, 1879-12-27


San Francisco, who has during the past
three months visited most of the towns of
Eastern Oregon aud Washington, speaks
in glowing terms Of Dayton, which seems
to have impressed him more favorably
than any other place. He says that one
feature of the town, calculated tc strike
the newcomer both forclbly and pleas
antly, is the large number Of Young men
in proportion to the population, their e1-
ceptionally high standard of intelligence;
the positions they occupy in the profes-
sions and leading lines of business of the
place; the gentlemanlv bearing and ad-
dress of most of them, and the grace and
courtesy with which they meet stranger
and succeed in making him feel perfectly
a. home Upon one of the evenings that
he spent in Dayton some of the members
of literary association which has been
in existence there for some time held q
debate upon the question of Free Trade
VS.. Protective Tariff Most of the speak
ers were young men, and the arguments
they adduced and the manner of their de-
livery would have done credit to any man
TO whom politics and the study of ques-
tions of government is not business.
From social point of view Dayton pre-
sents 4 most pleasing aspect. The literary
association meets every week, some of the
young ladies compose society hf6 IN y
the 'tBusy Bees, and give occasional en-
tertainments in the shape of concerts,
dancing parties, etc., the proceeds of
which are to be devoted to the purchase
Of books for the public school library.
Professor Day has just organized a school
for dancing to continue during the winter
which will form very agreeable addition
to the social fea.rr 5 of the place.
WALLA WALLA THE CENTER OF THE
UNITED SrArEs-We have always
thought that the reason San Francisco
was not larger was because it was too far
from the metropolis of ,Walla Walla;
though We must confess that We were not
prepared to report that eminent bisto-
rians agreed with us. A few lines from
a letter written to one of our citizens has
relieved us of this embarrassment. PeO-
pie eminent in literary circles are now
viewing us as the Hub-at least of the
entire West; such cities as San Francisco,
Portland, Denver and Chicago being for
tunate approximately to their distance
from US. Mrs. Martha j. Lamb, of New
York city, noted authoress, editress, NOR
alist and historian; the only lady member
of the New York Historical Society; the
authoress of the finest history of New
York ever published, says in the letter
above referred to to young gentleman of
oour city: 81 wish to learn all about
your life in the far-"ff region which sup
pose will be the center Of the United
States the first | know-for geography
does seem to be manufactured with fright
fui rapidity. They have a good joke on
me. A Baltimore gentleman came re-
Gently to ask for an introduction to Chief
Justice Waite. He was seeking an Indian
agency in Arizona talked geography,
or rather my want of knowledge of the
Western territories. Two days after
was presented with most superb map of
the United States, on an enormous sea e,
with note from the gentleman, saying
that as had asked him how near Arizona
WIS To Walla WaIla, he won.d take pleas
ure in acknowledging the favor | had
done him in writing the letter by send
ing me that whereby | could see that
while he was roasting under a tropical
sun my friends in Walla Wa!la were shiv-
ering IN the heaviest Of overcOats."