The Alaska daily empire., 1923-08-01
THE OREGON COUNTRY.

Discussing President Harding's speech On the eson Country history at Meacham, Oregon, the 1rk Post said:
 President Harding, arriving at Meaeham, Ore as it celebrated the eghtieth anniyer- sary of it's first settlement, rode in an old Concord stage to address an audience which had donned the costume of Tyler's day cronolines, poke bonnets, gay calicoes beaver hats and high boots. His speech was fitting ly historical He might well have spoken of the Whitman legend more lightly than he did fer ii is as devoid of a basis of fact as the legend of the Macklenburg Declaration But it was sufficient for him to show his appreciation of the colorfu background of history possessed by the Pacific Northwest Here the fur trader took his adventurous way in the same spirit in which the gold hunter penetrated the wilds of Hispanic America Our first important national achievements in exploration were the voyage of Capt Gray of Boston in 1792 to the Co., lumba and the decent of that river by Lewis and Clark. Almost every schooboy has hung ever lrving's Astoria with it's picture of pers from Indians, beasts. storms, and famine. The acquisition of Oregon was a stepping stone to the acquisition of Alaska, now about to receive it's first Presidential visit.
 Oregon has been at once Of our earliest and of latest frontiers. President Harding rightly thought there was
 
 the rugged, militant, wholesome West" As he says. it's individualism is a quality which Americans like to regard as a national trait, and which he restrained us from assenting to undue Government paternaism. The hert- age of this pioneer spirit, he might have added, is just strong in the Pacific North west of cur generation as it was in the for ties. Finding leading in U Ren and others, it was able not many years ago to impress upon the country distinct Oregon pan.' The initiative the referendum, the recall the direct primary, and the direct election of Senators have been adopted in other States, and the last named has brought about Con- stitutional amendment. The political pro- gressvsm of the Northwest has it's counter part in an aggressive spirit of economic dis content which has made tho I. W. W. move ment stronger there than elsewhere.
 But Of one marked component of the sen- timent of the Oregon poneers President Hard ing failed 10 speak-its courageous ideal ism. There was Marcus Whitman, and he was hero. if he didn't save us from trading Oregon for Newfoundland fishing rights. He head of an aggressive Pres byterian mission Jason Lee was head of aggressive Methodist mission The set tiers who poured into Oregon in the fortes were mainly of the New England breed eager to take their religion with them. con vert the natives, plant schools and colleges. and establish civilization rich culturally and morally. No petty timidities could balk them. II is this idealiem which is the best support of MT. Harding's desire to bring America into the World Court and into ac- tive association with the rest of the world for the furtherance of peace. II would do well boldly 10 appeal to it.
 It Is true that the importance of the results ". Marcus Whitman's famous trip have been e, rated in the course of time. It is true howe at the settlement Of the Oregon country is W 'n Oregon and Washington to the United Sta is true, further that Dr. Whitman and Rev Ja e induced many of he settlers who claimed lntry for America to come West However 'neerng spirit which carried people across untains. first, into Kentucky and Tennessee erward into the States north of the Ohio and i ssouri brought vast majority of the settlers V me over the Oregon Trail The carly settlers of egon country were about evenly divided betw ose Of New England, Middle States and South cestry. Joe Meek, and Col. B. F. Shaw, the Ind hters, were both Southerners as were many other carly Oregon leaders Both of Oreec t Senators were Southerners and in the osidentia election in which she participated L Il, Douglas and Beckinridge ran neck to m the race for her electoral votes-Lincoln lead h of the two Democratic candidates by sli, rgn.
 The settlers of New England ancestry were pr y about equally divided by those coming from st and those coming from the West-Illinois na, Ohio. etc.