Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-12
MONUMENT TO THE PATHFINDER.
Proposed statue to the Memoir Of
John c. m
sd. Louis Globe emocrat.

st. Louis Globe-D Democrat.
1t Is understood that the president is es-
p~ecially anxious for the passage OF the bill
just introduced in congress for the appro-
priation Of $50, 900 for the erection Of a
statue to the memory of John c. Fremont
in Washington. The monument project has
been talked about for several years and
most of the newspapers of the country have
at one time or another expressed them
selves in favor of it. At this Louisiana
centennial season, when expansionist ideals
appeal with particular force to the coun-
try, the time would seem to be opportune
for the erection of memorials in honor Of
the men who figured prominently in the list
of the great expansionists. John G. Ere
mont was one of these.
other men explored part OF the vast ter
ritory between the Mississippi and the Pa
cihc long before Fremont. Lewis and Clark
and Pike were through a large part Of this
region before Fremont was born, the frs
and second OF these going from st. Louii
to the Pacific and back by way Of the Mis-
souri, and the Columbia, and the third one
tracing out the western line of the Lousil-
ana region through part OF Its length and
going down into New Mexico forty years
before that territory came finally under the
Stars and Stripes. Long was in the Rocky
mountain region about a dozen years after
Pike. and, like Pike, is remembered by the
name attached to one OF the submits OF
that range. This was when Fremont wal
a schoolboy and when neither he not4any-
body else guessed at the connection which
he would have in after years with pathfnd-
ing in the great west.
1t was Fremont's distinction that he
was active at a time when mems thoughts
were directed to the region between the
Mississippi and the Pacific with greater
interest than ever before. His explora-
ton to the Rocky mountains in 1912. his
account Of which was made public imme-
diately afterward. made the route be-
tween the Missouri and the mountains
better known than it had been along to
that time, marked out the best spots for
camps on the way and pointed out the
advantages Of the South pass as an ave-
nue. through the mountains. His eXplo-
ration of 1894 gave the world a better
knowledge Of the Salt Lake basin and
much of the Pacific coast han 1t had pre-
viously possessed. Fremont's report OF the
first Of these explorations abolished the
American desert myth propagated by the
hasty cancellations of Pike and Long,
and, with the report of the second e%xplora-
ton, immensely swelled the tide OF the
immigration across the plains to the Pa
cifc coast which gained oregon for the
United States in the controversy with Eng
land which ensued in 1886. His story
about the Salt Lake region sent Brigham
Young and the Mormons to that quarter.
His third expedition brought him to the
Pacific coast in 1886. before Zachary Tay-
Tor reached the Rio Grande. and gave him
the chance to raise the American flag IL
California at the beginning OF the war with
Mexico. The Washington monument bill
ought to pass and probably will pass. FIRE.
mont rendered brilliant service TO the
United States in a great crisis in it's his
tory.