Daily Kennebec journal., 1904-12-14
The Next Exposition.

to know why another national exposi-
ton is to be held so soon after the DIE
St. Louis fair and why 1t is to be caiieo
the Lewis and Clark exposition. 1he
first part of the question is not easily
answered. for certainly the expositio"
business has been overdOne in the past
decade and there Is no public ciamor
for another big fair In the near iu'u'e
For this reason and also because OF lts
location. the Lewis and Clark expesi-
ton at Portland. Oregon. in lso"' VIII
hardly be an international or even
national exposition in anything except
name. To be sure. it commentaries aii
event OF national Importance ana II mas
help from the national government. but
tt is not likely that the exhibits will be
numerous or the attendance large from
any section except the Pacific coast ana
the Northwest. Some eastern states
vii, doubtless be represented. Massa-
chusetts among the number. but they
will be few.
The exposition is to celebrate the
centennial Of the journey through the
Northwest and the arrival on the North
Pacific coast Of Lewis and Clark. two OF
the earliest explorers Of that region.
Their Journey was begun in 1874 ana
finished in 1906. They were not the hrst
Americans to explore that country
however. Capt. Robert Gray Of Boston
was over 20 years ahead of them. ex-
plorlng the Columbia river. in 1872. and
his voyape was not without influence
on history. His explorations iurnished
the basis for a claim to the adjacent
territory by the United States. III de-
termining whether Washington or Lon
don should rule the territory. Ora!
venture may have gone further than
the more dangerous and difficult ser
vices OF Lewis and Clark. The mission
Of the latter. however. was signiticant
in several ways. It grew out of the
lDulSIdttd hiiu "'''
by Jefferson's desire to find a highway
through the newly acquired possessions
TO the ocean which laved the western
shores 81 the continent. AT that time
California did not belong TO this coun-
try. and an outlet was sought further
north. Leaving Fort Mandan. on the
upper Missouri. in April. 1905. Lewis
and Clark endured great privations
while crossing the Rockies and eXam-
lining the Columbia, and they narrowly
escaped starvation. There is no prob
ability that their heroism will be over
rated by the local historian. The states
tl.at lie. respectively. on the northern
and southern sides of that mighty
to these men.
Neither Washington nor Oregon has
a population at all comparable with
that of California. The first reported
a little over 100000 residents in 1900.
the second something less and the
third nearly 1880 900. San Francisco
ranked ninth among the cities Of the
United States In the last census year.
II then had a population Of $4,000.
while Portland claimed scarcely more
than 10000 and Seattle only about SO.-
900. In point of fertility and scenery.
~ he. Do flo e
closely rival their southern neighbors
Their production of fruit. wheat and
timber is simply magnificent and the
salmon of the Columbia are probably
without an equal anywhere In the
world. California, however is a more
attra ctive climate, especially in winter,
and her growth was wonderfully slim
ulated by the discovery of gold there
half a century ago. But for that help
it is doubtful whether she would have
enjoyed greater prosperity than Ore
gon or Washington. Even yet the re-
sources of the latter two have been
utilized imperfectly. Both have a
grand future before them.
The interval Of time which will
elapse between the st. Louis and Port
land fairs is so short that the one which
is to be held next year is placed at
disadvantage. 1t cannot hope to rival
the one just ended. 1t will be formally
opened in May and the preparations
are well advanced. An area less eN-
tensive than that required at st. Louis
Is to be occupied. and the buildings
will be fewer in number and less i'm
posing in dimensions. Nevertheless
several Of the larger structures are
said to be so near completion that the
removal of exhibits from St Loui.
thereto is now practicable. The fair
will show the enterprise of the North
west and the whole country wishes i,
success.