The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-05-30

peen marked OUT. MI, MNNlHlVN ""F
visited Callfornia's ancient capita
! OF Monterey. He has passed through
! part of the locality which saw. back IN
those memorable summer davs of 1916
the raising OF the flag inscribed with
the star and the bear. in that bear flag
revolt" which was designed to form
the Republic OF California" prepara-
tory to its annexation to the United
States. In the region in which he has
siopnAi, ana in part OF that through
which he has passed. the history was
made which advanced the United States
southwestern boundary TO the Pacific.
Mr.. Mckinley is still at an ags which
makes him one Of the youngest OF the
presidents. yet the things which have
just been mentioned. and many Of the
principal events In the history Of the
region which lies Just ahead OF him on
the route which had been marked ou;
for him to traverse. have occurred with
in his own lifetime. The grea; Northwest
has become United States territory
since his birth. What was called ;he
Oregon country" figured on the map
for many decades before Mr. Mckinley
was born. but he was over twl years
old when, in the treaty with England in
the days Of Polk. It became par, Z the
American domain The Yankee skipper.
GRAY. discovered the Columbia in l792,
and Lewis and Clark in 1905 sailed
down from its headwaters to the Pa
cific. Astor put up his little fur-trad-
ing factory at the spot which bears his
name as far back as 1911 which passed
out Of his hands during the war Of 1912.
wyeth, Kelley, Spalding. Marcus Whit
man. the Lees and many other Aneri-
cans whose names are Identified with
the early annals of Oregon We're in that
country long before the president was
born. but he is almost old enough to re-
member the day when Englands joint f.
occupation OF it ended. and when. as
undlsputed American territory, the stars
and stripes were first raised over the
region now comprising the states Of
Oregon, Washington and Idaho and |
parts of Montana and Wyoming.
II the president had been permitted .
to pass through the course which had
been marked out before his affliction .
came. he would have seen many things
which would have revived his recollec-
ion Of one Of the most interesting
,hanters of American history The map
II the United States as it was a, his
birth in 1874 would look Odd II placed
,eside the map of today. Not only did
he earlier map not contain the region
'etwseH the Rocky Mountains and the
Pacific, but Texas also was missed from
t. Very nearly 100000 square miles Of
erritory in the far Wes:, in the contig-
Ious part Of the United States. was
dded to Americas domain in the early
ays Of Mr. McKinley's boyhood. This
) about a third II the present area ot
he United States. exclusive Of Alaska
nd the accessions of 1898. Swinging
through the states OF Oregon, Washing
on and Montana. on the line which ha
'as TO travel on his course eastward
e would have passed over territory
lled by England's Huison's Bay Com
any until a time within the rcollec-
on Of hundreds Of thousands Of per
1ns still living. Utes, Sioux. Pawnees.
lackfeet and others OF the fercest
'arriors which civilized men ever en-
in the wild regions Of the
orld held sway in the great North
est ami along the countrys northern
order through the tier Of states mark
out in his itinerary as originally ar
rnged. until long after he reached
years The names OF Long. I
andsr. Bonneville, Stansbury. Fremont ,
Id other explorers would have risen in 7
g mind as he rode through the coun-
y which they helped to bring to the
orld's atten ton. The names and per y
nallty Of Kit Carson, Jim Bridger. Y
Inn Golfer, Jim Baker, Chief Joseph.
el Cloud, Sitting Bull and other white
I'd red plainsmen and mountaineers
Ould have gained cOncreteness and =
for him as he swept across the
lst expanses which they have made n
assic ground for all Americans. p
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