Slavery Question in Oregon. 371 tionary process of natural law. Our lawgivers, however, act as though nature's edicts are not mandatory or are placable. Or possibly they think that man's actions are not governed hy such laws; that whether he will or will not do a certain thing or follow a certain course is within his own keeping. So, they expect to prohibit big gambling and permit little gambling; grant little privileges and be exempt from the encroachments of multiplied privileges; give a premium on selfishness in one place, and remain free from its spreading and growing exactions everywhere; found political parties empowered to reward its managers and promoters with the spoils of office, and yet not witness the evolution of political machines and bosses at variance with the public interests and coalescent with all forms and phases of human greed. Notwithstanding the advance in the arts and sciences, in biology and sociology, the great mass of people have no expert knowledge as to what human beings will do in a given set of circumstances, and so, government, in its best estate, is an experimental affair. But it is a cheering sign that there is a growing interest in and a more critical examination of social problems and resulting discoveries of social wrongs, and to those thus engaged, several lessons worth while will appear in the preceding pages. And in any event, what a grand employment, tracing cause and effect, essaying the concatena- tion of the universe and aspiring to become the high priests of nature. And there is no exclusion— all may enter the temple, the prince and the beggar— all may come enrapport with the oracle— all may propound questions, and the answers will be true and righteous altogether. It has been my desire ever since beginning this article to give the names of all those citizens who contributed by their voice and influence, as well as their votes, to the founding of the free State of Oregon, but after listing all that I knew personally and obtaining the assistance of D. ^ . Craig, editor and publisher during those years, I feel sure that the list will fall short of my purpose, and that perhaps some of the most
