Page:Frederick V. Holman An Appriciation.djvu/6

230, deliberate deceit and public wrongs, or when he recounted with eloquent fervor the heroic deeds of pioneers, or praised the work of men who bulk large in local history, he appeared to be a worshipper of the "Oregon Country."

It was also my good fortune early to know many leading pioneers. It happened that as news correspondent I attended the second annual meeting of the Pioneer society, held at Salem. This is neither the time nor the place to write a long list of well-known names, but to illustrate a point I am trying to make, I select three giant intellects—Harvey Scott, the great editor; Judge George H. Williams and Judge Matthew P. Deady. They reflected the best spirit of their time—the old Oregon spirit—but they could not lose the love they had for their birthplace, wherever it happened to be. In Fred Holman's life the love of birthplace grew stronger and sweeter as the years passed by. In him the best spirit of the first and second generation of pioneers was embodied.

Often I wonder if all the people whose lives are led on the western slope of the "Oregon Country" appreciate the beneficence of Mother Nature. Let any mature person who has resided out here over a period of, say, fifteen years, remove to a level region—Kansas or Iowa, for instance—and he will soon discover what he misses. No matter what his vocation may be, or how his material interests are affected, his heart, if he has a heart, will yearn for the land whose feet are bathed by the water of the Pacific. Unbroken association with our evergreen mountains, majestic snow peaks, great rivers and towering forests, makes for bigness of soul. Gentle rain in winter and cloud-protected sunshine in summer contribute toward peace of mind. All of us are close neighbors to the great outdoors. No one could be more sensitive to our incomparable environment and genial climate than Holman was. Their benign influence enriched his life.



Since Oregon in 1845 became indissolubly a part of the Union, many native sons have reached distinction. Call the roll. Among the living can you point to one who is more distinguished than Frederick Holman? Fairly familiar with