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About The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927 | View Entire Issue (July 4, 1923)
Pioneer Days of West Reproduced for President Stirring Events of Last Cen tury Re-Enacted in Little Oregon Town on Top of Blue Mountains. Bj Associated Pm*. Meacham, Ore.. July 3.—Carried in fancy hack more than a half cen tury, President and Mrs. Harding -aw reproduced here today the scenes of Oregon's pioneer days and traveled the Old Oregon trail, the road which saved an empire. Here in the little town of Meacham on the top of the Blue mountains, were re enacted for the chief execu tive of the nation and his wife the stirring events of the early days of the last century—events which brought about the inclusion of the Oregon country In the American union. It was an unusual day for Mr. and Mrs, Harding. They have had, and will have no other days like it or 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 a scene which per haps never will be reproduced, for the days of pioneers and of the cov ered wagons are over and thbse who relived their old lives today soon will pass from the “empire” they founded. Great Day nf Trip. Because of the unusual day, de voted to celebration of the long trek nf the pioneers over the Old Oregon trail, the President and Mr*. Har ding enjoyed it to the utmost, de claring it to have been one of the great days of their trip.. The town of Mraclinm has only 50 inhabitants but it reached the pro portions of a fair-sized city as auto mobiles, special trains and wagons and carts poured into the little val ley which lies fringed about by Ore gon s pine forests. It was difficult to estimate the number of those here to take part in the celebration and to greet the head ,,f the government. Those in charge ,,f the celebration estimated there were fifteen or twenty thousand. The President and Mrs. Harding found thousands awaiting them when iheir train came to a standstill at 9 tlis morning. Beside the grounds where the celebration was held, horsemen wearing the cavalry uni forms of the civil war days escorted iheir train into the valley, and cow hoys and cowgirls rode daringly up 10 the train to extend the greetings of the Oregon pioneers. Rids in Old Coach. An old Concord coach with leather springs, drawn by six horses, watted beside ths train and the president and his wife were placed within it for a rlda through the valley to a reviewing stand on the hillside. Arriving at the reviewing stand he president found seated about him pioneers who entered the Oregon ter ritory prior to 1855. and before him i hose who came immediately after. Tears almost came to the eyes of i lie president as he shook hands with some of the older ones and listened 10 their stories of pioneer days. Soon over the hilltops appeared a si range sight. It w as the beginning ■ if a pageant which depicted the early days, beginning with Captain Gray, who discovered the Columbia river iu 1792; John Jacob Asior, found r nf Astoria, and the IVilson Price 11 unt party, which left St. Iiouis In 1810 and blazed the Oregon trail. Then followed in succession a series of episodes depicting the com ing of the first missionary. Jason l,ee, and his Methodist hand; Dr. and Mrs. Marcus Whitman, who laid down their lives in the Whitman mas sacre: the Spaulding party of Presby terians, and the Episcopalians, led bv Bishop Scott. Pioneers I’as* in Review. A dozen or so of eovpred wagons, representing the first train of immi grants to cross the Blue mountains, passed before tho president and then came the outstanding pioneers. Buf falo Bill, Kit Carson. .John C. Fre mont. and a host of others. The pageant ended, the Concord coach again drove up. This time. Sirs. Harding insisted on riding with the driver, and after being helped to ihe high seat, rode away while the hills echoed with applause. Luncheon was a basket dinner served by the women of the surrounding country in a big tent. The president then went to the reviewing stand to deliver his ad dress, in which he paid tribute to the spirit and the achievements of the pioneers. The text of his address follows: Mv Countrymen: As l stand here in the shadow of ihe great hills, my mind reverts to the placid banks of _/l he broad Potomac. There, as here, to an American proud of his country and revering her traditions, there is much of patriotic interest, and be tween these rugged mountains and those fertile lowlands 1 find much in common. Living history records many Indissoluble links, to one of which it seems fUting that 1 should direct your attention today. Of the many rooms In the White House, which possess the peculiar charm of association with epochal happenings, the one most fascinating to me is that which formerly com prised the rnblnet room and the pres (dent's study. Through Its high win dows one's gaze Is drawn irresistibly lo tlie towering granite shsft whoee very grandeur, exceeded by no other monument in th« world, admirably symbolizes »lie matchless character of George Washington. Tho beautifully carveij mahogany bedposts are those upon which fell the eyes of Andrew Jackson when opened from the troubled slumber which even to this day occasionally falls to the lot of an over weary pres ident. Hunk Into the marble mantel piece is a bronze table recording the cl rcnnjstgnce that It was in this room that Abraham Lincoln signed