The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-12
by Twyman o. Abbott.

those who wish 10 perpetuate his men,
ory. That his heroic and patriotic serV-
ices TO the nation have not been fitiy rec
oyaizsd has long been keeniy felt by those
who are conversaat with the history OF
the Northwest. Whitman college. Whit
man county. and the monument recently
dedicated at the scene of the massacre.
all monuments of which one may well
be proud, are yet not commensurate 10
his great character and services His ex-
ample of courage. fidelity to principle
and patriotic devotion 10 his country. -
deserving of the widest dissemination
among the peoples of the earth. How this
shall best be accomplished is the ques-
ton.
To me there appears 10 be one way
which while II may not be adequate. Is
at least appropriate. 1t involves the re-
moval OF much prejudice and some bit
terness and contention. but am satisfied
that the calm, dispassionate verdict or
those who will fairly consider my sug-
gestion will accept it.
Coming then particularly to MY pur-
pose. A difference of opinion has arisen
among the people of this country as TO
the most appropriate name for that sub
lime object of nature under whose shad-
ow We live Whatever may be the merits
of this controversy. which has SO long
prevailed and ofttimes ragged. all mus. adj
nit that the question whether II sstall be
called after an imaginary or legendary
aboriginal fancy. or after an unknown
Englishman 1t ought TO be settled. and
settled rightly. That it will be settled
scorer or later is apparent to the student
of history. The American prides him
self on the fairness and justice OF his
final conclusions. Given a problem to
solve. he will solve IL in time. He
Is neither to he cajoled nor driven in his
solution, but left to himself he will find
the way.
The subject of nomenclature is a most
interesting study. All things from moth
ing to everything must be distinguished
by name. The first thought of the
mother. be she Christian or pagan, white
or black. as she realizes the joys of moth
erhood. is how her offspring shall he
named. and there is always present in
the selection the idea of appropriateness
There is no haphazard In 1t; it is import
ant, consequential. real. and must per-
petuate some person, some event. or some
thing. Thus 1t is also of peoples. Their
nomenclature is their history. Especial
ly is this true as ii relates to their na.u-
raj objects. Their rivers and their noun
tains are as an open book-a record Of
events even more clear and unmstakable
than a printed page. The first query the
traveller makes as he proceeds on his jour
ney is. what is this or that object called?
The next, why is ii so called?
Now. as to the propriety of changing
names. And the very suggestion seems to
give the correct answer II is always
proper TO progress. 1t is always proper
to substitute the better for the worse:
the substance for the shadow: the real
fer the unreal. Nor do We lack ample au-
thority and precedent, even in the very
nomenclature We are now considering.
The country is fun of instances where
the names of mountains, lakes. rivers,
streams and cities have been changed.
Thus. as civilization has advanced. cher
ished sentiments have been preserved;
the revered and honored dead have been
remembered-in WORD, new history has
been recorded. a few instances will suf-
fee: The United States of America
was once the limited Colonies" the old
name being displaced by new as a new
principle took shape; the village OF New
Amsterdam became the city OF New
York" and is now Greater New York"
Coming nearer home we find that the
great Columbia river was formerly
called THE Oregon" and once possessed
the highly euphonious title of .McGiII-
ways siver,'' and ia so known today In
the early English history of the North
west; and our friends who sit by the
placid waters of Lake Washington and
name of the Father of His Country. mir
rored before them, would perhaps &C.
count II sacrilege to be told that those
same placid waters perpetuate the deeds
Of the festive siwash, in his smoking te-
pee. under the title Of "Duwamish," and
there are scores of rivers, bays, ponds
islands and inlets about us that have I'M
dergone a similar process Of change
Therefore, well may II be asked bv
~ Twin 0r h,.v,,
fiat OF George Vancouver while engaged
In manufacturing ''claims" or TESTING
n.y. with which to wrest our beloved
land from us and our posterity--and by
what right must a superstitious legend,
beautiful though II may be as a senti-
ment OF the wtgwam-be thus exempted
from the great law OF progress. every
where else working to perpetuate that
which Is best. noblest and purest, among
the inhabitants OF the earth?
Who was Rainier. and what did he do,
10 entftle him to possess this greatest OF
monuments to HIS memory What means
Tacoma" that the idea should be thus
preserved These are questions which
sooner or later occur 10 every man, wom-
an and child who looks upon this male
tic work of nature. As often as thew are
asked they are unanswered. and We find
the world divided and emhi.tered in an
attempt TO perpetuate meaningless no.
menclature. an attempt which will surely
fail when reason shall have assert
ed itself A brief Investigation of the
merits of these names will convince mos
air-Tinfed persons that neither Ia an
propriate. Let us examine them briefly.
Who Was Rainier.
Rainier-who was Rainier The writer
recently made careful search Of the -ec-
ords in the library Of congress TO find
s~Sx
ton was made OF him fin any cyclopedia
or hiogra phicai work possessed by that
institution. such az Lippincott's AppIe-
tons. the International. and britannica.
"Marshal's Genee logistS' Guide 10 Print
ed pedtgrees ~ Englishmen" which pur-
ports to be an index TO all genealogical.
geographical and biographical WORKS
gives no trace Of him.
In the Navy List" for April. 1890 mage
g. Peter Rainier" IL given as n .'cap
tain ard Companion ~ the Bath Tho
date Of his seniority being given as
January IT, 1875
In Haydens Book Of DlgnitIes." 1881
containing the rolls of official person.
ages Of the British empire from the ear
lest times" In all departments. civil. ma
wax etc the one line. Peter Rainier
i7s5." appears in the index. page sss the
figures being the date If his .'preferrnent
n the rank ~ rear admiral" There /. no
mention of him In any extended or even
ineligible manner. nor any account Of
his deeds. except ss HIRE given
The ''London Annual Register or Chron-
icies." volume ~, lss.. page 80. an extern
slve work of current British events, IN
der the head Of Deaths for the year a.
says @april :. Peter Rainier admiral ~
the Blue" although many other persons
are named under the same head and more
9r less lengthy accounts Of their rsstorv
are given. But nothing more In said Of