had learned that China was in Vene zuela and that Japan was in New foundland,! Is it strange, then, that Oregon is comparatively unknown abroad? Her explorers, her trap pers and her traders knew but lit tle of her wonderful resources. Before the settlement of Califor-. nla, Oregon was the terminus of western civilization. Today by . many In distant : parts, and, per haps by some in that state, he is supposed to be a county in Cali fornia. We were once asked 6ft the coast of that state, by a pro fessional j gentleman traveling 'round the world if Oregon was not an uninhabited region near the White Pine mines. Near the ' capital of , this nation, but a few years ago, we were asked if wheat could be, raised in Oregon, at a time when. our flour was sell ng at a premium In the markets of the .east! 'Purchasers are usually contented (with the article pur chased; they never ask whence it comes; and so it Is with those who purchase Oregon flour in distant markets t 'they! never inquire where 14 Is obtained. They care not whence It comes. Hence it Is that those who nurchase the nrorf- ucts of our! state, as well as those of whom Oregon purchases, are almost entirely ignorant of her re sources and interests. The money they make in the trade is all that Is visible or valuable to them. Or egon has exported without having j the name of an; exporter.. Her j products have gone Into the marts of the woTld accredited to others while " those whom ' she has en riched have not respected her even for what she has done. For the take of policy it has been deemed 'sssentlal to success by jobbers and nWdlemen to destroy all rivalry in commerce, not only to put up on their purchases a false name, to-facilitate, as they claim, the sale, of the article, but also to be little the pretensions of Oregon. Thus oqr state has stood a beg gar, literally. In another market even! with all her gold. When she parted with that she did as a slave parts. with his. last farthing. She has passed; up and down the Bos phorus, soj to speak, for over 30 years and -has paid dear tribute tq , thousands, for things which none could produce or manufac ture better than herself. This - tribute mopey i3 bald to those who appreciate! her gold and nothing . mye. , Shall we ask, when will our state be free from the crush ing exactions of our present policy ot '.purchasing everything abroad? 'When will she tarn her attention - to the development of ' her own abundant resources T If to add to the wealth of other states bv ex 'porting' our gold 'for -articles of food and raiment, for the imple ments of husbandry, la short, for everything we use, almost; except the air, we breathe,' is required of a new" state like this, let us feel now that the t.'me of our servi tude Is up. and that capital shall come to the relief of our people and talse up all the aids needed to make our state a manufactur ing as well as a producing-one This is demanded of us, not only as being vital to our advancement in population and wealth, but also as being absolutely necessary for the welfare cf oar young men who need to be trained in a knowledge of' the various branches of Indus try, j :Bt the continent of North America has been explored, and a- -trans-continental railroad has brought the shores of the Atlantic upon the east and the Pacific up on the west quite together. Light ning has annihilated space be tween them. North America Is not' only a part of the world, and of great benefit to it. but is in deed the central continent of it, and ' Oregon holds some of the most important-keys to her com merces With . these commercial advantages, with, the f nest of ag ricultural r lands; abundantly -watered, which not only insure never failing crops, but are able to sus tain a very dense population,; the time will; come when our state will-realize the fondest hopes of her early friends, who predicted . for her a future of so much great ness and wealth. - - Passing over that portion of the history of Oregon - which com mences with the discovery of the Columbia river by Capt. Crav in 1792,' three hundred years from the discovery of the eastern Mnjres of this continent by Colum bus, and ends with the permanent ' settlement by Americans in 1832 we proceed to enumerate some of the events connected with our de velopment since the last mention , ed period J ,, ji- 'The first permanent American .settlers came here in 1832. ' In 1863. -Dr.l Whitman -and Rev. Mr. Rpaulding. both missionaries, ar- r.ved In Oregon with their fami 4iei.--Their wivA were the first American women that had crossed Vheplarns. and their children were the first Americans born in Ore- g on: ' - . -in 1840 there were about 250 - 'habitants in this JvVot Indians. 140 of whom were Americans. Among them wa s II. Smith! of Clatsop county, the niaesi American p oncer now liv 4nr4 He came here in 1832. " ili' February. 1841. there was a meeting of a few nioneers In "habitants Of thm WIllameMtt .i lev--at the American mission sta tion for consultation concerning 'tens neeessarv in h tvn tnr tf formation of laws and election of wiK!rs. I several meetings were held In 1841 for the purpose of grafting constitution and code .IJTv, ' Pat fed to accomplish WVthing. In Phrnr A r-.