Mexico weekly ledger., 1907-12-19
Written for he Mexico Ledger.
OREGON THE aMIss0uRr STATE,
ny ANNE snAsNos noNRoE

~ kA&8A " AZ AN~11A 8H&
perhaps, makes Oregon OF more I'M
terest 10 Missourians than to others
| have often wondered why this Is,
but bolng q native Missourian myself,
and now q full iiedged O~regonicn, II
can only explain IL from personal ex-
p~erience in this way: the HISTORIAN
knows q good thing when he sees 1t.
Ind having let Missouri, be makes a
new home where the most ideal con-
aitions are found; be couldn't be salts
lied any where That was less beautiful
and desirable than Missouri, 20 he
chooses tho one spot 10 ali the United
States that goes the old home state
one better; and that srot is certainly
Oregon.
Now, az l write. The middle Of
December-the window Is open bs my
desk. l look out upon green lawns or all
the sigbtiy bills, home dotted /: and
roses may be picked from many gar
deus We do not know It is Christmas
time by anything but the crowds Of
merry shoppers; for there is no snow
in the air or on the side walks, no
biting. nlpping frost no ioe on pond or
river 1t is all serene, pleasant ian
out Of door climate nearly all the year
through, We do not have the perpe.
tual sunshine Of California, which Isl
blessing, for without the soft mlsts,
and genial rains OF our abort winter,
we would not have the ~peFpetually
green lawns and hills, the look Of
glowing verdure twelve months in the
year.
Oregon is the Missouri state In
more ways than one; there is strong,
"showme'' spirit, andIwhen once sho wn
the oregonion is ready With his ener-
gies. his good sense and his money to
develop resources, and make the most
OF Oregon's opportunities. The Ore
gonion Is not much on snout and hur-
rah, he doesn't 60 about yelling bis
states values hoarsely at every new
conner, as In many western states, but
he quietly, and In a digni6ed way,
possesses himself Of q knowledge OF
Oregon's resources and opportunities,
Of which be endeavors to make the
most. He is perfectly satisfied with
bis life In Oregon, and perhaps this
spirit Of ~contentment has kept him
from pushing bis state as be might
have done. For Oregon is less talked
about than she deserves, owing to
this spirit Of ~reticense among her pee
pie.
The thing that is most impressive
about oregon aside from her marvel
GUS natural beauty, her glorious forests
and splendid mountain lakes and
streams, her wealth Of industries and
resources still awaiting the hand OF
man,--is the fact that she is the home
state. HeIe every n may own bis
own home, aud almost every n does.
Land is plentiful, prices are lower
than any where on the Pacific Coast,
soil fertility Is amazing. and easy terms
OF purchase can oe secured. Portland
has miles upon miles Of street car lines
going out into every direction from
=.
the heart OF the city TO the open far
reaching suburbs, and on any Of these
lines, close in or farther out, as taste
and pocket book may dictate, q beau
tiful home site can be secured that
will be a JOY giyer now, and In years
TO come double the value. Acre tracts
are owned by many and lots 100 feet
square form beautiful buildings sites,
with ample room for garden, fruit and
chickens. All over Portland, people
are found living In their sheds. or
tents while a beautiful little bunga-
low is being constructed for early oc-
cupancy. Many finish q room OF two,
move 10, and the house ia completed
over their heads. The spirit Of the
people Is TO own their own homes, and
young people just starting 7 nsver
too proud to camp 10 shed or tent,
anc build as they can, thus putting
rent money into their own property
and gradually making a home that
they love all the better for the slow
process Of building.
One little woman who was living in
a tent while her husband built a tiny
cottage, happily getting her chickens
housed, and her flower beds laid off
for next summers roses (every n in
Portland plants roses as soon as they
buy, thus the name "The Rose OIty")
said to me: "You see I,don't know
just how to do this, for / came from
the east, where poor people don't own
their own homes" This was the most
glowing tribute to Oregon l ever heard
and most clearly expresses the prevail
log condition OF contentment. While
we have more mlilionaires and more
elegant homes than any other city OF
this size 10 the United States, we also
have more small home owners; more
people who come from the poorer class
es, who '~never0own homes back east,
AS surely as that the ideal condl-
tion Is for every man TO own
his own home, Is Oregon the ideal.
place In which to own ft. Fruit plant
ed now will yield a rich crop Of ber-
ries next summer. Many are blowing
now and getting their lots 10 good
condition for fruit and tree planting.
Very little fertilizing is needed, and
the NEST beautiful gardens reEult
from a minimum Of care. | gathered a
basket OF peas from vines planted late
only yesterday, and other garden stuff
is possible almost the year through;
certainly up till Christmas. Several