Oregon Rogue

  Senator Wayne Morse

"Principle above politics"

In 1964, Democratic Senator Wayne Morse, who had won re-election in 1962, was one of only two United States Senators to vote against the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (Alaska's Ernest Gruening was the other), which authorized an expansion of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. His central contention was that the resolution violated Article One of the United States Constitution, granting the President the ability to take military action in the absence of a formal declaration of war. During the following years Morse remained one of the country's most outspoken critics of the war. It was later revealed that the FBI investigated Morse based on his opposition to the war, allegedly at the request of President Johnson in an attempt to find information that could be used politically against Morse. In June 1965, Morse joined Benjamin Spock, Coretta Scott King and others in leading a large anti-war march in New York City. After that, Morse "readily joined such protests when he could, and eagerly called upon others to participate." In 1966, he angered many in his own party for supporting Oregon's Republican Governor, Mark Hatfield, over the Democratic nominee, Congressman Robert Duncan, in that year's Senate election, due to Duncan's support of the Vietnam War. Hatfield won that race, and Duncan then challenged Morse in the 1968 Democratic Senatorial primary. Morse won renomination, but only by a narrow margin. Morse lost his seat in the 1968 general election to State Representative Bob Packwood, who criticized Morse's opposition to continued funding of the war as being reckless.

Sen. Wayne Morse

  Gov. Tom McCall

"Come visit us again and again. This is a state of excitement. But for heaven's sake, don't come here to live."

Republican Journalist Tom McCall was elected governor in 1966 and re-elected in 1970.
McCall's two terms as Oregon's governor were notable for many achievements, including the country's first "bottle bill", the cleanup of the Willamette River, passage of a law to maintain former Gov. Oswald West's legacy of public ownership of the state's beaches, and the first statewide land-use planning system, which introduced the urban growth boundary around the state's cities.

McCall is well-known for a comment he made in a Jan. 12, 1971, interview with CBS News' Terry Drinkwater, in which he said: "Come visit us again and again. This is a state of excitement. But for heaven's sake, don't come here to live."

  Traditions- Old and New

The Independent Oregon Spirit

Oregonians have often been associated with an independent spirit. Often first to protect the environment, they are also first to protect rights to bear arms and State's rights. Oregonians have fought long and hard to avoid sales taxes. And they do not let car owners pump gas, preferring to havde it done by the attendant.

"She Flies With Her Own Wings"

"She Flies With Her Own Wings," "Alis Volat Propriis" was the motto of Oregon from 1854 until it was changed to "The Union" in 1957. It was restored in 1987. Oregon still flies with its own independent spirit.

"Don't Californicate Oregon"

During the McCall years and to this day there has been a concern to keep the problems of California- Crime, over-population, over-regulation, and environmental destruction- out of Oregon. It is a beautiful green state, an almost perfect State of Jefferson, with clean air, big trees and big mountains. And Oregonians will fight to keep it that way.

Bumper stickers that read, "Welcome to Oregon - but don't stay" were seen all over the state in an act of Jeffersonion patriotism. However, Oregonians are friendly at heart and eventually opened their arms to the tourists - even Californians.

"Bi-partison Cooperation"

Oregon independent thinking goes deeper than party politics. In 1971, Republican Gov. McCall made a deal to give a retired military base, Camp Adiar, to a private university. One Democratic legislator from Eugene, Rep. LeRoy D. Owens, didn't think that was in the interest of the citizens. He started a proposal to let Camp Adair be used by the citizens.

The idea to use the property to provide affordable housing for Oregonians made sense. Rather than fight for the deal to give the property to a private university, Gov. Tom McCall took Rep. Owens aside and said, Leroy, you've won. The next day Gov. McCall announced that Camp Adair would be used for public benenfit and Adair Village was born, incorporated in 1976, outside of party politics, for the good of Oregonians.