-w p.nu ,e wlnw were held to adopt measures for carrying on a "defensive and destructive war against bears; wqtoea, panthers, tic. At the latter date a corn mitteewas appointed to take measures for the civil and nilii tar protection of the settlements. In March, 1843. the Canadian inhabitants of Oregon met at Champoeg and nobly dcelarr.J a unanimous expression of senti ment of "cordiality, dettfre of tin. on and inexhaustible peace between all the people." and also expressed a willingness to submit to any lawful government Ihat might be extended over them. In 1844 the executive committee presented a message to the legis lative assembly that had been chosen, recommending that the executive power should be vested in one person, end further , ex pressed themselves as follows; "It is a duty which devolves on you and us to use as much discretion, vigilance and caution in maturing and adopting mo.uincH for pro-noting-the interesu oi this little colony as if we exr!ed our names and acts woull he carolled in the pages of history or in scribed on pillars of stone when our days and Reno at ion shall have passed away.' These steps- may be regarded as the first that were !hken to found a government fr those who. to use .their own word, were "situ ate In a portion of country remote from the civilization among t h? few remalnin ; savages .who are the orig.nal proprietors of the soil, in r. country Maimed by two po.v titul clvill?o.l at.d enlightened ai tiors, proul ot their national liV et.iefc and jealous cf their respect tive rights inJ i yiv.-eges." In 1845 the executive commit tee and legislature petitioned con gress for relief, setting forth their grievances at length. During the same year Hon. Geo. Abernethy was chosen governor, and his first message, which was full of inter est, was Bent to the legislature then in session. "In February. 1846, the Oregon Spectator, a semi-monthly newspaper, was started at Oregon C.ty by the Methodist mission. In March, 1848. the Oregon Free Press was issued at Oregon City by Ceorge L. . Curry. The press was made here, and also the display type, which was wrought out of wood. This was the first weekly newspaper that wai pub lished on this side of the continent of America. In February. 1849, the govern ment of the colony was so op pressed" by trading gold dust at eleven dollars per ounce that the legislature concluded to coin the dust for circulation and fix the value of coin, and at once passed the necessary laws for that pur pose. Messrs. James Taylor. T. Pa PowersW. HI Willson and George L. Curry were chosen officers of the mint. But before this scheme Was tint Intn ; un muse wuu prujrcieu ll uuu lai - was pui tnio operation congress , s n.. . , . T, hA MUn , "tried it through. Messrs. B. Gold had taken action and given to Ore gon a territorial form of govern-, taent, and President Polk had ap pointed a governor for the terri tory. This fact becoming known here, the coinage of gold dust fell into other hands and became a private enterprise, and the "beav er money" made its appearance as a circulating medium. On the sec ond day of March, 1949. the gov ernor. General Joseph Lane, ar rived at Oregon City; on the third he extended the laws of the United States over Oregon by proclama tion, and proceeded to organize the territory of Oregon. He was received with every mark of es teem and confidence. At this time there were ten counties Benton, Champoeg, .Clackamas. Clatsop Lewis, Linn. Polk. Tuality, Van couver and YamhHI. h&ving a total population of "citirens" of 8785 Tlere were M27 l.-males of all ages, and 271 vtort.pnera. What Is now Washington territory .was then part of Oregon.', n June of the same year Samuel R. Thurston was elected a delegate to the con gress of the United States, the first member from Orecon. Mr Thurston in Uhaf, capacity served nis constituency well and faithful. Iy. He was 'instrumental in giv ing an impetus 'to the unsettled condition of affairs In the terri tory, which culminated in bringl ing material aid -and prosperity to our people. He was ambitious and devoted, but all his concern was for Oregon. He died on hl re turn in 1851 and before tie could receive the welcome of his famlly or the applause of a gratefnl con stituency.. The state has perpetu ated his memory by a monumental testimonial in the cemetery at the capital ot this, state. The first professional . teacher who came to Oregon wa i!r. Silas Shephard. lie crossed the Rocky mountains in 1834 and settled at Vancouver. The first steam vessel that is known to have entered the waters of Oregon was the Heaver.-She came to Vancouver .as a sailing vessel, bring ng her machinery as freight which was- set up at Van couver after her arrival. After making several trips for pleasure and business on the Columbia riv er, she was sent to sea and ran between the Nesqually, Puget Sound and the different ports of the Hudson's Bay company north. This was no doubt the first steam ship to navigate the waters ef the Pacific ocean. The Beaver, is stilf to be seen at Victoria, V. 1., and other porta in that vicinity. She is a trim little side-wheel steam ship, still sound and good for ser vice, but looks a little peculiar, the wheels being forward the cen ter of the boat, instead of far aft as they are now built. An esti mable lady, now, the wife of one of our most esteemed citizens, and the granddaughter of tho late Dr. John McLoughlin. one of the warmest and, most honored friends of our earls emigrants, was born on board the Beaver at sea. north ot Vancouver's Island., The first. American steamship that came to Portland was the Massachusetts in 1849. The first ra?.M?,al that ran "Sn'arly on the Willamette and the Columbia rivers was the tittle side-wheeler. Columbia. The first boat running above the falls, and the first to reach Salem was the little Hoos- ier. J. S. Smith, captain. The first regular boat sent to Salem And Corvallis was the Multnomah iu 