The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-09-24

er; each was searching fer it that
the rights Of his country might be
asserted Cook had passed and re-
passed the mouth of the stream but
the placid waters of the Pacific kept
her secret from him.
For unknown ages "The Oregon"
rolled unseen through the continu
Gus woods" to the sea. From the
middle OF the Eighteenth century
the discoyerers and adventurers of
France and Spain and Portugal and
England, as we'll as the "Freebooter"
of all climes. had been sailing all
oceans and spying all shores in keen
quest for new land to add to old do
minions or to gather new jewels for
old world crowns. The Pacific ocean
was the great field of their unre-
strained roam. From island to
mainland they coursed the ocean
From Behring sea to Patagonia they
traced the shore lines of America
They discovered capes and head
lands, bays and straits until they
supposed they had chartered ali the
coast Thus they worked until 1880
and later and still "The Oregon"
rolled unseen to the sea, save by the
eyes of the barbarian that dwelt in
its solitudes. Cook and Vancouver
as we'll as others, had sought for its
mouth everywhere from San Diego
to where the Russian bear guarded
the headlands of Muscovan Ameri-
ca, and still it could not be found
For them it did not exist. Only ten
days before its discovery, Vancouver
and Gray held conversation just
north of the rivers mouth; thence
parting, Vancouver to the Northwest,
in his royal vessels, and Gray south
ward in the tract of destiny and
glory
What a time was this in the af-
fairs of men and the destiny of the
world! Had the British navigator
really seen the river it would GER
tainly have had another name and
the Pacific Coast different history.
That 7th day of May. 1892. when the
keel of Captain Gray's vessel, the
Columbia, first cleft the bosom of the
waters of the great river that was to
bear the vessels name, was the most
eventful and thrilling in Amerisan
adventure and discovery, so far as
the Pacific Coast is concerned.
But what of the efforts of the bold
navigator and his discovery of the
mighty river that had rolled for cen
turies all unseen except by savage
eye, or of the exploration of its trib-
utary country, as important as it was,
unless there had been the adventur-
Gus, undaunted, home-building Amer
lean citizen who became the Pioneer
of the Northwest.
Certainly / will not belittle any
act (but rather magnify alD that
| lead to the possession Of the Oregon
country, but | want to say that in
point of service rendered or honor
deserved no other agency is to be
compared with the actual settlement
of the country and the many noble
deeds of those pioneers, whose pres
ence is our benediction and whose
memory we revere.
Without the home-builder eXplor-
alton would have been in vain. The
mere knowledge of the country
would not have gained it for Amer
ica. 1t was the actual possession by
men of resolute purpose that made
the Oregon country part of the Uni
ted States.
How then shall we measure these
men? By their purposes, by what
they endured or by the worth of the
heritage we their children now en-
joy?
1t is true there was in these i'm
migrants of the early years some
spirit of adventure, some desire OF
gain, some expectation of bettered
conditions for themselves and their
families. Such motives lie at the
base of most action. They are part
of the fixed character of the Anglo
Saxon. These elements produce the
best environment; they subdue ma
ture and establish civilization. They
produce thought and embolden ac-
tion. The same forces operate in the
development of industry at home and
the establishment of intercourse with
people abroad.
But if the possession of the land
was the sole object of these people
who were in reality empire builders
in the best sense, they could have
found and possessed it in the valleys
of the Mississippi or on the plains
East of the Rocky Mountains within
the known borders of their own coun-
trv and under the protection OF their
established government.
The Government could not grant
land until its sovereignty was estab-
lished and this came through pos
session and patriotic action of the
Pioneer. He did not act under a
promise that he should receive
what he found, and conquered and
held. The riches added by his con
quest were offered to every citizen
of his Common Country alike. Wha'
he did not occupy was granted tc
whoever would settle upon 1t for the
purpose of home, and thus he act
ed for himself and his countrymen
each receiving benefits under the
same rule. But let it not be forgot
ten that until land laws were pro
mulgated and enforced the only title
the Pioneer had was his possession
and this he defended against al
comers whether the savage Aborig-
inee or the grasping Britisher. His
defense against the one was his
bravery and his trusty ritle-he ov
ercame the other through acts
prompted by his devotion to the lane
of Washington and Jefferson. In
stead of the Government giving tC
the Pioneers land they gave the lane
to the Government. The Donation
land laws were not passed and coulc
not have been passed until the North