The quarterly of the Oregon Historical Society, Vol. 4, March, 1903-December, 1903Oregon Historical Society
History
The quarterly of the Oregon Historical Society, Vol. 4, March, 1903-December, 1903
Oregon Historical Society
Oregon -- History -- Periodicals
An exposition planned to meet the twentieth century needs becomes the
herald of an industrial democracy in which there is a completely
harmonious cooperation for the realization of the highest social
ideals. It is dawning upon us that publicity is the first condition of
relief from the trust evil. We need yet, however, to realize that
essential publicity or light is the talisman for developing a true
democratic spirit to which are disclosed ever expanding vistas of
possibilities. The first great duty of the exposition authorities is
to bring to the people of the Pacific Northwest the largest
enlightenment on the natural resources of this region. Taking our
timber resources as an illustration, we are painfully aware that the
timber holdings are not as widely and equably distributed among the
masses as one could wish; but we have many rich natural monopolies
which the whole people should share. They have common and incalculable
permanent interests in the forests of Oregon, in the water power of
our streams, in our facilities for irrigation, in the mines, and in
the ensemble of natural beauty here. Shall the great natural forest
areas in Oregon which may become the source of an ever increasing flow
of wealth for all time for the whole people be allowed, without state
forestry activity, to become mere waste places for weed trees? We are
told by Mr. Elwood Mead, Chief of the Division of Irrigation, that he
believes Oregon "has the largest area of unimproved land whereon
irrigation is possible of any State in the Union." Here is a great
interest in which most fortunately a policy of coöperation between the
state and the nation has been instituted. What could be more
propitious for the good fortune of the people than an active
coöperation between the authorities of the exposition and the United
States bureaus of forestry, irrigation, and the United States
geological survey in preparing an exhibit of the data on the interests
of the people of the State in these natural resources? With such
definite, earnest, and laudable purposes in view, Congress and the
Administration would respond to the claims of the Lewis and Clark
Exposition in a very different spirit from that with which they have
met recent expositions.
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