1851. She was built like a bar rel, of staves and hoops, having first run on the Chesapeake bay, and having then been taken to pieces and shipped round the Horn. The Canemah followed the Multnomah. She was an Oregon enterprise, and may be regarded as the pioneer In the regular steamship business above the falls. Her machinery was procured In 1850 at New Albany. Indiana. b Captain Hedges or Oron CAf. The Multnomah and Nwslihing ton were taken afterwards below the falls. The Multnomah rau in the trade from Portland to As toria. The Washington, which was also built abroad, crossed the Co lumb.a bar in 1853 under com mand of the late Captain S. D. Hinsdaie, an accomplished gentle man and seaman, and went Into the Umpqua river and engaged in trade there. In February, 1870, the steamboat Swan, under charge of some gentlemen of Gardiner, made a trip to Roseburg from the mouth of the Uuraqua river, dem onstrating the fact that that river could, with necessary improve ments, be made navigable to Rose burg. Within a few years past, the waters of Coos bay and Co quille river have had small, pion eer boats engaged in trade upon them. The former by Capta'n Luse. the latter by Captain Rack liff. A regular line of steamers are running from Coos bay to San Francisco. The future promises a breakwater at Port Orford. and for this region generally a large and useful field of commercial ac tivity and greatness.. The Multnomah made several trips to the Cascades, the little Mary, Wasco and Col. Wright were the pioneer boats above. But the great enterprise of he lower Willamette and lower and upper Columbia rivers is accredited to the Oregon Steam Navigation company, which commenced a suc ctffiful career of tteamboating In 1857, and is still engaged in the seme trade. The principal men. whose skill and energy Itsve ac co-nplished this wa.k. at Messrs. J. C". Ainsworth. 11. 11. Tluiupspu and S. G. Reed. A state agricultural rocicty wn.: j organized at Oregon C.ty in .1861. arid the first state fair was held at that place. It wis removed to Salem the following year where the annual fairs have since been held. . The society is a great suc cess. The late Simeon Francis was the first president ot it. Since 1870 a canal and locks have been built with state aid at the falls ot the Villamette oppo site Oregon City, thus throwrns that river open to communication with rivers below forever; an en terprise reflecting great credit up- - I. l. . I . 1 3. 1 smith and Joseph Teal are the leading spirits of this enterprise. Land transportation has re ceived a marked attention also. In 1869 the Oregon and California railroad fairly began its work at East Portland and has now tra versed the entire length of the Willamette valley, upon the east side, and at present terminates at Roseburg in the Umpqua valley, a distance 200 miles from its initial point. Ben Holladay, Esq., is president of this road. Since this date a railroad has been com menced at Portland on the west side ot the Willamette river, and has been: completed as far as St. Joe; a distance of 45 miles. Wil liam L. Halsey. Esq., is president of this road. Both roads are un finished as yet, and it is hoped that they may soon be built their entire distance; a consummation imperatively demanded. The cred it for this great work of building these roads is due to the energy and perseverance of Ben Holladay. Esq. The Portland; Dalles and Salt Lake railroad is another enter prise calculated to open up many fortunes of our state not touched by those before mentioned, and which if successful will add much to the wealth and importance of the state at large and particularly of the eastern portion. This de sired object is fostered by that energetic pioneer. Col. W. W. Chapman. The first telegraph in Oregon was built in 1855: it extended from Portland to Lafayette. The main telegraph through the state was the work of the California State Telegraph company. The construction partes commenced work simultaneously at the two extremities of the line, meeting and completing -their labors at Roseburg March 1. 1864. It was regarded as an occasion of great interest as the following corres pondence would indicate. "Roseburg, Or., March 1, 1864. "To David Logan Esq.. Mayor of tne City of Portland: "Sir: The residents of Rose burg send their compliments through you to the citizens of Portland, and congratulate you and them upon the final comple tion of the telegraph from Port land to the eastern states. Fa vored as we are by bright sunny day as pleasant as May can pro duce, and feeling exhilarated by the occurrences of the hour, we have as a testimonial of our thanks, fired one hundred guns and 'smiled generally. "S. F. Chadwlck." "Portland. March 1st, 1864. "S. F. Chadwlck, Esq.. Rose burg: The citizens of Portland fully reciprocate the pleasure ex pressed by you at the consumma tion of the great work connecting us with different parts bf the state and our great union. David Lo gan, Mayor." In 1859, by virtue of an act of congress establishing the first daily mail service from Portland Oregon, to San Francisco. Califor nia, the California Stage company placed daily stages upon the route. This was quite an event in our state, and one for which we are indebted in a great meas ure to the late Hon. Lansing Stout, then a member of congress from Oregon, whose valuable ser- vice will be long remembered by the state. The Willamette university, lo cated In Salem, was founded in 1844 and stands today among the first of the educational Institu tions of the state. It is now more flourishing and popular, though always