The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-05-06
AsToRIAN PUBLISHING COMPANY.
THE McTAvIsH MONUMENT.

George II. Hines, assistant secretary of the Ore
gon Historical Society, denies that he swiped tn
McTavish monument In his indignant protest
against the accusation that he stole the object whcl
marked the alleged resting place Of the old Brtisher
he explains that some one stole it for him. Whoever
this gentleman might be- he was actuated, so Mr.
Hines assures u.s. by the fear that perhaps some other
ghou might carry off the precious relic and hold il
for ransom. Whether or not any distinction should
be made between the two classes of ghouls is ques-
tion which are not prepared to answer; nor are we
IN position to state whether or not the consideration
involved In the transaction money must have
changed hands-is really ransom All we know is
that our monument is gone, and that George II.
Hines has it.
The manument, Mr. Hines continues, is in the Gus
tody of the Oregon Historical Society (which is
gracously holding it for the state of Oregon "a
very worthy institution made up of some 500 fine
citizens of the state, of whom James W. Welch does
not appear to be one. Just what authority we of
Astoria gave to the Oregon Historical Society to
hire or induce some ghoul to steal our monument
that the society might hold it for the great com
monwealth of Oregon does not appear from Mr.
Hines letter. but the fact stands out in bold relief
that he has our monument 1t is not clear that As
tOra authorized the state of Oregon to authorize
the Oregon Historical Society to hold that monument
for this city
Mr.. Hines says the monument has been seen by
40 00O npODle to whom bS+or;o
its relations to Astoria have been explained and
that, in this manner, thousands hundreds mind
you, but th0uSands-have become aware of the ex
lstence of Astoria fact which never in any other
manner would have been brought 70 their notice.
While we are inclined to take with grain of salt
Mr. Hines statement that people who visit Portland
are apt to be ignorant of the existence of Astoria
especially those thousands who are interested his
torically, stoutly maintain that We want to dis
play our monument down here It's ours; we want
it, and we're going to have it.
Nor do we fancy the sighting reference which Mr.
Hines sees fit to make concerning our graveyard
Whether or not cattle have been permitted to run
at will in the cemetery, the spot was selected many
years ago by those with dead to bury; and most Of
us would much rather have the place overrun with
innocent cattle, bent solely on grasseating mission
than by ghouls whose object was the theft of the
grayestones of our forefathers
We are assured, in Mr. Hines concluding para
graph, that the Oregon Historical Socety-Astora s
sef-constituted guardan-will return the monument
if it is convinced that the relic will be properly
cared for Let us say to you, Mr.. Hines that you
will return the monument without any such assur-
ance. The man who takes what does not belong toI
him is a thief; and the man who accepts such prop
erty, knowing the manner in which it was acquired,
is likewise amenable to the provisions Of the laws Of
this very state. He is quite as guilty as the vandal
and perhaps this is the reason Mr. Welch saw fit to
accuse you Of having made off with the monument
McTavish was British subject After his un-
timely end in the waters Of the Columbia, Great
Britain ceded back to the United States the Oregon
country surrounding Astoria-when Portland was
had not come into existence to establish protector
ates over mismanaged communities that did not
understand the art of caring for their valuable his
torical relics Usually such treaties contain pro
vision that the country ceding the land shall remain
in possession of the graves of its subjects which
doubtless was the ease when England gave back the
territory which she had acquired If there were any
such provision in the treaty, it follows that the re-
mains of McTavish and the monument really be-
long to the British government and one may search
in vain for any agreement on the part Of Great
Britain whereby the Oregon Historical Society was
made custodian of its valuable relics.
Apart from all this, however, the society should
if it wanted the monument, have made decent ap-