Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-04-20
EX-CONGRESSMAN COLE
AN ADMIRER OF OREGON
Thinks Willamette Valley
Wonderful and Oregon
Scenery Incompatible

In Senator Burton s party who visit
ed this city last night was Hon. r. d.
Cole until recently a member of con
gress from Ohio.
Mr. Cole is looming up as a statesman
Of national reputation. He was recent
ly engaged in campaigning in Pennsyl-
vania and has just come up from Cali
fornia to assist Senator Burton in the
northwest
Mr. Cole is an orator of unusual abil-
ity and a personal friend of Jesse HUI
Der, with whom he was formerly assO-
ciated in an Ohio college.
The ex.congressman is great admir-
er of the Pacific coast. He has made
several trips to Oregon and says his
admiration for this region increases
with each successive visit.
With what are you most impressed
in Oregon7 was asked Mr.. Cole.
"The wonderful agricultural resour-
ces of this state still undeveloped, " he
replied promptly. "I have Travelled
through every state in the union and
l regard the Willamette valley one of
the most productive regions in tbi
nation. You are capable of supporting
millions of people hc,e under a proper
system of tillage.
"The greatest resources and the most
enduring is the productivity of the soil.
This valley will yield abundantly for
centuries to come.
81 am particularly impressed with
the variety of products which can be
grown here. We are greatly limited in
the east in the character of our crops
due largely to climatic conditions. But
here almost an infinite variety of
fruits, cereals and other vegetation can
be grown.
"The loganberry ls a new fruit to
me, but one which has many merits and
destined to become of great value. It
has better flavor than grape juice and
my impression is that the grape juice
brand Of politician win gradually he
supplanted by the bibler of loganberry
beverage"
Mr.. Cole was asked to give his i'm
preston of Oregon scenery viewed from
the standpoint of an eastener.
Your scenery is fascinating beyond
description, he said "William Cullen
Bryant employed 10 poetic license when
he spoke of where rolls the Oregon
and knows no sound save his own dash
ing.
"We have travelled for hours through
your forests Of stately trees. was
a member for severa' years of the com
mittee on agriculture in congress. We
had jurisdiction over the forest reserves
and as l recall Oregon has the great
est supply Of timber of any state in the
union
"As to conservation my Judgment is
that the methods Of administering the
forests should be modified. There is
too much red tape. Conservation is ali
right, but it should conserve and moi
waste, This generation has right tC
the products of your forests and they
should not be so projected as to per
NIT their waste.
"I hope that a more liberal policy
may be inauguratel that will give you
! full access to the use of the resource,
essential to the development Of yom
state.
you have wonderful scenery. Youi
rivers. your mountains, your colleges
are an on such magnificent scale as Z,
charm a visitor from the level lands OF
the Mississippi valley.
"Oregon Is popular in Ohio as a stat,
for home building. Many Of our peopl,
are citizens Of your state and they no
only seem content but they look it.n