successful, than at any for mer period. This is the first In stitution of learning organized in Oiegon. Following this pioneer in the cauaf of education, colleges and hiv schools bavt? grown up In almost every county iu the state. The f.rst executive officers of Oregon were P, G. Stewart. O. Russell and W. I. Bailey, compos ing a "triumvirate," called the ex ecutive committee, who governed the - people until the executive power was vested in one man. The ! governors who followed were George Abernethy, Joseph Lane. John P. Gaines. J. W. Davis. George L. Curry. John Whltaker. A. C. Gibbs, George L. Woods and I,. F. Grover, all of whom are now living except O. Russell, John P. Gaines and W. J. Davis. Perhaps an apology is due for thus particularizing and referring to a few Incidents connected with our history, really more than our lime will admit of, but our ex cuse for it is this: A copy of this address is placed in the box In the corner stone of this capitol build ing, to be read hereafter when we all shall have emigrated across the plains of death to that "coun try from whose bourne no traveler returns." As we look back upon this col ony, so young and promising, our mind recurs to the place of "out fit." It is from this point , that we watch its progress. These pio- (neers like the patriarch Jacob. when he left the tents of his fa thers receiving their blessing, and promises of success in another country where he intended to set tle -.wandered from their homes in the east to this hunting ground of the savage, bringing with them a tow to remain united as one family and one people. A journey of hope only, for they knew not whither they were going. By day realizing from sad experience that the past had its charm, and that memory was not a fiction or a dreajn: at evening they lay down io rest upon me Dare eartn for a bed. there to pass the night, weary and careworn, in the dreamy as surance that their guardian angels were descending and ascending in beauty upon their ladder' of hope that reached from earth to heav en. With bodies refreshed, though with pangs of regret tor an aban doned childhood home, and its treasures sacredly kept in remem brance, they arose on the morrow to take final leave of their resting ptace, wbiclk they praised for its security -4 and protection, and moved on toward the land where all their families were to be blessed . ' : These , , fathers trrotght---wlth-them the laws and customs of their country, touching property and government. They all stood upon the same leval In regard to the soil here, the title to which was virtually in the Indian. They brought with them their modes of worship and systems by which schools could be opened and edu cation d If used. Family (ies, pa rental love and filial obedience were all strengthened by the ad versity through which all bad- passed. They possessed a knowl edge of farming and mechanics; they were self-reliant and con scious of their ability to overcome all obstacles. There was no turn ing back. We admire their ener gy. How much is accomplished often through feeble efforts! Un dertakings small in themselves may and sometimes do so change the current of affairs that their influences and results . are felt through many generations. This is true of men as well as nations. No pioneers by their achievements ever reflected greater honor upon themselves and their country than our Oregon fathers. The government of the 1nitwi States does not follow the example of nations of old by sending forth from her territory colonies to found new states and raise up the standard of the American empire. This is left to individual spirit and enterprise. But those who found governments in her name and ter ritory receive her aid and protec tion, and share in her greatness. When the pioneers of Oregon ask ed for the protection of the gov ernment of the United States they but. made known the true alleg iance which they bore to their country. They felt that they had an imperishable property In that government, which they could transmit to the children. They had an Interest in its preservation and perpetuity which nothing could destroy. Here the restless Ameiacan round a lodgment and planted the flag of his coun try, and, In a few years moulded this region, then wild and almost uninhabitated by the white man. into the form and proportion of as organized terr.tory. While the states east of the Rocky mountains were celebrating their victories in war and exult ing over newly acquired territory, the while Inhabitants of Oregon were petitioning congress for aid for a donation land law. desiring one as much like that which they had themselves framed as possi ble, granting 640 acres to the set tler and wife. Thev also asked tr.at navv yards and marine de pots should be established on the Columbia river and Puget sound, snd petii-ned also for a naval 'nnrsc fcr mliitarv protection and Tor a pub'ic ma'l service to ar rive and dnart monthlv. . More than th's the little colony was then considering in a serious light the en-md :de of building a rail road from the eastern states to Oregon. If Is now nearly 20 years str.ee h:s 'dea was entertained by the Or-eon fathem. rtrtn m th ! !,m General Jesup wrote i-i larnrnn letter to the resident f the .T-imep Rver nnA Kanawha I anal a., es to th Importance or their work a military neces sity; a work that cost nearly as much as all the present railroads In Oregon. He wrote this letter while here in the wilds of Oregon, the sturdy pioneer was asking for congressional aid to build an In ternational railroad from Lake Michigan to the Pacific ocean. It was here in the valley of the Co lumbia that civilization in quest of empire pitched her tents and exclaimed Eureka! "I have found it!" Halting In her noble strides westward where the sun dips into the sea, anu not up the tow path, near the waters ol the Atlantic, thousands of mites to the east. Nothing to our pioneer fathers could be a greater military neces sity than that the shores of the Atlantic should be connected with those of the Pacific by that won derful agent In our progress, the railroad. In Response to these appeals congress began the work for the aid of Oregon. In March. 