Putnam patriot., 1925-01-23
Tacoma or Rainer7

To the Editor of The Putnam Patriot.
 Dear sir Reading an editorial in the New York Herald-Tribune recent ly, on the refusal of the Public Lands Committee of the House, to report on the Senate's bill restoring the origi- nal name to one of our most famous mountains, 1t seems as if this were R case where public opinion should ex- ert all its influence to induce the com miftee to reverse it's decision. While many dwellere m this little corner of Connecticut have never travelled to the Pacific coast, all have seen pie lures of this wonderfully beautiful mountain. The grand peak which rises to height of l4 4.400 feet on the shores of Puget sound. in the state of Washington. Snow covered all the year. in it's impressive grandeur it was regarded by the Indians as Il deity, and they called it Tacoma or Takhoma meaning "The Mountain that is God" What name could be more appropYiateg IL was called by that name long before the white race set foot on the continent. until in 1890 the Geographic Board, without a hearing, or even notice that the change was under discussion, changed the name to Rainier; name abso- lutelp without significance to many people. We first hear of Rainier in l792 when the British sea captain Vancouver. explored Puget sound, al though many others, Spanish. Greeks and Americans had before him. He, however. covered the region more completely than his predecessors ana left maps and diaries describing his journeys. In one of his records he stated that he had distinguished the mountain after his friend Ranier. IL still remained "the mountain that k God" however. and nothing more was heard of Rainier until the action of the Geographic Board in 1890.
 Now who was this Rainier who was so honored2 He was an English naval officer, who had never been within 5000 miles of the mountain. He was so urimportant that his name does not appear in any English history or in the Encyclopedia Brittannlea, ex- eept as the name of the mountain
 Theodore Roosevelt had q very decided opinion on this subject, he said, Why should America abandon the splendid Indian name Tacoma. in order Co call our noblest landmark after an obscure foreigner whose only connection with our history is that he fought aRniust us when he were an infant nation"
 SewsHapers and periodicals all over the United States editnrially espouse the change Besides Col Roosevelt, ex Presidents Taft and Harding ia vofed restoring the old name. In 1917 both houses Of the legislature of tho state of Washington memorabilia cd the board to remove the objection able name but the petition fell on deaf ears.
 The Indians are most interested m the matter. The American Indian Order Inc. of the American Indian Association. which has an imposing list of officers. containing the names of many chiefs, medicine men and q princess or two, has plainly express ed it's opinion on the subject. While the Congress of North American Indians. which met at Tusla, Okla homa. June 10, 1924. passed a reso- luton in which after declaring un- swerving allegiance to their mother the restoration of the old beloved country. they made a strong plea for the name.
 With all the efforts being made, 1t seems incredible that the change should not some day be made.
 FLORENCE D. WILEY.