The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-27
CHAPTER TX.
How Oregon entered the Union.

How Oregon Entered the Union.
Oregon was won by peaceful coloniza
ton. The American farmers who dared
to Undertake the journey across the con-
tinent and through the Rocky mountains
with their wives and children, their cows
and utensils secured for us this magnifi-
cent domain. But in especial we owe it
to DR.. Marcus Whitman, whose Intuition
ana courage made the colonization pos
sible.
Tho territory in question included all
the land west Of the Rocky mountains
between AZ degrees of north latitude and
the parallel of 81 degrees and 40 minutes
Roth Spain and England had claimed it
on the basis of discovery and occupation,
but the latter was only nominal. AS We
nave seen in the previous papers, we pur-
chased all the rights of Spain.
The first attempt al colonization on our
part was the founding of Astoria in
isl Washington Irving has described
this enterprise in his delightful pages
ana mas shown how the far-sighted policy
OF John Jacob Aston was brought to fail
ure by the War of 1872 and the apparent
dishonesty of one of his associates. For
quarter of century the United States
made no effort to secure Oregon.
Neither claimant knew the value of the
properly in dispute. Consequently in 1918
ooth agreed to a joint occupation, which
was continued until the settlement of the
oregon question in 1876. This agreement
seemed destined at first to turn the whole
territory over to England. But owing to
the unwise policy of the English govern
nient it finally secured for us the present
oregon, Washington and Idaho. For Eng
lana granted practically all of her rights
TO the Hudson Bay company The latter
wished no colonization. They desired that
the country should remain wilderness
for the sake of the wild animals whose
furs they coveted. They impeded settle
ment and drove out competitors Further
more. they sent home accounts, which
were widely published in England and
this country, of the barrenness of the
land and of the impossibility of emigra
tion across the mountains.
Result of misrepresentation
The result of their Misrepresentation
Is shown by the speech of MI. McDufie
IN the senate in January, 1913 He said
III part: Seven hundred miles this side
of the Rocky mountains is uninhabitahle
where rain scarcely ever falls. barren
and sandy soil. Have you made
anything like an estimate of the cost of
railroad running from here to the
mouth of the Columbia? Why, the
wealth of the Indies would be
lhsumclent You would have to
tunnel through mountains 500 or
GOO miles in extent. = Of what use
viii this be for agricultural purposes? I
would not for that purpose give a pinch
of snuff for the whole territory"
The Hudson Bay company night have
remained undisturbed and this country
might have bartered away Oregon but for
DR.. Whitman He lad been sent out in
1883 by the American board of missions
and had determined to devote his life to
the Indians in Oregon. He returned to the
East in 1876, only to be married. And
then with his bride, Mr. and Mrs Spald-
ing and Mr.. Gray, he went back to his
work. He took with him a wagon with
which he finally succeeded in reaching the
Columbia and thus demonstrated the pos
sibility of emigration.
Few ventured to follow him, and those
who did were hindered or turned back by
the Hudson Bay company, who knew that
Immigration must destroy their happy
hunting grounds. Yet at the close of
ISL there were in Oregon 1877 settlers
from the United States. The fur COM
pany was alarmed and realized that their
Fe,lcy of maintaining a wilderness was
no longer feasible. Consequently they at
tempted to forestaIl their opponents by
introducing emigrants frem Canada.
"Ameriea Is Too hate.u
Iii October. 1912, DR.. Whitman Glanced
to be present at a dinner in one of the
forts of the Hudson Bay company when
messenger brought the news tat the
first company of English settlers had
crossed the mountains. The Englishmen
were wildly enthusiastic and an indis-
Greet priest shouted ''Hurrah for Ore
gon! America is too late, and we have
got the country Whitman seized the
ful, Importance of the news by intuition
and his decision was instantly made
Jumping on his horse, he galIoped home
to Washington, lay bare the schemes
of the company, and save the territory
for the United States. In vain Ills wife
and friends pleaded with him. In vain
they represented the dangers of trip
in midwinter. He felt that on him de-
pended the fate of Oregon.
Within twenty-four hours he was again
in the saddle on his way to Washington.
By the route which he was compelled to
take it was a journey of 1000 miles and
had to be made mainly on horseback
amid the SHOWS and storms of winter.
After miraculously escaping death
among the mountains he reached Wash