The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1934-10-04


H. that Is named for him and that also
commentaries the event In his career
4 which has made him immortal.
His name Christopher Columbus
and October II is the date which we
annually celebrate as Columbus day or Dlscoy-
cry day.
The 81 states which honor him on that day
are: Alabama, Arizona Arkansas California,
Connecticut Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas
Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massa-
chusetts, Michigan. Missouri, Montana, Nebraska,
Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,
North Dakota Ohio. Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn
sylvania, Rhode Island Texas, Vermont and
Washington
One OF our territories honors him on a differ
ent day from October u In Puerto Rico Noven-
Der 10 is Discovery day. for 1t was on Novem-
Der 10, 1893. that the italian navigator sailing
under the flag of Spain was the first white man
to look upon that island.
Universally hailed as the "dIscoverer of the
New world yet Fate ruled that the name of
another man should be given to the two conti-
nents made known to the Old world by the voy-
ages OF Columbus. In 1499 Florentine named
Amerigo Vespucci accompanied Ojeda. q Span
lard, to Espanola tHaiti) and the mainland In
search for pearls. He wrote letter In which
he called the country he had seen 4Mundus
Novus" New Land). Eight years later at ST.
Die In the Vosges mountains Matthias Ringman
a Latinist, and Martin Wadseemuller, 4 geog-
rapher. two members of the faculty of little
collegiate institute which was the center OF the
geographical learning Of the time. were prepar-
Ing new edition OF Ptolemys Geographic"
However, before Its publication they printed on
the new printing press which the institute owned
little essay called "Cosmographiae Introducto"
to which they added the letter that Amerigo
Vespucci had written. In this essay Waldsee-
muller offered the suggestion that since Amerigo
Vespucci had seen and described this .Mundus
Novus." 1t might properly bear his name and be
called America
Later map-makers followed Waldseemuller's
suggestion. And that is why we have North
and South America instead of North and South
Columbia"
Although German scholars suggestion cheat
ed Columbus out OF having two continents named
for him. on both there are innumerable land
marks which bear his name or derivation of
1t. In South America there Is republic OF
Colombia and the chief Caribbean port of the
republic of Panama Is Colon, which preserves
the Spanish spelling of Columbus name-Cris-
tobal Colon. In far-of Ceylon an Island of the
coast Of India which he sought but was des-
tined never to reach there is city of Colombo
which honors his name.
The map of North America is dotted with
reminders of him. Canada has province OF
British Columbia and In 1t rises one of the
mightiest rivers on this continent-the Columbia
The little tract of land which contains the ma
tional seat OF government of the United States
Is called the District OF Columbia, and one of
the poetcal names for this nation Is Columbia.
So when we sing two of our favorte patriotic
songs-"Hall. Columbia happy land !. ;" and
20 Columbia, the gem of the ocean we
are pronouncng two syllables of the name OF
the Italian sea captain
Two state capitals-Columbus Ohio, and Co
lumbia, S. C.--also honor him. Eleven states
Georgia, Indiana Kansas, Mississippi, Montana
Nebraska, New Mexico North Dakota, Ohio
Texas and Wisconsn-have cities named Column
bus and one state, North Carolina, has Column
bus county. Iowa has Columbus Junction and
Ohio has Columbus Grove.
Eight states-Illinos, Kentucky. louisiana
Mississippi, Missouri, Pennsylvania South Caro-
lima and Tennessee-have cities named Columbia
and eight states-Arkansas Florida, Georgia.
New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington
and Wisconsin-have Columbia counties Ohio
has = Coumbiana county, also a city by that
NAME as has Alabama. Indiana has Columbia
City, Montana has a Columbia Falls and Mime
sofa has Columbia Heights.
The largest university In the United States Is
Columbia university In New York City with 1904
faculty members and 30583 students. There is
also a Columbia college In Iowa and innumerable
grade schools throughout the country bear the
name of Columbus Columbia. One of the most
important fraternal organizations In the United
States is the Knights Of Columbus and the first
worlds fair-in many respects, the greatest
ever held which honored the achievements OF
man bearing his name was the Worlds Column
bian exposition in Chicago In 1893.
Memorials to Columbus In the form OF statues
and monuments are legion. One OF the latest, II
not the latest is the magnificent statue which
was unveiled ON August OF last year 1.-THE ami
versary of Columbus sailing from Paos. Spain,
on his first voyage of discovery on Chcago's
lake front ut stands overlooking Columbus
drive, one OF the main thoroughfares In Chcago's
boulevard system)
This statue, which was designed by Charles
Briosh OF st. Paul and cast In Milan Italy, Is
IL feet inches high and stands on 22foot
pedestal OF Baveno granite from Milan. 1t was
presented to the city of Chicago by Italian-Amer-
leans of that city and August 3, 1898, the date
1T was unveiled, was Italian day at the 1888
Century Of Progress exposition when thousands
of people of that nationality gathered to honor