1847, provision was made for a mall ser vice across the Isthmus of Pana ma to Astoria, or the mouth of the Columbia river, by steamer. The expenditure for said service was not to exceed one hundred thou sand dollars per annum. ' Compen sation on the contract was to com mence from the time when the steamships contracted for under the agreement for the service were kready for duty and placed at the disposal of the United States. To enable the contractors to finish their steamships, the secretary of the navy was authorized to ad vance to them the sum of twenty five thousand dollars per month on each ship, after she would be launched. But the money so ad vanced was not to exceed one year's compensation. The condi tion. of this advance was that the contractors should be required to stop and deliver and take malls at San Diego, San Francisco and Monterey in California, if required to do so hy the secretary of the navy, with the concurrence of the postmaster general. The secre tary or war was authorized by law to furnish arms and ammunition to persons emigrating to Oregon at the actual cost ot the articles to the government. This plan, together with the low rates of fare on the steamships, offered a great inducement, to those who desired to come hither and settle on the North Pacific coast, to avail themselves of the trade with Asia still glowingly de picted by our statesmen and to possess themselves of the unsur passed agricultural lands of this garden or the west. But 'before this enterprise had passed to an experiment, gold was discovered in California, and the excitement was so great and the demand for transportation so persistent that San Francisco really became the terminus of this steamer route and Oregon scarcely felt the benefit of it for some time afterwards; never, as it was first intended she should. The agricultural,, me fcbwnlcat and manufacturing facil ities of Oregon that promised ao much to the Immigrant, were now absorbed In the golden idea that California would bestow wealth upon all who would ask it. Of course, Oregon was lost sight of. and our neighbor became the pow er of the coast. We have some times doubted whether Oregon was really benefited by the dis covery of gold in California, con sidering the plans which were then on foot for her rapid settle ment, and which were partially frustrated by that event. We are constrained to believe that twen ty-odd years or experience siow that these gold excitements have retarded rather than promoted the development of our state. Her foundation is upon the rock of ag riculture, farming, manufactures. which a rapid rush for hidden for tunes, found oftener in the mis fortunes that follow these excite ments than otherwise, cannot shake or disturb. The mining in terest of our state is one of great importance, notwithstanding, but it is not paramount to all others It Is in its infancy, and Is suscep- tioie or becoming, with proper aid. a leading interest, especially in eastern and southern Oregon. And it is to be hoped the day will come when our mountains, gulches and streams in the mining regions ef Oregon will be profitably search ed, through state aid, not only for fossil remains, but for the denosits of precious rnetals of every name and description. This field Is large ana inviting, and the state should have its bureau or mining, as well as agriculture, or any other that may be brought into existence by i uemanaa or science and Indus try. It was durinr this that Col. Benton wrote to the peo ple or uregon saying: "The same Bpirit which led me to reveal the grana aestiny or Oregon .In artl n u m aoib. ana to sup port every measure 'or her benefit since, this same spirit animates me and will continue to do so while I lire, which I hope will be long "-""us" ee an emporium of As! toinmerce at the mouth ol jour river, and a stream of Al ic. trade pouring 'into the valley of the Mississlnnl channel of Oregon." But the dis covery ot gold, as we have Inti mated, paralyzed for a season this great plan and diverted the auxil iaries for the accomplishment of the desire of this great man. who passed away, mourned and be loved by Oregon, and leaving his object In the hands of those who possess this fair land to be carried out as wealth and enery will per mit. The then projected route up the Missouri river to the Colum bia, thence down that river to its mouth, is almost wholly lost In contemplation of more direct highways to the larger cities of the world. It is a law of com merce to have all her lines straight. Nothing but the pecul iar exigencies ot the case will ad mit of a curve. Hence railroads are more flavored In our day than any other means for passenger travel, and they also receive a due proportion of freight. That the Columbia river should be a grand highway there is no question. That the upper Colum bia river should have canals and locks upon-its banks to facilitate transportation is a necessity tiat Is demanded by every considera tion of duty