The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-09-24
R. A. BOOTH SPEAKS
CONTINUED From First Page)

soldier, acting from the same motives
that prompted them. On this basis
he established his fame and his glory
will not fade.
In point of endurance these Pion-
GERS gave new meaning to human
effort. They made sacrifices to the
limit of human possibility. They
all encountered hardship that streng-
thened; some privatiols that enfee-
bled an6 others, disea 80 that destroy
ed. The pioneer did not wait for
Government to mark the way-he
marked the way for the Government.
His path was not blazed-his course
was the setting sun. Plains were
not too broad or mountains too high
to deter him. His own right arm
was his defense and his strong heart
supplied the never failing inspira-
tion. Travel-stainei and hungered,
men travelled on; hope and care
marked the faces of women; child
rem withstood the discomforts ami
became essential parts of the new
states. The days seemed long,
months passed, the sumner glided
into the russet of Autumn before the
end came. Where now are fair fields
then became the last resting place of
many husband, mother or child,
the winds left to chant the Requiem
over the lonely and deserted grave.
And when the destination was reach
ed there was no friend or neighbor
to assist or to counsel The genial
heavens and the generous earth alone
could give comfort and hope, but it
was sufficient for these courageous,
self-relant people, reckless alike of
toll and danger.
If your experience has been such
as to compare the covered wagon
with the palace car; the luxurious
home with the untented fireside Of
the plain or mountain; If you can es-
innate the difference between the
protection of our Government today,
and the single barrelled rife then be-
tween the provision that modern
wealth brings and the yield of sod
first touched by the rude plow; If
you can tell how far the East is from
the West, then you can calculate the
reward that belongs to these heroes
when measured by what they endur-
ed
We have briefly referred to the
purpose and the endurance of the
Pioneers. Let us now consider them
in the light of the worth of what they
brought us.
If adding stars to the old flag in
creases its glory, the honor belongs
to the Pioneer. 1t was they who ex-
tended the stripes until they touched
the shores of both oceans.
If it had not been for the occupa-
tion of the Northwest by the Pioneers
and subsequent annexation, the con-
quest of the South that gave us Cal
ifornia might not have been$ Ger
tain it is that Alaska would not have
attracted us but for the established
homes and defense afforded by the
Northwest Pioneers. Their acts made
us a four-sided nation. Through
their efforts, we were squared up"
and put in the right relation to the
great round world and its political
institutions. With broadened area
came breadth OF vision. new oppor-
tunities and courage to grasp them.
To the stimulus of their achieve
ments the country owes much of it's
present greatness. 1t was the Pion-
eers who saw the "Star of Empire"
still moving Westward. 1t had be-
come the guiding star of the Anglo
Saxon as typified by the American.
The Pioneer followed it until it stood
still over the blest land that we now
call ours and in so doing they fulfill
ed the traditions of the fathers. Their
energies, privations, self-denial, and
steadfastness made possible the Ore
gon of today and the grander and
better Oregon of tomorrow. Oregon
with all It's scope and treasure is ours
forever. But our heritage is not in
land alone. The vast empire, rich
and beautiful, it not all that the
Pioneers Of Oregon bequeathed.
What the movement meant that
gave us the Oregon country cannot
be told until we know the ultimate
destiny Of the Anglo-Saxon. The
westward trampling of the Pioneers
is to be counted among the world
movements. 1t must be left, there
fore, for the future to reveal the in
fluence of these actors and to Him
only to whom the future is known.
To Him who can judge the worth of
noble purposes and estimate the val
ue of great tasks well performed,
must be left the giving of the reward.
The eternities are His and out of
them alone can come the full meas
ure of compensation for what you
have done for your children, your
country and the world
Dear fathers the Pioneer period is
fast closing and too few of you lin
ger to tell of the struggles and the
triumphs. You have placed in the
hands of your sons the work bravely
begun and so well carried forward
by you. A few of your number seem
to be lingering to guard the heritage
and carry home to your departed
comrades the record of worthy sons
or ignoble successors.
Since you have implanted in our
lives the American spirit and bred
in us hope and courage, we must
strive to move onward and upward.
The faint hearted have already chal-
lenged further advance. 1t has been
so in every move of our nation. The
passing years have justified you in all
your undertakings, as visionary as
they seem to many friend left be-
hind, and so the coming years will
place wreaths of victory upon the
heads of those who dared to look
westward, carrying forward the best
Of our civilization, the noblest of our
achievements. Even now the thrill
of the energy you impaired invigor-
ates every thought and strengthens
every heartbeat as we see the new