The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-11-04
MONU-
~ANCELING WHITMAN
MENT DEBT.

MENT DEBT.
On the goth of this month the six
tieth anniversary of the whitman
massacre will be appropriately OBJ
served at the scene of that event near
waIla Walla. where a monument has
been erected to commemorate the lie
and death of one whose work among
the Indians in the early days of what
was then Oregon territory is worthy
of the best tributes that can be paid to
it 1t is earnestly desired that the cele-
bration shall be marked by cancel
lation of the debt still owing in con-
nectior. with the purchase of the mon
ument and toward that end there has
recently been revival of efforts by
Congregationalits and Presbyterians
in this state and oregon to raise the
amount due 1t has found expression IN
special Sunday services and collections
in the churches of those denominations
and in a general appeal for contribu-
tions.
This movement is worthy Of united
popular encoura cement. There are few
people in the country who have not
heard something of the splendid mis-
sionary work done" by DR.. Marcus
Whitman.
The long overland journey of Dr..
Whitman and The Rev. H. HI. Spau1d-
ing. accompanied by their wives and
William H. Gray. the establishment OF
the Whitman mission, the arrival two
years later of the Rev. Gushing Eells,
the Rev. Elkannah Walker and the
Rev A. b. Smith. the succeeding years
of work and hardships and perils. the
gradual spreading of the Gospel among
the Indians and the rising of the
cloud, which burst in furty upon the
little band that fateful November 2.
1S47, when DR.. Whitman and his wife
were slain. are matters of history. 1t
is worthy of note that 25 years after
that day of the massacre there We're
found to be 500 Christian Indians bear
ing testimony to the work done by DR..
Whitman and his companions.
In 1859 a charter was secured from
the Washington legislature for what is
now known as Whitman college, a few
years later aemovement was started to
have a monument erected on the spot
where Dr. Whitman and his wife fell.
f,,,, nn11nofnd hut "a
project languished until early in 1897,
when at a meeting in the First Presby-
terrain church in Portland. Ore,
a committee was appointed to carry
On the work Title to the land was Sc
cured. stone was ordered and set up
and the fiftieth anniversary of the
massacre was fittingly observed in No
vember of that year. The contract price
for the monument was $2250 and the
collections to pay for it amounted to
only $3.50, leaving $1100 unpaid. That
amount is still due Legally the
debt is Outlawed, but the moral obliga-
ton to meet it is recognized by those
who revere the memory of the martyr.
II Is d ueDt VI HOllOT WHICH lHey- are
anxious to see wiped out.
At the time the Whitman mission.
existed il was supported by the Ameri-
can board, composed at that time of the
Congregational, Presbyterian and
Dutch Reformed denominations Within
the last year or two the Congrega ion
alists and Presbyterians have under
taken the raising of a fund to pay off
what is still owing. An executive COM
mittee composed of clergymen of both
denominations was appointed. with
Edwin Eells of Tacoma as treasurer.
Each denomination is endeavoring to
raise $3.50. and the general public is
asked to cooperate.
That the Pacific northwest owes an
imperishable debt to the labors of DIR.
Whitman is unquestionable. ElimiIat-
ing entirely the controversy as to the
part he took in preserving Oregon to
the Union, there remains the fact that
he did great uplifting, civilizing,
Christian work which. is worthy of
generous remembrance-Spok
Review