Ihe great emancipation proclamation, which struck the shackles of slavery Burn millions of human beings V<-| another episode ,,t hardly less Imporlatiei in the building of our might v nation took place within those sails Before my mind's eye ns I alnoil In that historic chamber a few days ago appeared the vivid picture I beheld seated st his desk, immaculately si tired, the embodiment of dignity and com tllm ‘c John Tyler, tenth presi dent of the United Stales. Fating _s him, from a chair constructed for s massive frame, his powerful spirit gleaming through his cavernous eyes, was the lion-visaged Daniel Webster, secretary of state. Strange Figure Appears. The door opened and there ap peared before the amazed statesmen a strange and astonishing figure. It was that of a man of medium height and sturdy build, deep chested, broad shouldered, yet lithe in movement and soft of step. He was clad in a coarse fur coat, buckskin breeches, fur leggins, and boot moccasins, look ing much the worse for wear. But it was the countenance of the visitor, as he stood for an Instant in the doorway, that riveted the perception of the two chiefs of state. It was that of a religious enthusiast, tena ciously earnest yet revealing no sug gestion of fanaticism, bronzed from exposure to pitiless elements and seamed with deep lines of physical suffering, a rare combination of de termination and gentleness—obvious ly a man of God, but no less a man among men. Such was Marcus Whitman, the pioneer missionary hero of the vast, unsettled, unexplored Oregon coun try, who had come out of the west to plead that the state should acquire for civilization the empire that the churches were gaining for Christian ity. Many of the exploits of America's resolute sons are recounted in prose and verse. How often in our youth, and even in later years, have we been thrilled by the story of how "on through the night rode Paul Revere, through every Middlesex village and farm" to call the Minute Men to em battle at Rexington and fire “the shot heard 'round the world!' How many times we have shuddered at the im pending fate of the Shenandoah val ley with “Sheridan 20 miles away!” I loved the martial notes of those stirring verses as a boy. 1 love them still. Deed l nreeognjzed. But, when X stood in that historic room in the White House and my imagination depicted the simple scene, I could not but feel that the magnificence of Marcus Whitman's glorious deed has yet to find adequate recognition in any form. Here was a man who. with a single companion, in the dead of winter, struggled through pathless drifts and blinding storms, 4.000 miles, with the sole aim to serve his country and his God. Eighty years and eight months ago he was pushing grimly and painfully through this very pass on his way from Walla Walla to Fort Hall, thence, abandoning the established northern route as impassable, off to the south through unknown, untrod den lands, past the Great Salt lake, to Santa Fe. then hurriedly on to St. I.ouis and finally, after a few days, again on the homestretch to his des tination, taking as many months ss it now takes days to go from Walla Walla to Washington. It was more than a. desperate and perilous trip that Marcus Whitman undertook. It was a race against time. Public opinion was rapidly crystallizing into a judgment that the Oregon country was not worth claim ing. much less worth fighting for; that, even though it could be acquired against the insistence of Great Brit ain. it would prove to be a liability rather than an asset. Warning by Jackson. It is with sheer amazement that we now read the declarations of the lead ing men of that period. So good an American, so sturdy a frontiersman, so willing a fighter as General Jack son. shook his head ominously in fear least the national domain should get too far outspread, and warned the country that its safety "lay In a com pact government." Senator McDuffie of South Carolina declared he "would not give a pinch of snuff for the whole territory,” and expressed the wish that the Rocky mountains were •"an impassable harrier.” Senator Dayton of New Jersey said that, with very limited exceptions, “the, whole country was as Irreclaim able and barren a waste as the Sahara desett,” anil that malaria had carried away most of its native popu lation. Even so far seeing and staunch an advocate of western interests as Thomas Benton protested that the ridge of the Rockies should be made our western boundary, and avowed that, "on the highest peak the statue of the fabled god, Terminus, should be erected never to be thrown down.” Webster, although not deflnftely antagonistic, was uninterested and lukewarm. 1 ears before lie had pro nounced Oregon "a barren, worthless country, fit only for wild beasts and wild men," and he was not one who changed opinions readily. Blit neither was Whitman one eas ily dismayed. Encouraged by the Every Friday Night AThroughSleeper !o Clear Lake, la. Leave* Omaha 8(00 p. m Arrive* Clear Lake 700 a. m. Mat b* occupaed until 8 a. m. Sleeper will leave Clear Lake every Sunday 10.20 p-m-, arriv ing Omaha 7:40 a. m. WMk lotf Vara $ B.M StOafltekal X«.7« TOafc. fa. Beta MARSHALL B. CRAIG, 0. A P. D. 1(11 let National Bank Bid*.. Phone laakaoe osa* ConooUdeted Ticket Office 1(18 Dodgn St,, Pkome Atiatatit 12!