Flora Belle Ludington

“ Their first part is that of influence; influence often of one man, the editor, unmeasurable in many communities. A single strong, active and tireless editor may control the political life of numbers of citizens. Encouragement is given to new enterprises, suggestions are made for needed improvements and lines of investment or development. Such was the case in the early years of American occupation in Oregon Territory. ”

“ The period between frontier and civilization is always an interesting one. The Oregon Sepectator, coming in February, 1846, six months before the Alta Californian, indicates to some slight degree the relative importance of these two frontier regions. M. P. Deady accredits Oregon City with being the first metropolis on the Pacific Coast [1] but the spectacular growth of California during the gold days detracts from the period when their achievements were more nearly alike. ”

“ It went into most of the Democratic homes of Oregon where seldom came an opposing paper to challenge its authority. The encouragement that Bush had received from Samuel B. Thurston, his fellow Democrat, to found a paper was more than justified. For years the Statesman candidate was chosen as State Printer by the territorial legislature—an influence that was not lost until the growing power of the Oregonian and the Whig press in general, caused defeat of the Statesman candidate in the hands of pittock of the Oregonian. ”

“ After 1848, California drew not only the eastern immigration but also the citizens of Oregon, promising them greater and more rapid economic returns than did the more stable northern community. Pioneer journals invariably denote a certain group feeling and desire for progress and expression. The Oregon Printing Association was effected to promote the interests of American settlers in Oregon. ”

“ The Spectator of December 11, 1850, says, "The paper comes out flat footed Democratic. It said 'in politics we are Democratic and shall be governed by the principles of Jeffersonian Democracy, advocating measures not men'." In the campaign of 1851 it entered into the conflict while the Statesman held back. The correspondence of McLoughlin, Wyeth and Thurston, published in the spring of 1851, is of lasting historical interest. In June, 1851, the plant was moved to Portland and on the 5th the paper came out under the name of the Oregon Weekly Times. ”

“ The historian has found much to commend in the use of periodical and even ephemeral literature in his study of the past, but during this period he has attached an ever-increasing importance to the reliability of the material he uses He recognizes the manifest usefulness that the newspaper might have, yet he hesitates to accept a form of material the authoritativeness of which has not been thoroughly established. ”

“ It is devoted to American principles and interests,— To evangelical religion and morals,—To general intelligence, foreign and domestic,—To temperance and moral instrumentalities generally,—To science, literature and the arts,—To commerce and internal improvements,— To agriculture and home manufactures,—To the description and development of our natural resources,—To the physical, intellectual and moral education of rising generations,—And such well defined discussions generally, as are calculated to elevate and dignify the character of a free people. ”

“ Situated as we are—remote from the civilized settlements of the United States, and at this time having a protection by the Provisional Government of Oregon and having but one interest, the welfare of Oregon and the citizens unanimously .... it would be bad policy to break open old wounds in so doing to create new ones, to discuss politics in the columns of the Spectator— notwithstanding we are now, as we have always been, and ever shall be, a Democrat of the Jeffersonian School. ”

“ Oregon Weekly Times. In May, 1851, John Orvis Waterman and William Davis Carter moved the plant of the Western Star of Milwaukie to Portland and changed its name to the Times. By June, 1853, Carter had sold to Waterman, who continued the journal until May 29, 1854. It was then sold to Carter and R. D. Austin, but Waterman was retained by them as editor until June 6, 1857. Then came E. C. Hibben, whom Dryer, of the Oregonian, said had been imported from the East to edit the Times as a pro-slavery organ. ”

“ A large majority of the citizens of Oregon are emigrants from the United States and for the last twenty years politics have there been the order of the day Hence it is to be presumed that a portion of the citizens of Oregon have brought with them their views of policy, entertained while residing in the United States. ”

“ Oregon Statesman. Founded by A. W. Stockwell and Henry Russell, of Massachusetts, who secured Asahel Bush as editor. Publication was begun in Oregon City March 28, 1851. Bush was a cold, calculating, relentless politician who for at least eight or ten years dominated thru this journal the whole tenor of Oregon politics. The journal was the "Bible of Oregon Democracy," the paper and the man were supplementary to each other and constituted a force well nigh irresistible. The Statesman was the official Democratic organ of the territory, which gave it a natural prestige. ”

“ The plant was eventually moved to Salem.
Democratic Standard. First issued July 19, 1854, by Alonzo Leland. The paper was used to express Leland's doubts as to the advisability of asking for statehood. His stand on this question was referred to by the Statesman as the "Iscariotism of the Standard." Though Democratic, the Standard did not favor slavery. In 1858 the Standard changed hands and was edited by James O'Meara. It suspended publication January 4, 1859, until February of the same year when it again appeared with O'Meara as editor. Not long after, the press was moved to Eugene. ”