toward the inhabi tants of that section of the state. Make the Columbia river the out let for the producer, and every one who seeks to export, for all time to come. And let the upper Columbia share In this honor by being tributary to It. There is now a railroad work ing its way westward from I.ake Superior to the Pacific ocean, demonstrating the importance of a transcontinental railroad to Portland, an undertaking whose need and value our pioneer fa thers saw and felt. Yes, today w may welcome in the commence ment of this enterprise. Railroads aro so many arteries in the body ot a commonwealth. We regret to hear of mUlortunes in connec tion with this scheme. Embar rassments flourish in every under taking, as If they were a conspicu ous part of it. But after all they dwell but a short time where nothing but the terrible happen ing of unforeseen incidents and dreams of blue misfortune con sume the hours. Great public concerns and business require ments will soon demand the com pletion of the work. If one man cannot do it another will. No rail road Or a ay other enterprise once begun, all things being equal as to Its feasibility and its necessity, can permanently stop on account of. reveries. It may take time to move it, stili It will finally go ahead again and . throw off these checks that for a moment threat ened its destruction. Everything that prospers in -therend is an "up hill business." so to speak; it Is necessarily so. To climb implies energy, strength, determination to succeed. To go down require but indifference and lassitude. To a certain extent, and for a short time, the prosperity of the state is affected by misfortunes nan- pen Ing to large interests Immedi ately concerned in its welfare. Na ture. it Is said, has wisely provid ed a remedy in every clime for the diseases incident to It. In our business relations and embarrass ments the remedy we mostly rely upon is population, which we so much need to increase. Nature with us has provided for the sus tenance of millions. The route of the North Pacific railroad that which' was the Ideal of our pioneers traverses rich mineral lands, valleys of surpass ing fertility and the rreat Colum bia plains; a region well watered and possessed of delightful cli mate. Four hundred and fifty miles of this road are now built from the eastern terminus west ward, connecting the Great Lakes with the Missouri river. The; pioneers of Oregon regard ed railroads, and we regard them ahf, as one of the evidences of the greatness of a people. They water and' nourish the roots of commerce. They make their own support by bringing without ex change through transportation of men and . means to open up the earth and cultivate it. They are qu'ck on time and punctual, and Inspire corresponding action in the propelling power of man: there is written upon every locomotive as I.1 "peds1 t8 way trough the land There is no one so far from a market as be who has nothing to I k a.motl0 not altogether de n? ,f.v ,ntere8t to economist. Our fathers could not believe that this essential anxiliamr t .i.m.. Hon rightfully used, could be oth erwise than a blessing. Capital. In any form, may become a ty rant, still It Is the handmaid of ' na enterprise,, when Pronerlv cnntmii The plan upon which thm r- recommended by our pioneers was . umu. mough perhaps not witn mem. was quite nov el. A land grant was asked for. t!Ja.1d 10 -f conTeyed no faster man the road progressed. There were to be 20.000.000 shares, and er PPcant for a single share was to be supplied before a great er number could issue to any one Person. All share holders were to participate equally In the control ii.fc.r.Rnd proU of tne T0 " The right to purchase It was to be re served Ato the United States. To commence with an assessment of 25 cenU per share was expected to produce, according to the popula t on of the United States it that iK -km "?m f f '5.000.000. while the public lands granted would be enhanced in value to an amount iJn ?xceedIn,f th,t of whole iredJ"Lm- w,th th, ess ment and the land grant, made as tne work progressed, the road was to be built.- Under the territorial organiza tion Oregon prospered so rapidly that in 1859 congress t,- with I " . " w " "-. wr present boundaries, a state government, and she was ac cordingly admitted Into the union. The population and wealth of the state were now far advanced; the country had risen from a terri torial pupilage to an Independent government. Enough had been done to establish confidence and security. Education had received i proper attention, and nrlinnla were founded all over the Inhalf- i:aoie portion of the state under iue mosi iavorable auspices. In every house. In every cabin, there was to be found a reading person or family. Cultivation of the soil tLZS1 . of.the m,nd- Kred the attention of our neonle a h. sire for the one begets a thirst ur e omer. m looking back from our present standpoint we can see nothing in the past to dis courage us, but everything around gives ns new hope and a k preciatlon of the fact that we live ii a country unsurpassed in her wonderful agricultural advantag es, and In her efforts to promote the, cause or science and litera ture, and to develop all the means and appliances of our civilization. For a moment let us look at the present: We are reported to have a white population of 86.929. and we have 95.468 square miles of area. We have 19.558 while male population.- Of this number 13,- 24 8 are engaged In agriculture and farming; 8603 manufactur ing, mining, mechanical Indus tries; 5522 In, professional and personal services, and 2611 in trade.