Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-04-28

shrewdness and. 1t was boldly charged
Stoeckel's millions in prospect, the
senate was we'll prepared for the ia
Norable report OF the committee on
foreign relations upon the treaty. But
1t was not so we'll prepared for the
magnificent speech which MIR. Sumner
delivered In support OF the treaty. IL
was surprise to the senate and the
country. He had made a. deem studr
of the subject and brought forward an
array OF facts which came near To
convincing the country that a reason.
able and even excellent trade had bee.
made
No such exhaustive and unanswer
able speech was ever before made as
this speech OF Summers. SPEAKING
OK the advantages OF the acquisition
he said they had two aspects--one do.
nestle and the other foreign. Not
only he said, does the treaty ex.
tend the eoasting trade OF California.
Oregon and Washington territory, but
1t also extends the base OF commerce
with China and Japan. To unite the
east of Asia with the west OF America
is the aspiration Of commerce now"
Further he said; with increased eiza
on the map there is increased consci-
BUSINESS of strength, and the heart OF
the citizen throbs anew as no traces
the extending line" OF the treaty t.
self no said: 1T Ia a visible step In
the occupation OF the whole or the
North American continent. AS such
1t will DO recognized by the world, and
accepted az such by the American peo-
pile, But the treaty involves some
thing more We dismiss one other
monarch from the continent. One
by one we have retired-first, France,
then Spain, then France again. and
now Russia, all giving way to the alb
sorbing unity declared In the national
motto &c Pluribus unum,'"
Then Mr.. Sumner went into tn,
question of Alaskas immense natural
resources, paid startling compli-
mcnt to it's climate, which his studies
had satisfied him was not bad In MI
parts, nor bad ut most parts In all
seasons OF the year, He found TINT
grain, oven wheat, was grown there.
and that u variety OF vegetables was
produced without difficulty. He did
doubt that Its mountains were full OF
minerals and that its rivers rolled on
beds OF gold,
When the treaty was put to vote In
| kl,Au
corded for ratification and only two
against Tho two senator's In oppoed-
ton were Moiilll of Vermont and t'es-
sender of Maine. But the treaty waA
net yet law. for the house had to
pass upon the question of appropriate
Ing s. $50 900 The house seemed dis
posed To withhold the money and did
30 for some days and until the Ques-
ton of the right of tho house to vote
on the treaty itself was exhaustively
debated The friends OF Alaska, In
their Impotence, accused the repro
sentatiyes of holding up the treaty
for corrupt purposes. What part OF
the $3.50 900 did they wantP Finally
tho discussion stopped and the bill ap-
proprating the money was passed.
Tho date was July ~. 1867. The
president signed the bill on the same
day and Publications were at once OK
changed
The name of the acquired territory
In the treaty was Russian America,
and many public men In Washington
|
and others preferred that OF the long
strip of land extending from the main
land fur into Bohring sea. Seward had
the decision OF the matter and no
named the purchased territory A aska
As soon thereafter as was practicable
the war department sent out IN es-
petition to take formal possession.
hut that did not quiet the matter,
for 80 loud were the charges bf cor
ruption and 30 busy were the gossips
that It became necessary for the
senate to hold an investigation. As
usual, those who did not know hat
money had been paid to senator's for
their votes were called upon to testify,
land those who did or might have
known were not summoned. II all
ended ia smoke.
Next TO the Louisiana purchase,
which conveyed l,lS2.762 square miles
for $27 ,267,' q, Alaska was the largest
In respect OF extent OF territory, which
Is 81 800 square miles, and the cheap
est IN price save that OF California
which. though President Polk once
offered Mexico s25. 100000 for 1t at the
conclusion OF the war with Mexico he
took in for the pittance OF $1,000 900.
The Gadsden purchase and the treaty
OF Guadalupe Hidalgo, which gave ns
Arizona and New Mexico and the ter
ritories comprised In the mountain
states. together brought 56S,lO3 square
miles at the cost To Uncle Sam OIL
1926. 900 900. The total OF square male
ACQUISITIONS by the United States Is
1884, 1886 square miles and the total
| oost ba. haon gg2 1b1 3Sg 30