( The CHICAGO GREAT WESTERN MISSOURI ACADEMY AND LOWER SCHOOL For Boya from 9 to 10 yaora old i kfamhar, A variation Military Coll*0#« and Sakaolo of ll. S.) Regular term begin* Thurday, !'eptember IV 1^23. I erm run* nine month** Rn\* in I.ower School have every advantage aflonled the larger bovs Mild Military till. Rig Brother form of government give* just the t iglit ton tar t between younger and older boy a and mitructoM. Special terms to good Musicians. F.rrly enrollment is nereaaary os eagerity is annually to sod. ( alalegue. Address COL. K. Y. BURTON, Pro.idont Boa 100ft Meaico, Mo. Kumsner Retinol and f amn. t nlnrado Springe, Colorado L_ . _ _ _ ltr Ij manifest friendliness of President Tyler, he portrayed with vivid elo quence the salubrity of the climate, the fertility of the soil, the magni tude of the forests, the evidences of ore in the mountains, and the splen dor of the wide valleys drained by the great rivers. And he did not hes itate to speak plainly, as one who knew, even like the prophet, Daniel. "Mr. Secretary,” he declared, "you would better give all New England for (he cod and mackerel fisheries of Newfoundland than to barter away Oregon.” Appeals to President. Then, turning to the president in conclusion, he added quietly but be seechingly: ‘‘All I ask Is that you will not bar ter away Oregon or allow English Interference until t can lead a band of stalwiar( American settlers across the plains. For this 1 shall try to do.” The manly appeal was irresistible. He sought only the privilege of prov ing his faith. The just and consider ate Tyler could not. refuse. ‘‘Doctor Whitman,” he rejoined sympathetically, "your long ride and frozen limbs testify to your courage and your patriotism. Your credentials establish your character. Your re quest is granted,” Whitman's strategy was true statesmanship. Substantial occupa tion would make good the claim of the United States, and that was what he had initiated during his few days in St. Eouis. A few months later he had completed an organization of eager souls and led the first move-' ment by wagon train across plains and mountains along this unblazed trail. What a sight that caravan must have appeared to the roaming sav ages! And what an experience for th^, intrepid pioneers! More than 200 wagons, bearing well nigh a thousand emigrants, made up the party. They traveled by suo stnntially the same route that Whit man had taken when he first went out to Oregon; from a rendezvous inear what is now Kansas City they moved due northwest across northeast Kansas and southeast Nebraska to the Platte river: followed the Platte tp the middle of what is now Wyo ming. thence crossing the mountains by way of tlie Sweetwater valley and the South Platte; and from Fort Hall, following the well-known route, roughly paralleling the Snake liver, into Oregon. The difficulties of the trip, involv ing beside the 200 wagon*, the care of women and children, and of con siderable herds of livestock, were such that its successful accomplish ment seems almost miraculous. (tesult Conclusive. But. stern determination triumphed and the result w-as conclusive. Ameri cans had settled the country. The country belonged to them because they had taken it; and in the end the boundary settlement was made on the line of the 49th parallel, your great northwest was saved, and a veritable empire was merged in the young republic. Never in the histtiry of the world lias there been a finer example of civilization following Christianity. The missionaries led under the banner of the cross, and the settlers moved close behind under the star spangled symbol of the nation. Among all the records of evangeliz ing effort as the forerunner of human advancement, there is none so im pressive as this of the early Oregon mission and its marvelous conse quences. To the men and women of that early day whose first thought was to carry the gospel to the Indians—to the Lees, the Spauldings, the Grays, the Walkers, the Leslies, to Fathers Tie Smet and Blanchet and lie Mers, and to all the other* of that glorious com pany who found that in serving God they were also serving their country and their fellow men—to whom we pay today our tribute; to them we owe a debt of gratitude which we can never pay. save partially through recognition such as you have ac corded it today. Kinds New Assurances. We may reasonably do more today than 1 ejoi> e in posso««lon of the Jtn Independence Day HIS is Ihe occasion we consecrate to _ those noble ideals on which this na tion is founded. Though our land he power ful in material wealth, its claim to leadership lies in the great love of Liberty, Justice and Equality. With great sacrifice we have perpetuated these ideals. They are today a symbol of a mighty nation. Long Live the Spirit of ] ’76 Nebi'd*kd t® Power C California’s Treat to you—a delicious confection If you like oranges — everyone does—you’ll like this new sweet that comes from Redlands, California, where finest oranges grow. For AUorangc is just what its name implies. It is whole, luscious, ripened oranges—juice and all—candied to per fection with pure Hawaiian sugar. Good! Yes, delicious. And you can cat all you like. So stop at the next store and get All orange. Costs but a nickel and a five ccnt piece never bought more pure de light. Allorange Confection Co. Redlands, California ALLORANGE perial domain which they revealed, and the life they made possible to the virile, aspiring and confident