Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 19.djvu/185

 NOTE AND COMMENT 173 It may be pertinent to point out that the Monroe Doctrine, now nearly a century old, was a by-product of the Oregon boundary question. It was a declaration made by John Quincy Adams, then Secretary of State, against encroachments of Russia upon the west coast of America. The negotiations culminated in the famous Fifty-four Forty treaty of April 5, 1824 with Russia, whereby the latitude of fifty-four degrees and forty minutes became the dividing line between the claims of Russia and the United States in North America. The later political cry of "Fifty-four Forty or Fight" almost led to war between the United States and Britain. Remote as Oregon has been in the world's affairs, its im- portance has had large bearing upon the destiny of nations. ANNUAL REUNION OF PIONEERS The Oregon Pioneer Association, in forty-sixth annual re- union, Portland Auditorium, Wednesday, June 20, 1918, elected the following officers: President, E. B. McFarland, to succeed W. H. H. Duf ur ; vice president, Nathan H. Bird ; secretary, George H. Himes; treasurer, William M. Ladd; directors, William Galloway, of McMinnville; C. H. Caufield, of Oregon City; Bruce Wolverton, of Portland. Judge Fred W. Wilson, of The Dalles, delivered the annual address. A banquet followed the day session, served by the woman's aux- iliary of the Oregon Pioneer Association. The reunion con- cluded with a "camp fire" presided over by T. T. Geer. Robert A. Miller acted as timekeeper. This was a pleasant finale to the day's activities, enlivened by fiddling and singing of old tunes and recitals of early times. REUNION OF INDIAN WAR VETERANS Indian war veterans of the Pacific Northwest met in an- nual reunion at Portland June 19, 1918, Masonic Temple. They were banqueted at noon at tables prepared by the Sons and Daughters of Indian War Veterans, directed by Mrs. L. A. Bailey. Officers were re-elected as follows : Grand Com- mander, Edwin C. Ross; vice-grand commander, Cyrus H.