That the Native Sons of Oregon can and will become a power for the advance- ment and elevation of the mental, intel- lectual, moral and physical forces of its members and a potent factor in the pro- motion of our state's welfare goes with- out saying, and needs no further guar- antee than the proclamation of its plat- form:
First-- To preserve the history and traditions of the state and its early settle- ment.
Second--To perpetuate the names and memories of its pioneers.
Third--To uphold and encourage our home industries and institutions.
Fourth--To help, aid and assist each other as members of the organization reasonably and consistently.
These are the purposes of the Native Sons of Oregon, pure and simple, with- out collateral motives and with no "axes to grind." In pursuance of these objects every native-born adult in Oregon, male and female, and every pioneer as well, should strive with uncompromising vigor to build up the order and make it one to be proud of in generations to come.
A suitable home will be erected, an extensive and well-equipped library will be created and a comprehensive museum established of Oregon relics and objects of historic value, of materials relating to Oregon's products and resources, a standing exposition as it were, carefully cared for and kept up by Oregon's Native Sons.
It is conservatively estimated that the native-born sons of this state number fully 20,000. With one-half this num- ber or one-fourth even represented in the order, what a power it could be made for the promotion of our state's prosper- ity. With strong Cabins in each town of Oregon, working in harmony with each other in the direction of a community of interests, forming a strong coalition with a common purpose in view, the people of our state could be brought into closer touch with each other and made to feel more than ever before that "in union. there is strength." All jealousies and sectional prejudices would be cleared away; there would be no middle, but a common ground, where we could amal- gamate our aims, our ideas, our opinions, our hopes and desires upon lines of mu- tual benefit, and advance the weal of our native soil as it never was done before by all other influences combined.
The official organ of the order, "Na- tive Son," the first publication of its kind to appear in Oregon, will give an irre- sistible impulse to the growth of the or- der. Its objects are noteworthy and laudable, as its enterprise unaided and alone is truly commendable. Its single purpose will be to assist the order of the Native Sons of Oregon to advance the interests of the state and her citizens regardless of political caste or religious beliefs, and therefore it should be sup- ported by not only members of the order, but by every man and woman who has the interests of the state, and therefore of home and family, at heart.
On the 13th day of June the first an- nual grand assembly and reunion of Na- tive Sons will take place in Portland. It is fervently hoped that upon that to be memorable occasion a full representation may be had of Native Sons from every part of the state; that each Cabin will be largely represented by the presence of its members, and that in addition to the magnificent brass band that will be provided on that occasion by Aber- nethy's Cabin No. 1, each Cabin through- out the state will be accompanied by its local band. There is ample time to or- ganize local Cabins and prepare to join
