The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-04
O[D 0RE EGON TRAI[ THEME OF GREAT
 WE ESTERN PAGEANT
President Pays Tribute To "Winners Of Empire" In
 Speech At MeaCham

44sNsg MEACHAM Ore, July 3.-(By As ssssss -ss.<seso esociated Press.) .)-Carried in fancy .-- back more than half century, Pres sszSSssss. ident and Mrs Harding saw repro -..--,.;ss-,duced. today the scenes of oregon's pioneer days and travelled the old Oregon Trail the road which saved empire.
 Here in the little town of Meacham on the top of the Blue Mountains were reenacted for the chief eXecu- tive of the nation and his vie the stirring events of the early days of the last centurY-eYents which brought the inclusion of the Oregon country in the American union.
 It was an unusual day for Presi- dent and Mrs Harding. They have had and will have no other days like it on their trip to the west, and when they waved a parting farewell from the observation platform of their train late in the day the curtain went down on scene which perhaps never will be reproduced, for the days of the pioneers, and of the GOV cred wagon are over, and those who re-iived their old lives today soon will pass from the empire" they founded.
 <.sss Ii5rding Enjoys Day.
 e.s.. ss.sss x Because of the unusual day, de- .sss sssss< oted to celebration of the long trek ssr1 s-ssssrs1t of the. pioneers over the old oregon ssss-:.;t raiI the President and Mrs Harding nioyed it to the utmost, declaring NJ sr9t to have been one of the great days inc the'i town n of Meacham has only "a 50 Inhabitants but it reached the 's~s proportion of a fair sized city py special trains ana ana wagon and carts poured through sands into the little valley which lies infringed by Oregons pine forest It was difficult to estimate the number of those here to take part l1 the celebration and to greet the head of the government Those in charge of the celebration estimated there were fifteen or twenty thousand;
 The President and Mrs. Hafdlhg found thousands awaiting them when their train came to a standstill at o'clock this morning. Beside the grounds where the celebratlon Was Was uniforms of the Civil war days es- corted their train into the Vaiiey anu cowboys and COW girls rode darlng!y up to the train to extend the greet ings of the oregon pioneers
 Ride In old Coach.
 An old Concord coach with leather springs. drawn by a. team of SIX .-s---T-ho orses waited besides the train ana sssrs---st he President and his wife were - placed in it. for a ride throush the valley and through little creek 10 reviewing stand erected on the hillside Dgnataries of the state' Gcyernor Pierce and Senators NC Nary and Stanfiel, with GoVethror 
 members of the presidential party followed in automobiles; Arriving at the reviewing stand the pTasident found seated about him nioneers who entered the Oregon territory prior to IS5o' anu DetoiS I?ti him those who came lmmealatei' Tears almost came into the. eyes of the President as he shook hands with some of the older ones ana ana listened to their story oI 'hSii too
 
 appeared a strange sight. It Was ire beginning of a pageant Whlch ug- picted the early days eI.nrnd 9eSlnliradd "te inc Columbia river in 1792, John Jacoo Astor, founder of Astoria. ana tinb inS Llazed the oregon tran.
 Stirring Episodes shown.
 Then followed in succession se- ries of episodes deplctlns I, tue 'no ing of the first missionary, Jason Lee and his Methodist band; pr. ana Mrs. Marcus Whitman. who laio ooW 1o, their lives in the whitman r5nas1s$t massa- ere; the Spaulding party of Presby- terians led by Bishop Scott. dozeh or so of covered wagons, represent ing the first train of lmml srahls oo cross the Blue mountains, passed pc fore the President and then came tIe outstanding pioneers Buffalo Bill Kit Carson, John C. Fremont and ''Ti The pageant ended, the Concord coach again drove up. This time Nrs Harding insisted on riding with the driver, and after being helped to the high seat rode away while the hills echoed with applause
 Tnncheon was a basket dinner served r1"l1'iG'' by two men of the surround ing country in a big tent. Chicken, big red strawberries, cakes and roast bn9r meat were among the viands nut before the visitors.
 The President then went to the re- e. viewing stand to deliver his address in which he paid tribute to the spirit and the achievements of the pioneers
 c o o
 Test Of Citizenship.
 Tn this test of self reliance citi- 1anshfD there came the ragged mili- tant wholesome west" he declared Greater things were wrought larger accomplishment was accorded greater victory was won in this wholesome, inspiring individualism .t,a,, ,.;ll aver attpnd ngternaliSn or