- In some parts of the state the population is more dense than In others. This is the case In the Willamette valley. Let us com pare some portions of this valley with older states. For instance. Lane and Linn' counties together have about the same area as Mas sachusetts; and yet they have but two persons to the square mile, while Massachusetts has 186.84 persons to the square mile. Lane and Linn counties together have 376,265 acres ot improved land; Massachusetts has 1.736.22J. acres more Improved land than there Is in the whole state of Oregon, which Is a third larger than all New England. The two counties In Oregon just mentioned, have the largest number of acres ot Im proved land of any in the state. The value of farms in Massachu setts Is fll6.43t.784; the value of farms In Lane and Linn coun ties is 86.129.865. while the. value of all the farms In Oregon is $22. 352.989 not one-fifth jt the val ue of those In Massachusetts. The state of Connecticut is not quite so large as Douglas county in this state. Yet Douglas county has a population of only 6154, or 1.25 persons to the square-mile, while Connecticut has 113.15 per sons to the square mile and an aggregate population of ,537,4 54. Douglas county has but 132.657 acres of Improved land. Connect icut has 1.646.752 acres more than all Oregon. . The value ot farms in Douglas county is $1, 791.723; the value of farms in Connecticut is $124,241,382. Take eastern Oregon with its rich grasses and unsurpassed in fluences so beneficial to mankind and animals. It has an area larg er than the state of Michigan or nw igr& Dr uuu ur u ucbui or Iowa. Eastern Oregon has 57, 461 square miles of area but not .25 of a person to the square mile; while New York has 93 persona to the square mile; Michigan 20.97 and Ohio 66.99. The Willamette valley contains 16,000 square miles and has the benefit ot at least 60.000 inhabi tants, but It Is CAPABLE OF SUSTAINING SEVERAL MIL LIONS. Southern Oregon contains 19. 59 5 square miles and a population over 14,000. In thrift, wealth and climate it Is not excelled by any L other portion of the states. It insuires hope in us to know that our state Is in the first stages of Infancy In almost everything. We have nearly 62,000.000 acres of land. Take an old country for example: England proper Is not as .large as eastern Oregon, and she sustains a population of 20. 000,000. Ireland. Scotland and Wales are about three-fourths as large as Oregon, and their united population is about 19,000.000. It may be said that "we must wait It requires tyne to build up a coun try." -Very, true; but those who offer outlets to overcrowded com munities should not consider time in filling them up. Transortatioa is all that Is needed. There are nearly 79.000.000 acres or land in Great Britain and Ireland. One hundred and fifty persons own half -the land of England: thirty-four own half the land of Ireland, and twelve own half the land of Scotland. With their population ot over 30,000,000. 60.000 persons own all the land or England, Ireland. Scotland and Wales. In Oregon the land can be owned by the settler as It Is in almost every case. It Is pro cured at a price within the means of almost every able-bodied man. Every inducement to labor is op en to those who will avail them selves ot it. The man who tills the soil here Is generally the lord and proprietor ot it. He Is more secure and contented in his pos session than the sovereign of any dynasty in Europe. Inducements to Immigration should be offered. with proper safeguards, by our state. Our history shows that for the last ten years our increase in population has not been augment ed from this source. The year now about to close has been one of great plenty to our people. We are informed that the sales of fish for the year will amount to upwards of-one mil lion dollars. The wheat crop of 1873 is estimated at from five to seven million bushels. This is a larger crop than was ever before raised In Oregon. But who is do ing all this work? There are about 39.000 "school children" between the ages of 4 and 20 drawing school money in this state. There are about 13. 248 persons engaged In agricul ture in Oregon, or about one fourth of the number similarly oc cupied In Californ'a. Our neigh bor has 6.218.133 acres or Im proved land in farms; Oregon has but 1.116.290 acres. The value of farming Implements, machin ery, etc, in California Is $5,316. 000; in Oregon. $1,292,717. The value of farms In California is $141,240,028 or $118,887,039 more than In Oregon, the value of farms in Oregon being $22,352.- 989. Take the statement of cereals from the census report of 1870. and we have this result: Califor nia has 47.863 inhabitants en gaged in agriculture, who raised during that year 17.303.139 bush els of cereals of all kinds, or 362 bushels to every person so en gaged, at an outlay or $146. 556. 