East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1920-09-25
FACTS ABOUT EARLY HISTORY
OF THE COMM0NWEALT OF OREGON
Title to This Region Long Subject of Controversy Be-
tween United States and Great Britain

began IN oregon in 1868, but under
many handicaps. The oregon Steam
Navigation Company had portage
roads at the Cascades and The DalIes,
and short line was soon to be built
from Walla Walla to the boat landing
at Wallula. Ultimately a company or
ganized at Portland. but joined by Mr..
Henry Willard. completed the road on.
the south side of the Columbia river.
and Mr.. Willard also gained control of
the Northern Pacific railway. begun
some years before The two roads
were extended toward each other and
joined together in September. 1888.
This gave the northwest not only
thoroush line from Portland to the
east. but furnished also the needed
bound to tie together the scattered
settlements of the widespread Colum-
bia basin and with the Willamette
valley and Oregon and California
made the general outline of our rail-
way system for many years.
The New Age
The year 1883 may be taken as the
beginning of the new age in the Paci-
fic northwest In 1880 the old Oregon
country-occupied already at that
time by the state of Oregon, the terri
tories of Washington and Idaho. and
portion of Montana-had a total popu-
lation of only 2s5.500 In the next
decade it gained an addition of 49,
900. From 1890 to 1900, in spite Of
the hard times, the gain was $50 900,
while between 1900 and 1910 it
to 1.146.s3s for the three
states of Oregon. Washington and Ida
ho. leaving out of account Western
Montana. which also belongs to the
region. The total population of the
three states named was in 1910, in
round numbers, two million. one hum
ired thousand, of which Oregon had
'72,765. Washington 1,141. $50, and
IDAHO 325.594.
Summary of Political History
The territory of Washington was 50 |
,ff from the original Oregon in 1853, !
while Idaho territory was created I
rom territory formerly embraced in
oregon and Washington in 1868. Ore
yon became a state in the union in /
February, 1859, under a constitution
ldopted by a convention held at Salem
n August and September, 1857. This
remained unchanged In h
ny way until the adoption in 1901 of
he initiative and referendum amend
ient. Since then many changes have
cen adopted by popular vote.
Great interest attaches to the devel-
pment, within little more than a de-
ade of the so-called "Oregon system
T government, one of the most COM
letely democratic systems in vogue
nywhere in the world Some of its
,atures. aside from the initiative and
le referendum, are a system of direct
of candidates for office, a
rict corrupt practice law, the recall,
nd the virtual autonomy of cities.
JOSEPH SCHAFER.
University of oregon, Eugene, May.
IL.
raginzation OF Oregon Provisional
Government
By George H. Hines. Assistant Sec
retary of the Oregon Historical So
citey.)
The genesis of American political
,vernment in the "Oregon country"
ties from March 16, 1888, when
prepared by J. L. Whit
NIB and thirty five others, was for
,zded to Washington. presented to
ngress by Senator Linn on January
1899. read and pigeonholed.
q ! +
oregon settlers was presented by
nator Linn in June, 1870. and suf-
red the same fate.
On February Is, 1871. Ewing Young
d. He settled in Yamhiil district
November, 1894, and was the first
dependent settler in Oregon. The
ath of this American. leaving an es-
e, raised a new question: serious
mo Law existing under the proyi-
MS by which it could be administer
In this emergency, immediate ac-
n was imperative Hence meet
was held on February II. 1S41,
d a committee appointed to suggest
! necessary officers who were chos-
the following day. Among these
5 a supreme judge with probate
gers. His first act was the appoint
mt Of an administrator OF Young's
ate on April Is.
Four subsequent meetings were held
the settlers during the next two
,rs for the purpose Of perfecting
ofganization- The last Of these
settings was held on May 2. 1s43.
en the report Of the committee on
ganization came up for considera-
N 1875. the officers OF the Oregon
,neer Association requested Honor
e J. Quinn Thornton. pioneer Of
Is. 70 prepare a short history Of the
,visional government While Thorn
was not an eyewitness Of the event
deacribes yet very soon after his
tval in Oregon he became person. =