The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-05-10
ASToRIAN PUBLISHING COMPANY.


Elsewhere in today's Astorian appears an inter
esting letter from Hon. Horace s. Lyman, who is in
charge of the Oregon educational exhibit at the
worlds fair. Mr.. Lyman says in his letter that east
erners are not well acquainted with the west as
some of us suppose; that the names Lewis and Clark
are strange to many of hem who to believe that
Lewis and Clark are enterprsing merchants who have
inaugurated fair of their own
That the whole trouble-we re not well enough
known the populous sections of the east The west
paradise compared with the east for the man who
seeks to rise in the world at rapid gate The east
does not pay the wages of the west does not offer the
inducements commercially to the man of moderate
means that are held out by the west Nine out of
every ten easterners who to the coast anxious
to stay here In the great struggle Of life they have
better chance here than there.
While the Lewis and Clark fair is going to be a
fzze from the standpoint of an exposition of
features and art it WILL in measure be of vast bene-
fit to Oregon The fair viii advertise the state and
its resources and possibilities 1t viii tend to ac-
quaint fasteners with the fact that they are offer
ed better opportunities here than beyond the Rocky
mountains A new resident who recently arrived
from Pennsylvania hunted for days for map with
Astoria on it, He could secure vague information
about town called Portland, but given to under
stand that Seattle and San Francisco the coast
As he came west he watched at every station to see
the Indians come down with feathers in their head
n ly,xa IN, hair
hands; was disappointed when assured that bandits
would not hold up his train and positively dsgusted
when on landing at Portland, he was not attracted
by the crack of revoers of cowboys who had dropped
in to shoot up the town
The average easterner feels the same way about the
west. and especially the coast for Chicago is tout
west with your New Yorker or New Englander.
He regards the westerner very much as he might re-
gard the Filipno-a recently acquired countryman
who has been taken into the union out of charity
than anything else He feels sorry for him, back
there in his eastern home, and patronizingly makes
allowance for him. OF course, when the easterner
comes west and goes up against western sociability
wit and commercial activity he experiences change
of sentiment He realizes for the first time that he
has entertained an erroneous idea or TINS western
country of ours As rule, he adapts himself to the
somewhat more sentimental customs Of the western
people, settles down, and in time makes very good
citizen
So the advertisement which the fair will bring
us ought to result in great benefit If the people OF
the east knew what advantages the state OF Oregon
held out to men of moderate means, our population
would treble in year. An easterner regards trip
to the coast pretty much as coast people regarded
Klondike journey when the gold excitement IN the
far north first broke out.
Those fasteners ought to be educated. They make
excellent westerners, and we should adopt the very
best means to enlighen them as to the excellent adj
vantages which our section of the union holds forth
Judcious advertising, such as will result from the
fair may perhaps eradicate the belief that Lewis and
Clark are cattemen or salmon packers.