The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1905-10-20
Where the Sun Goes Downs

Portland. Ore..< Sept. 20.-Merriwethcr
Lewis and William Clark achieved ever
lasting fame by reason of a certain ardu-
GUS Journey from the Missi isippi river
to the Puget sound country-in which
aforesaid journey they were materially
assisted by Sacajawea. a woman OF the
Shoshone Indian tribe. BY the way, we
point with pride to tho fact that the
gallant and chlvalrous newspaper boys
have never called especial attention to
the significant Jaw" syllable in that In
dian woman name.
The Sojourner did not achieve Lewis
Clark fame by reason of his journey from
lincoln to the ultimate northwest. but
he did have a whole lot more comfort
than the two intrepid captains whose
feat Is now being celebrated by a magnift-
cent exposition at Portland II Merri-
wethcr Lewis and william Clark deserve
to have preserved In song and story the
annals OF their journey from st. Louis
10 where the waves OF the Pacific peat
against the shores Of the Oregon country
what shall we do for the men whose
skili. whose daring and whose unbounded
optimism made 1t possible for millions
TO follow after them in ease and COM
fort
Travel from the Mississippi river to
Puget sound now Isl different from
what Is was when Lewis and Clark made
the initial trip. that one stands amazed
before the fact that the woundrous change
has taken place In less than century,
In fact within less than half century.
Then they Travelled axoot and encountered
Aardrhips that were almost insurmount-
able: hardships that we OF today can
scarce conceive possible Now we snug
gle back against velvet cushions during
The day. watching the ever changing
scenic panorama glide by and at night
70 to bed and sleep the sleep OF the just
while the miles fade away behind us.
They lived on ''sowbelly' and sour dough
biscuits" when they could. and went with
out grub a goodly share OF the time. Now
We eat three meals a day in a luxurious
dining car. and growl because our dyspep-
tic stomachs revolt at the tasks We
impose upon them by reason OF too hearty
eating as the east slips further and
further away behind us.
A Woman's Part In II.
Marriwethcr Lewis and William Clark
are indebted to the Shoshone woman.
SAGA jawea. for their success in reaching
the Oregon country. We owe our obli-
cations to n multitude of men who sight
ed through transits. dragged chains'
fought Indians. ran scrapers. laid ties,
bolted and spiked rails. schemed for
funds. endured hardsnips equal to those
endured by Lewis and Clark. and COM
pleted an Overland route that brought
The Pacific ocean within -four sleeps" Of
the waters OF the Atlantic It took Lewis
and Clark twenty eight months to cover
che distance between st. Louis and the
country where Portland Oregon. now
stands. The Sojourner made the trip
from Lincoln to the same spot in just
twice that many hours-and under con-
ditions 60 different that he Is as yet
unable to realize that there ever was
. time when men had to endure what
Lewis and Clark endured on their trip.
The more you think about 1t the more
you are impressed with the wonderful
DEVELOPMENT Of the great west-and the
west is the greatest country that God
Almighty's sun ever shone upon.
Did Lewis and Clark realize the future
possibilities II the country over which
they Travelled? Being merely infinite men
they certainly did not. because we who
are familiar with tine country are only
on the edge O: knowledge concerning what
II holds In store. II some man had stood
forth thirty years ago-less than a gen.
eration--and prophesed that the condi-
lions that now prevail over Nebraska
would como TO pass. he would have been
laughed at. and had he insisted upon
the correctness of his prophesy doubtless
ne would have been hailed before the
'iunatico inouircndo" and incarcerated.
Lewis and Clark knew they had trav-
orsed a country rich in possibilities, but
the Almighty who made that country
was the only One who knew what It
held In store for mankind. They mad.
perhaps, a faint inkling. but that IL all
that mortal mind could hold 1t Is all
that our minds can hold. today.
A Marvellous Transformation.
Since the golden spike was driven on
chat memorable day when the two sec
tions of the Overland route met, the
changes wrought in the west have been
more miraculous than anything Aladdin
accomplished by rubbing his wonderful
lamp. Fertile farms abound where n,en
once shuddered to view the barren and
deJolate wastes. Cities TEEN with indus
try where only generation ago the
overlander trembled beside his evening
campfire at the shadowy forms lurking
about him. And iron rails that bring
cities and farms in close touch mark
the routes once marked by the bleaching
bones OF adventurous men and women
whose eyes were turned toward the
famed Golcorda of the west where
water rippled over s-"Is OF gold.
All praise and honor to Merriwether
Lewis and William Clark. but let us not
forget to pay proper tribute to the men
who made the development of the Oregon
country impossible, and not only the Ore
gon country but of the vast empire be-
tween tire Father Of Waters and the Pa
cihc--the men who!e brains conceived
and whose hands achieved the mightiest
work az modern times, the linking of the
east and the west by steel bands over
which you and I may ride with speed
and comfort where Lewis and Clark en-
durcd only privation and toll.
Uncle Sam has cared for some big
expeditions. but OF them all only three
have been In reality monuments to Amer
lean valor and diplomacy--the Centen-
NAL. which celebrated our Independence;
tire Louisiana Purchase exposition which
ceiebra ted the acquisition OF Louisiana
territory. and the Lewis and Clark expo
sition which celebrates the acquisition of
the Oregon country. And no other ma
tion on earth ever has, or ever can,
celebrate three things which have meant
30 much to the human race. We have
had a surfeit of expositions, but tn"
Lewis and Clark exposition is a magnifi-
cent success because 1t commentaries
something worth while.
Trio Grecd for Gold.
Columbus sailed TO the west because he
ana btv hackara drou mad NJ vold The