East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-09-11
GLOBE-TROTT|NG
PRESIDENTS
TRAVEL MUCH MORE THAN
IN THE OLDER DAYS
Only Five Prior TO Lincoln's Time
Were West of the Alleghanies-
Washington's Trips Were Made in
\ Carriage.

A recent article in the indianapolis
News presented facts from history
showing that the early presidents Of
the United States were absent from
Washington during official terms
a much greater number of days than
any Of the presidents OF recent years
have been, President jefferson being
absent total of 796 days during his
two terms, President Madison 637
days during his two terms, President
Monroe 70S days during his two terms
and so on. The facts were surprise
10 many persons who had thought the
case was different, and they are the
more surprising when one considers
the vastly gathering facilities of trav-
el now over early times There is
this to be said, however, about the
early preSidents-as a rule, al
though their absences were frequent
and sometimes prolonged, they did
not get very far from Washington.
jefferson, Madison and Monroe all
lived in Virginia, and while there
were no railroads nor steamboats, in
those days, it was not a difficult
horseback journey to their homes.
Transcontinental trips, such as
some of our modern presidents have
made, would have been impossible in
their days as trip to the moon. We
did not gain access to the Pacific
coast by way or Oregon till 1919. The
Louisiana purchase only extended
our possessions from the Mississippi
river 10 the Rocky mountains. We
did not acquire California until 1S4S.
after the war with Mexico, and for
nearly 90 years after that a trip
across the continent was difficult
and dangerous. OF the first six pres
idents of the United States none ever
saw the Mississippi river. Jackson
was the first jefferson wrote and
talked a great deal about it and he
acquired the river by diplomacy and
purchase, but he never saw it.
Few Crossed AlleghanieS.
Not more than five of our presi-
dents down 10 Lincoln's time ever
crossed the Allegheny mountains and
four of these were western men who
had to cross the mountains to reach
Washington - Presidents Jackson.
Polk, General W. H. Harrison and
Taylor. President Monroe crossed
the mountains on his return trip
from west to east in 1917. Van Bu-
ren came west in 1912, two years af-
ter the expiration of his presidential
term. and saw the mountains then
for the first time. II was on this
trip that he got upset and dumped
in the mud near Plainfeld, Hend-
ricks county.
Some Of our early statesmen were
not expansionists Washington was
opposed to assuming the ownership
of the Mississippi river, and James
Monroe, when a member of the Vir-
ginia convention in 17SS. argued
against the adoption of the federal
constitution for geographical rea-
sons Consider" he said, ''the ter
ritory lying between the Atlantic
ocean and the Mississippi. Its extent
far exceeds that OF the German en-
pire. 1t is larger than any territory
that ever was under one govern
ment. II is too extensive to be gov
erned but by a despotic monarchy"
And this from the man who, 80 years
later was elected president of the
United States extended far beyond
the Mississippi, and who became the
author of the Monroe doctrine"
Monroe's Limited Vision.
a year after the adoption of the
constitution James Madison thought
he was making a bold guess when
he estimated that the population Of
the country might. "in some years"
double in number and reach 6,00O,-
600. He lived to see it far beyond
that Yet it IS true that for a num-
her of years the population was large
ly confined 10 the original 13 colonies.
In 1859. when the constitution was