The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-02-18
AT THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE
STEERING ADDRESS By HON. JOHN WILDER FAIRBANK OF BOSTON.
The "Ride That Saved an Empire' Was the Subject -Thero Was Large At- tendance Pictures shown.

The "Ride That Saved an Empire" Was the Subject -Thero Was Large At tendance-M Many Pictures shown. The audience that greeted the Hon. John Wilder F'airbank at the Grand opera house yesterday afternoon was 1 the largest so far this season. One of | the opening pieces was the Battle
 Hymn of the Republic" sung by the
 Glee club, and later in the service,
 while the American flag was on the
 scene Arthur Remnant sang two verses
 of the star Spangled Banner" the audience joining the chorus.
 The speaker was happily introduced by l.. T. Snow, chairman of the relig- ious work committee, who expressed his gratitude to the G. A. R. and other pat
 riotic societies, who had responded so
 heartily to the invitation sent them by
 the association.
 MT. Fairbank began his address by
 saying that he was not only a veteran
 himself, but the father of one, and told
 how his son, twenty one years of age,
 had won many laurels in the siege at Manila two years ago. "There are two
 prominent words with which we have
 become familiar lately" said he; pick up newspaper tomorrow morning and you will probably find them-Im- perialism and Expansion. The first of these has no right in Americas vocabu lary, but the second one does belong there. Ever since the Pilgrim fathers landed at Plymouth rock the cry has been Westward Ho.' When the Rock ies were reached many thought they could not go beyond, but have come to tell you of how that vast region beyond was saved to America by a man who believed that the mountains could be crossed, and that the great Oregon country should not be signed over to Great Britain" The stereopticon views were then thrown on the screen to il- lustrate the wonderful story which was a revelation to many in the audience as 1t opened to them a new chapter in American history. Few had ever heard of the great ride in the winter of 1S42 taken by Dr. Whitman, the pioneer, missionary, patriot, and martyr but those present will never forget the story as told by MT. Fairbank of how Whit man rode in dead of winter, across the country four thousand miles on horse back, amidst perils, at the risk of his life, enduring untold hardships, and reached Washington, D. C., just in time to prevent President Tyler and his great secretary, Daniel Webster, from signing away the western terBitory. He rode for no personal gain or commission but for the love of his country. Listen, Americans, and you shall hear
 Of hero's ride to save state. A midnight ride? Nay, friends fer
 nearly a year
 He rode with message that could not
 wait.
 The ride was more dangerous than General Putnam's; as effectual as Paul Revere's. The fact that Mr. Fairbank is relative of Marcus Whitman, student of American history and has traversed the country several times. es- pecially qualities him for presenting this interesting patriotic lecture. The faces of American heores familiar scenes in our history and Old Glory brought forth enthusiastic applause as they were shown during the lecture.