The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-02-10
GROWTH OF THE UNiTEDST
How Our Territory Has Been Enlarged
From Time to Time.

From Time to Time.
The first acquisition Of territory by
the United States was the so-called
Louisiana Purchase" In 1903. By this
purchase, which was effected during
Jeferson's administra ton for about
e15, 1000, 900, this government acquired
possession from France of all Che terri
tory now included in the states of
Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa,
Minnesota. Kansas, Nebraska, the Da-
kotas, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Ore
gon, Washington, part of Colorado,
Indian Territory and Oklahoma. The
territory thus transferred has an area
of 200, 600 square miles, or considera-
bly, more than the country embraced
prior to the purchase. In this blood
less conquest the United States Sc
cured control Of the Mississippi river
and the Gulf of Mexico, and Bonaparte.
who then occupied the throne Of
France, said af it: Il have thus given
England a maritime rival who will
sooner or later hmm BILE her PRIDE
The next acquisition of territory was
the purchase of Florida from Spain in
1919. Spain, doubtless fearing that
the territory would be invaded and
seized by an act of war if she insisted
upon retaining it. finally agreed to
cede 1t provided the United States
would assume the claims of the Spanish
citizens. The terms were accepted and
the territory of Florida, ontainiug in
all about $4,000 square miles, was
transferred to this government at a
cost of something like $1,000, 900.
There was no further territorial ex-
pansion for a quarter of a century. In
independence from Spain, shortly after
the latter had coded Florida, and Texas,
then a province Of Mexico, had drawn
p large and turbulent element from the
United States Under their leadership
there grew up a fierce opposition to
Mexican domination, and in 1886 they
fucceeded in establishing the Texas
republic. Then followed a series of
events of extraordinary interest The
new republic sought admission into
The union as state and her applica-
ton became an overshadowing issue in
national politics Henry Clay declar-
Ing with what afterward seemed like
the voice of prophecy that the annex
alton of Texas meant war with Mexico"
The campaign of 1914 turned on the
Texas question. Polk, the democratic
Ind annexationist candidate, was
elected to the presidency, and the de-
feated wing administrati recogniz-
Ing the result of the election as a def
mite expression, distinguished the clos
ing days of its career by annexing
Texas to the United States. War with
Mexico followed, and it was not until
after the treaty Of Guadalupe Hidalgo
was signed in 1S4S that the status of
Texas was settled By that treaty the
United States agreed to pay to Mexico
The sum Of SIS. 600, 900, and to assume
debts of about IS, 600, 900 due from Mex
leo to citizens of this country. In re-
turn for this money the United States
acquired possession Of territory some
e21, 600 square miles in extent, included
IN which were what are now the states
pf California and Nevada, parts of Col
orado and Wyoming, and the territories
Of New Mexico, Arizona and Utah.
To this cession by Mexico must be
added what is known as the Cad sden
Purchase" strip of territory now at
.ached partly to Arizona and partly to
New Mexico. This territory remained
In dispute after the Mexican war, but
in 1858 it was finally oeded to this coun-
try on the payment of the sum of S10,-
poo, 600 to Mexico. The tract containe q
about As, 900 square miles, and the name
Of "Gadsden's Purchase" was derived
from James Gadsden, then American
minister to Mexico. under whose direc-
ton the deal was negotiated.
Alaska, bought from Russia in 1867
Tor 81, 200, 900, was the last acquisition
Of territory by the United States. 1t
has proved, contrary to expectation at
the time, an immensely valuable in
vestment. 1t added nearly 600, 600
square miles to the national domain
and has abundantly indicated the
wisdom of its purchasers.
Other annexation schemes without
number have been proposed since the
louisiana purchase" Half a dozen
propositions for the acquisition of
Cuba and Santo Domingo, either by
seizure or purchase, have been brought
forward at various times only to be re-
jected or condemned. Walker, the
Nicaragua adventurer, dreamed of
bringing Nicaragua, Honduras and
other Central American territories into
political union with the United States.
The anne Ration of Canada has become
b question of pressing interest on both
sides of the ST. Lawrence and seems
likely to develop into an urgent ISSUE
In Canadian politics. N. Y. Herald.
San Francisco has $50, 600 popuIa-
ton and 456 police, who last year made