, 1889-11-07
SrONANE FANS NOR. :, 1ss
ADMISSIONS PAST AND PRES
ENT,

ENT.
Washington's admission into the
union of states Is attended by cir
cumstances and conditions in SHARP
and Interesting contrast to those
governing the eentrance of her Pacific
coast sisters. September o, 1850, the
date of California's admission, saw
that state in condition of feverish-
ness which only great mining ex-
element is capable of producing. a
mighty stream of gold-seeSers was
constantly pouring into the rich
canyons of the American and Feath-
er rivers; men were deserting the
industries and the arts for the wild,
free life of the placer camps; ships
lay idly rocking In the harbor OF
San Francisco; farms were left un-
TILED, and the fever of gold fioated
In the hazy autumnal atmosphere.
The state was overrun by a lawless,
turbulent element, which mt times
obtained the mastery of the law
abiding classes, and controlled not
infrequently the machinery of gov
ernInent. Away to the east
stretched 2OOO miles of wild and per-
ilous desert, across whose weary
waste only intrepid men and women
dared to venture. California, under
thoao N Finances xyos nnt a stnto nf
homes, and schools, and churches,
but instead the saloon, the gambling
hell and the dance-house exerted II
powerful and predominating sway.
For these reasons the people accept
ed the grave responsibilities of state
hood at II time when they were i'll
prepared for self-government. Still
the experiment, for so the step was
regarded by IA great majority of the
politicians of the East, I'm the end
proved n success, and forever swept
away what lingering claim Mexico
may still have cherished for the ter
ritory once held by her authority.
Oregon came into the Union in
1859, under conditions in striking
contrast to those ruling at the time
of California's admission. Her peo-
pie were ploddlng and almost apa-
thetic, living life of comparative
ease, and enjoying II rude plenty
gathered from fertile soil. Little
or no enthusiasm attended the an
nsuncement that the state had been
githered into the sisterhood of the
Union, and the official messenger,
SIMPLY stopping in Portland long
enough to impart the information,
ontinued his journey by horseback
up the valley and spread the news
that Oregon was truly state, and
entitled to all the high prerogatives
80 long denied to her under terri
-toriai form Of government.
How different the circumstances
attending the admission of WASH
ington! Her officers find them
selves i'm instantaneous communica-
ton with the seat of national gov
ernment, able to address the chief
magistrate upon moments notice.
more expeditiously perhaps than
they could reach his ear If
they were in Washington and
had to take their turn in the wait
ing-room of the executive mansion.
Her people instead of being depend
ent upon agricultureandm mining are
creating wealth by the application
of nearly every art and industry
known to man. Connection with
he states lying to the east il safe
and quick and interchange of prod
ucts practicable and of mutual profit
and benefit. We are neither stirred
by the wild feverishness that char
acterized the early days of Califor-
mia nor retarded by the spirit OF
apathy that 80 long governed our
fair sister TO the south. In brief,
the whole history of the formation
of the American union offers no in
stance of the admission of a state
under conditionsa at once so harmon
ious and full of hope for the future.
In the bright sky that ushers in the
birthday of this queenly young COM
monwealth we can detect no cloud of
menace for the future. Long may
her star shine with undimmed luster
in the proud field that adOrns our
beautiful emblem of liberty.