northwest. I find new assurances in recalling the heroism, the resolution, the will to conquer of these pioneers. I wish 1 might more effectively visualize them. Not very long ago I saw the covered wagon in the mov ing picture. I sat entranced. There was more than the picturesque, more than sorrow and discouragement, more than appealing characters and enthralling heroism. There was more than the revelation of the irresolute, who failed in fitness to survive, more than tragedy and comedy In their inseparable blend. There whh more than the scouts who surpassed our fancies, more than nature's re lent ness harriers revealed. Every where aflame was She soul of unalter able purpose and the commanding sturdiness of elemental greatness. Still more, there was determination to do themselves not asking the gov ernment to do, hut for government only to sanction or permit, Much the same spirit was revealed in the making of the central west, where the determined pioneers hulld eil in the confidence which they had in themselves. They battled with na ture and every obstacle which they encountered, heroes perished without fame's reclaim, and they conquered and wrote big their part in the mak ing of tlie greater repubiir. Their victory proclaimed the atrength of resolute purpose, and the human genius, confident in Itself and eager to achieve on its own account. Lesson Impressive, The lesson can not fail to Impress itself. Jn this test of self-reliant citi zenship there came the rugged, mili tant, wholesome west. Greater things i were wrought, larger accomplishment was recorded, greater victory was won in this wholesome, inspiring in dividualism than will ever attend paternalism or government assump tion of the tasks which are the nat ural inheritance of the builders who may better serve for themselves. Gov ernment may well provide opportun ity, but the worth-while accomplish ment Is the privilege and the duty of men. I thank you from my heart for permitting me to participate in doing homage to those brave souls. I re joice particularly In the opportunity afforded me of voicing my apprecia tion, both as president of the United .States and as one who honestly tries to be a Christian soldier, of the signal service of the martyred 'Whitman. And finally, as just a human being, I wish 1 could find words to tell you how glad I am to see you all, and reflecting as you do, from untroubled eyes, the happiness of spirit breathed by your own best song: There ar* no new world* to conquer— Gone t* th* last frontier. And th* st*ady grind of th* wagon-train, of th* sturdy pioneer. Hut their memories II'* It*<a a thin* divine. Tr*a*ured In heaven *bo\e. yo’- th* trail that led to th* atoned we*?, Was th* wonderful trail of lo-. e Warehouse Clearance THESE GOODS MOST BE DISPOSED OF Our warehouse is overstocked and we cannot and will not attempt to keep such an immense stock of high grade furniture on hand. We'll take about ONE-HALF value prices. The stock is State Furniture Company’s regular high grade, nationally advertised brands of furniture. We have included everything. It’s simpler. There are complete outfits, living room, dining room, i bedroom suites and single pieces; gas ranges, electric washers and vacuum cleaners. All are included. Living Room Suite FREE! Beautiful Dav enport Table or Tloor Lamp Free With Living Room Suite. Overstuffed, best of spring construction; either tapes try or velour. A regular $275.00 val- « a aq Cft ue; priced for this sale, at.X U*7i9U Three-Piece Walnut Bedroom Suite Period design, reinforced construction. A value of $227.00 now on sale at $98.75 FREE! A high grade spring and mattress free with each suite sold this week. Dining Room Suites Your Own Terms You make your own terms of payment. Receive the best of service. No delivery charges. No interest charges. Walnut 8-piece suite, choice of several period designs, any of them an exceptional value, rang ing from $210 to $225, priced this week at only $89.75 To complete the din i ing room we will give with each suite sold during this sale a set of dining room dishes—FREE. FREE! 400 pound* of ice FREE with ever; refrigerator. Refrigerators sg75 *13ts Half PHc* or Le»* M7» s24“ W» Have no room for i • bom Tha •axing in iio ron imption will about pay for a new boa lor you It'* July and they must go. COMPLETE dome Outfits 5 Room* to 70 CO Complete. #4 I v>VV Complete. $217.50 3 Room* #140 CO Complete #107.011 Sale of Phonographs Genuine Brunswick Phono graph, complete with 6 (elec tions— $47.25 ON PAYMENTS Large assortment to «hnose from Exchange Department Trade in jour old furniture on new up-to-date piecei. We make a liberal allowance for your old piecei, and i*ll you new one* at the lowed price. Special Discount Prices on Room Size Rugs Phono Jackson 1317—Exchange Department. Gas Ranges and Coal Oil Cook Stove Ga* range* that *ave you money on your ga* bill. *47.00 Range* ...82ti.7r» *05.00 Range* ...8:17.25 Rig Bargain* in Electric Walker* of Standard Make Get Our Prices Before You Buy Elsewhere Delicia Ice Cream Served Free During This Sale State Furniture Co. S. W. Corner 14th and Dodge JA ckson 1317 f-HAYDE'NS: 38th Annual JULY CLEARANCE Omaha and All Nebraska Will Attend The Year’s Greatest Thursday Is the Day JULY 5th This Sale Is Store Wide in Scope and Involves Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars in Clean, Seasonable Merchandise