718 Invested In farms, farming Im plements and machinery, or the sum of $3062 for each agricultur ist. Whereas, in the state or Ore gon there were engaged in that business, during the same year. 13.24 8 persons, who produced 4.673.564 bushels of all kinds of cereals, or 353 bushels ror every person so engaged, at an outlay or $23,646,706, cons'stlng In price or farms. Implements and machin ery or $1785 for eah Individual. hlch shows that every fanner In Oregon at an outlay of $1785 raised almost as many bushels of cereals as did each California farmer at a cost of $3012, an ad vantage of nearly 50 per eett la favor or Oregon. There la, fr from indebtedness, not les tha $75,000,000 worth of taiaiu property in the state of Oregoa. Legitimate assessments would t above this figure. At present ta returns are below it. With thess Increasing facilities-Tor advancing the interest of our state now fall? at work, with the confidence that our prosperity Inspires In us.' cos- stantly reminding us of the im portant trust in our bands,; aaj with the belief which we rBjoy that we have, passed over all quicksands and dangers of these turbulent waters of our beglaoig. we are apt to furl our sails, seek our ease and say "Float on. skis of state, the current Is with th - Indeed, the current seems to be -with us now, but what of the Uda All currents sooner or later meet a tide that checks their moment um, and with a few strokes of re sistance at its flood, plays wits tbem as with toys. I . We feel thankful for wht now enjoy. We are moving aloa pleasantly, and all are eoateate and 'happy. An anpreeedenteih large harvest Is at our door tad a liberal demand is made for U. It is moving out with the eurreBL and we find a moment for reflec. tlon as it passes by. In this suia there .are but three interests tUt are really leading at this xlmt they are agriculture, wool asi mining. The two latter are iuort particularly confined to earn and southern Oregon. The saian (or fish) and lumber traffic art not to be overlooked in this cos nect.'on. although we refer aor especially now to Industries la tis Interior of the state. The tcrini- tural. wool and mining latererj are subject to great fluetntUe&i, ana we aepena very muen tor oe cess upon what we eall "gooc luck." Markets for surplis cere-" als are liable to periods of dtsrc. sion and fluctuation, and art therefore more or less unreliable What. then. Is the effect of U" ebb and flood of our commercs! . Are we not prospering with tbt flood Veslly against us? The Coos' of our business flow brings late our harbors everything known la our commerce, and it sweeps over our marts with all the freshness and expansive power of a fa spring tide. When the waters recede,- we are reminded of what his appeared and passed away with out being of any great benefit la the development of the state. The tide bears upon its swell this Pai dora'a box from abroad, as It floods and surges up to masy shores, where the contents are dis tributed and scattered all over the land at a heavy cost to the pir chaser. If we will look for a mo ment we shall find that agricsV ture. with all its advantages aai. assurances of successful competi tion In the world, pays for all this. It Is the farmer at first! It Is tit farmer at last. When he thrives all around him prosper; but wkei he fails, we declare In our dlsi pointment that we can see no fie ture for our country. . j But Just now we feel as If exr fortune was fixed, and we are os the Inviting road to affluence ail power. This in some sense but be true; we should remember thtl agriculture-Is our faithful i bee of burden, and we are roadlag I down with weights, which it nui not be able to carry. One braack of industry will not support a state. It may dazzle the eyes sal swell the purse, but its ellare ment will be ot short duration. It will not Insure permanent ! comes and fixed profits. There Is no branch ot industry that Is not subject to embarrassment aii bankruptcy. The causes of dis aster may be hidden in the eater prise itself, in Its province, or mu be lurking in .foreign market. Tie great question la, -Can we live bread alone?" When we export our surplus cereals, and good pric es are obtained tor them, the pro ducer and the state are both bene fitted; but when there is bo mar ket ror that which Is not oeedei at home, the state suffers, as veil as every branch of Industry. Let us hold fast to that which now have, and turn our attention to building up or auxiliaries ta aid the state and Insure .her l'- against disaster. The world is about the same as it has beea for ages, but men are not stationary; they possess the migratory spirit that led most of us to this U&i of our adoption. Men are con stantly looking up nw grata lands and rich valleys la differ ent parts ot the globe, aad with cheap rrelghts and steam trans portation, they will soon be com' petitors In your markets. So ir prosperous farmers of today B7 take their chances la the Jjstsr and battle with new rivals ht trsde. To meet these eontlBr" cies and to place our internal ! fairs upon an Immovable foaad tion, the farmer and the iBteresti of the( state demand that -we should manufacture for oar selves more than we do. There Is nothing that we need that eas not be raised or manufactured la Oregon. It Is a lamentable sal humiliating fact that all the im plements of farming, nearly all the art'cles that we wear. tl much that we consume, come to us over thousands ot miles, from the shops where they are made or places where produced, stoppla on the way at convenient poists to be again sold and resold, tit profits of which sales cobUbbc t erect magnificently large aid commodious wholesale houses sad aid those who occupy them to be come wealthy and IndependeaC When they arrive In our cities ssd upon our farms they are loaded down with profits, and the Pr chasers must carry the welrlt Laborers are consumers: and t more we have of them the better. They work not only for them selves, but for the producer, is this relation .there Is a mutuality or Interest which Is advaatageotf to both. Farming ntenslls, ma chinery, etc. can be manufaetsred here at reduced rates from wast they sell for now. Even If UeT could not. it would be better te have the work done in Oregon 1 (Continued oa psge 4) 0 r l-