Lyman's History of old Walla Walla County, Vol. 1 / Embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties

by William Denison Lyman

We see again the long line of white canvas-covered wagons leaving the fringe of settlements of the then western frontier, through tear-dimmed eyes we see them disappear down behind the western horizon, entered upon that vast terra incognita, the great American desert of our school days. At last we see them emerge, after months of weary travel upon the plains of eastern Washington, or, later, hewing out paths in the wilderness, striving to reach that "Eden they call Puget Sound." Hither year after year came the pioneers and builded their homes and planted the symbols of their faith upon the banks of your rivers, in the sun-kissed valleys of your inland empire, under the shadows of your grand mountains, and upon the shores of this vast inland sea.

Very gradually we grew. The donation act passed by Congress in 1850, giving to each man and his wife who would settle thereon a square mile of land in this fertile region, attracted the first considerable immigration. It also probably saved to the United States this northwest territory. The entire population, which at the date of organization as a separate territory, in 1853, was 5,500, had grown to only 24,000 in 1870, and to 67,000 in 1880.

Still with an abiding faith in the ultimate greatness of Washington, and the attractions of her climate, when her wealth of resources should become known, the old settler watched through the long years the gradual unfolding of these resources, the slow increase in population. At last the railroad came, linking us with the populous centers of civilization. They poured upon us a restless stream of immigration. A change came over the sleepy old territory. These active, pushing emigrants, the best blood of the older states, are leveling the forests, they are delving in the mines, they are tunneling the mountains, they are toiling in the grain fields, they are building cities, towns and villages, filling the heavens with the shining towers of religion and civilization.

The old settler finds himself in the midst of a strange new age and almost uncomprehended scenes. The old order of things has passed away but your sturdy self-reliant pioneer looks not mournfully into the past. He is with you in the living present, with you here today, rejoicing in the marvelous prosperity visible everywhere around him, rejoicing to see the empire which he wrested from savage foes become the home of a happy people, rejoiced to see that empire, emerged from the condition of territorial vassalage, put on the robes of sovereignty.

We are assembled here to celebrate this event, the most important in the history of Washington, and to put in motion the wheels of the state government. Through many slow revolving years the people of Washington have waited for their exalted privileges. So quietly have they come at last, so quietly have we passed from political infancy to the manly strength and independence of statehood, that we scarce can realize that we have attained the fruition of our hopes.

Let us not forget in this hour of rejoicing the responsibility that comes with autonomy. Let us not forget that under statehood life will still have woes, that there will still be want and misery in this fair land of ours. To reduce these to the minimum is the problem of statesmanship. The responsibility rests largely with our lawmakers now assembled here. A good foundation has been laid in the adoption of an admirable constitution pronounced by an eminent authority "as good as any state now has and probably as good as any will ever get." Upon this you are to build the superstructure of the commonwealth by enacting laws for the millions who are to dwell therein.

You have the storehouse of the centuries from which to draw, the crystallized experience of lawmakers from the days of Justinian down to present times. To fail to give us good laws will be to "sin against light." "Unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required." The eyes of all the people are upon you. It is hoped and confidently expected you will bring to the discharge of your duties wisdom, industry and lofty patriotism; that when your work is done it will be found to have been well done; that capital and labor will here have equal recognition and absolute protection; that here will arise an ideal commonwealth, the home of a race to match our mountains, worthy to wear the name of Washington.

Now that I am about to surrender my trust and return to private life, I desire to testify to my grateful appreciation of the uniform kindness, forbearance and courtesy accorded me by the people of Olympia, and by all the citizens of Washington, it has been my good fortune to meet during my brief term of office. I shall always cherish among the pleasant experiences of my life the seven months passed here as Washington's last territorial governor.

To your governor-elect you need no introduction; if not a pioneer, he is at least an old settler. It is a graceful tribute to this class that one of their number was selected to be the first governor of the state. It affords me pleasure to testify to his thorough and absolute devotion to its interests. His every thought is instinct with love for the fair young state. I bespeak for him your generous co-operation and assistance.

With Governor Moore's address as last Territorial governor, this volume may fittingly close. The development of the Territory there so vividly summarized by him, has continued and has indeed exceeded all forecasts during the twenty-eight years of statehood, from 1889 to 1917.