The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1894-09-28

added to the pastural wealth OF per-
sonal ownership. TO protect this
property from the destructive rayages
of wolves and panthers the historical
''wolf meeting was called; which in
addition to effecting the object of its
call, appointed a committee which
succeeded after the failure of previous
attempts in formulating form of
civil government from which shortly
grew the provisional government of
Oregon that in a few short years took
the government of Oregon from the
hands of the great and good Nc
Glaughlin who as chief factor Of the
Hudson Bay Co. had been virtual au-
tocratic luler over the country for
over 20 years. and put an end to the
monopoly of the company, over cattle
and commerce.
Thus we see settled agriculture by
natural evolution becomes the mother
of civil government as we'll as OF conf
merce, manufactures and arts. Up
till the date of 1913 the law of the
strongest or most cunning, dominated
the country from the Missouri river
to the Pacific ocean; except in this
little colony planted and nourlshed by
Dr.. Mel .aughlin. From this date till
1910 aided by him also the improve
ments of home building by immigra-
ton acrGss the plains was very rapid.
This was temporarily arrested by the
general rush to the gold fields of Cal
ifornia; but was soon stimulated again
by the excellent market they afforded
for Oregon produce. In 1850 fat stock
from Oregon was driven to the mines
of California and soon this state was
spoken of by the miners as 1.-The land
of big red apples and it we'll deserved
the title The high prices realized for
fruit sent there, stimulated the plant
ing of orchards here and otherwise
beautifying Oregon homes. The Ore
gon POmological society was the first
state organization connected with the
culture of the land. 1t held its first
exhibition at Salem, and was merged
into the Oregon State Agricultural So
ciety upon it's formation in 1860. Some
years previous to that California la
Dor and capital had been turning from
mining toward pastural and agricul-
tural pursuits; and OregOns market
there was rapidly diminished thereby
The Oregon press led by the Oregon
| ian, began to advise the production of
greater quantities of wheat in order
| to attract the attention of the worlds
markets in Europe. Aided by I'M
proved harvesting machinery this was
| done, and Oregon entered the foreign
grain trade. For twenty years there
after grain farming was profitable in
Western Oregon, but wool growing
and meat production, also were profit
| able; and from 1860 to 1885 wool
growing and cattle grazing and horse
breeding We're as profitable in the
eastern portion of the state as wheat
production in the Willamette valley
All this had the effect of stimulating
attention to the best lines of improved
stock. and buyers came from the ex-
| tremes of the state to the state fair
to purchase improved horses, cattle,
sheep and swine; this created a pub
| lie spirit at the state fairs of Oregon,
| for the decades between 1860 and
1880, which was not surpassed,
| think anywhere; and it filled the
country up with most lines of good
| stock so completely that at this date
| little encouragement exists for breed
ing. except in choice dairy cattle, pro-
life and quick maturing mutton
sheep, hogs and the best all purpose
poultry. One great interest to farm
life is SO thoroughly blighted. that it
| is almost true to say the horse breed
ing interest has been struck by light
| ming. Only five years ago men We're
striving for the privilege of horse car
lines in the city of Salem. -Four years
| ago 200 head of horses We're reported
as taken off the car lines of Portland
at once. The application of electric
force for business purposes has been
going on ever since. and the progress
Sive farmer who wishes profit on
his grain crops, even if he must COM
pete with the cheap and extensive
wheat lands of SOuths America and
Australia and the cheap labor lands of
| India. Egypt and Russia, in the world $
markets, is beginning to ask for the
man who can attach electric power to
the plOW. / am so firm of faith that
he is now alive that / am quite willing
for the managers of the fair to offer
5 900 of the horse race money for him
| to appear and show that he can plOw
an acre of land better, quicker and
cheaper than can be done with horse
power. There is still another agency
that must claim attention, as transfer
ring to the mechanic a branch of pro-
duction 0 may say which up to recent
date has been the pride of the farmer
[ mean the already great and increas-
ing use of the bicycle in the place of
the saddle horse. 1t is becoming to
those who have indoor occupations, a
lHe;tHS at once OF saving time ana tax
ing exercise. 1t is no spirit of fault
finding with the present management
of this a I'D other fairs, that impels me
to say. that to continue to offer $1,000
for trials of speed of horses, which,
Except they are eXcellenD will not
command in the market the cost of
their rearing, is not good use of money
True it is Il progressive people seem
attracted to contests of animal power,
but. with the Introduction of the BIZ
cycle and the use of electric force, it
seems to me there comes questions of
public economy which ought to take
precedence of amusement. With the
dismissal of 1000 horses from service
in Oregon, of an average weight of
1,13O pounds each, and more than that
has already beer superseded, their
places can be taken, and in time will
be taken by 1900 of mankind, to be
fed from the products of the land it
would require to furnish food for the
/ 600 horses. Those who desire to see
human happiness increase and agen-
cies encouraged to push back into an
indefinite future the dreaded AIalthu-
sian law will rejoice to see electric
n