Show t SEE AMERICA FIRST the people 0 oregon are not forget ful ot the aid utah gave tha portland fair and the friendship established at that timo 13 now resounding redounding redound ing to the good of utah whatever this state espouses will obtain recognition in the webfoot stae that is as it should bo the latest evidence of Or egons good will comes in the form of commendation m of the see america first bo held in salt lake city on january 25 the Oreg onlan of portland says european travel has been a frightful drain upon ahe people of the unit cd states millions of dollars annually are spent in different european countries as the result of a constantly increasing travel from this country in fact american u ancl has been tho foundation upon which many millions of dollars have been put into hotels and resort property throughout many section of europe and this has to a large extent retarded the development I 1 of the great natural attractions in this country which surpass anything ia europe school children grow up in america with little or no conception of the marvelous marv elcus natural attractions of their own country but their school books are full of descriptions which tell about the more striking features of europe and other foreign countries it is a matter cf universal knowledge that thousands t public men both of national and state reputations throughout the east have little or no personal knowledge of their own country great financiers in the east malic innumerable trips to europe but arc as unfamiliar with tho western part of their own country as they are with brazil or australia california bas done a wonderful work in securing the attention of a few of the rich leisure class but it is only ft drop id tho bucket tom lU chardson manager of the portland commercial club a great deal of time jio this subject in discussing U he said Attl glance it may seem difficult to get down to a practical basis in handling such a subject as this but I 1 believe that a good many practical ideas will be presented for consideration now I 1 know a number of cities on tho pacific coast would join others equally interested in gathering er say 30 of tho best known descriptive writers in america and have hem make a tour covering perhaps 60 days or even 90 viewing the more attractive features of scenic america take a syndicate composed of of the leading newspapers and magazines of the country one of course in each city who would subscribe tor these articles have a combined fund subscribed by the advertising departments of the different railroads let the commercial real estate and financial interests of the different cities and sections as represented through their commercial bod les also contribute and at the same time look out for the comfort and convenience of the correspondents As a remit it would soon be the proper I 1 tiling not only to describe but to publish matters of interest relative to am erlean scenes worthy of a visit the natural rivalry between the different newspapers and magazines of the country would create an appetite tot knowing more about america and I 1 can see no reason why it should not be a mat ter worthy of consideration in the profi identa message it hundreds of millions of dollars are going out of this country to be spent in eusope while we have a more advantageous climate and grander scenes it worth while for the united states government to adopt a plan which will mako american scenery an american asset can you imagine alsi astor who 1 probably the most powerful factor in american society coining out in favor of knowing america better and then making familiarity with country fashionable by taking an extended our hel belf just for the purpose of becoming acquainted with the innumerable features of her native land she would find shiel glaciers larger than those of all switzerland an extinct volcano in whose crater vesuvius could bo lost forests that have no parallel lakes even more beautiful than lake lucerne mountains that look like solid cones of snow others that have canyons and waterfalls too to even count 1 I believe it i worth for every governor in the arons regon to attend the salt lake meeting I 1 feel that the great railroad interest should be represented there by their most capable men all of ua know that there will come a when american scenery will be her greatest aliet to us annually more thian our corn and wheat chop combined but why not hasten the dy we are grow ing too materialistic and losing by not knowing our country better and taking advantage of the opportunity to enjo its incomparable attractions and the pleasure of being actually proud ot li through personal knowledge as ao only the most progressive and pros porous nation on earth but as a portion of the word which i no rival in its gifts |