“ It is a common practice of libraries to index daily, the outstanding local papers for items of future community historical interest. Catalogs of such collections as these are mentioned and bibliographies of newspapers are another step on the way. ”

“ In 1866 the paper was again sold, this time to Benjamin Simpson and his sons, Sylvester and Samuel. Later it went to William McPherson, who merged it with the Unionist and published it under that name. After the death of J. W . P . Huntington, its next owner, it came into the hands of Sam A. Clarke and the name of the Statesman was again adopted.
Oregon Unionist. Established in 1866 by William McPherson and William Morgan of the Albany Journal when McPherson became State Printer and moved to Salem. ”

“ These same policies carried out in more recent times have given the Oregonian an international reputation.
Pacific Christian Advocate. In 1854 it was determined by the preachers and laymen of Oregon to issue a weekly religious paper, to be controlled by a joint stock company. T. H. Pearne was elected the editor, and he was directed to procure an office and a six months' supply of paper. The first number was issued in Salem, September 1, 1855. In an address on the 40th anniversary of the founding of the paper, Pearne said:
"In 1854 ... ”

“ Financed in June, 1857, by J. C. Avery, the founder of Corvallis, and known as "Avery's Ox." For editor Avery imported L. P. Hall and chose as compositors Stephen Gillis and Fred Russ. Hall resigned to be followed by T. B. Odeneal, who later issued the Democratic Crisis. The Messenger was the ne plus ultra of slavery propaganda in Oregon. A more radical vehement and defiant advocate of slavery could not be found in North Carolina.
Oregon Statesman. Located in Corvallis for a few months in 1855 when this city was the seat of the government. Soon returned to Salem.
Oregon Weekly Union. ”

“ It was first issued in Oregon City Thursday, February 5, 1846. The Spectator was sponsored by the Oregon Printing Association organized with W. G. T'Vault as president, J. W. Nesmith, vice-president, John P. Brooks, secretary, George Abernethy, treasurer, Robert Newell, John E. Long, John H. Couch, directors. The plant was secured in New York thru the instrumentality of Governor George Abernethy, the acting treasurer. ”

“ He gladly avails himself of the opportunity thus afforded him of returning to more humble—far more pleasant duties of a laboring mechanic, with a happy consciousness of having done the best that the circumstances allowed." Lee's difficulty with the Printing Association came over some articles of his regarding the attitude of the American merchants toward the colonists.
The next few numbers were issued without any apparent editor but were doubtless directed by the printer John Fleming. Then, George L. Curry, newly arrived from St. ”

“ Democratic State Journal. Sold in 1863 to W. W. Bancroft who moved the plant to Idaho where he published a Union paper.
Mountaineer. Published at Fort Dalles by Captain Thomas Jordan, February 6, 1860. This was shortly consolidated by W. H. Newell with the Dalles Journal. In 1862 it became a daily. The daily issue was abandoned in 1866 when on June 3rd Cowne and Halloran bought the paper. A year later it was published by W. M. Hand who ran it until his death in 1881. In 1901 it merged with the Times and became the Times Mountaineer.
Dalles Republican. First issued as a weekly about 1870. ”

“ Pioneer History of Coos and Curry Counties, Oregon. Salem, Capital Printing Co., 1898.
Dufur, A. J. Statistics of the State of Oregon. Salem, Willamette Farmer Office, 1869.
Gale, H. H. Resources of Coos County. Marshfield, Coos County Record Co., 1875.
Gilbert, F. T. Historic Sketches of Walla Walla, Whitman, Columbia and Garfield Counties, Washington Territory and Umatilla County, Oregon. Portland, Walling, 1882.
Geer, H. H. Fifty Years in Oregon. N. Y. Neale, 1912.
Himes, G. H. History of the Press of Oregon, 1839-1850. Quarterly of the Oregon Historical Society, 3:327-70. ”

“ Deady to Jesse Applegate. March 15, 1862, comments on suppression. ↑ Bancroft, H. H. History of Oregon, v. 2, p. 421. ↑ Bancroft—History of Oregon, v. 2, p. 492, notes the Mountain Sentinel as being established by E. S. McComas in October, 1864. The date is surely wrong and probably Bancroft has connected the Blue Mountain Times and the Grande Ronde Sentinel. ↑ Quoted by W. C Woodward. The Rise and Early History of Political Parties in Oregon, 1843-1868, p. 31-2. ↑ Spectator, January 20, 1848. ↑ A. Bush to M. P. Deady, April 17, 1851. ”