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

over the country; the people as a
whole heard little OF 1t and cared per-
haps less,
In 1866 Senator Cornelius Cole of
California laboreu at Washington TO
| induce the johnson administration {,
make n definite offer to purchase
Alaska. AT last he was authorized
oy Seward to sound the mind of the
Russian envoy and to intimate the de-
sire OF the president Gortchakof,
the Russian head OF affairs at the time
was advised OF what was in the wind
ut Washington, and as Baron Stocked
had just been appointed minister to
the United States and was about to
depart from St. Petersburg he was In
structed to meet the WASHINGTON
authorities half way should they pro-
pose formal negotiations, On his ar
rival in March. 1867. he did not delay
to advise Secretary Seward that he
was prepared TO enter into formal
negotiations, Senator Cole was still
permitted by the secretary To employ
himself in the general matter, Sc
prominent was he. indeed. while the
negotiations were pending that II was
difficult to say who was the negotia-
tor on the part OF this government.
Seward or Cole. Anyhow, It was SUP
posed by the most to be Pacific
coast scheme. Largely II was so
but 1t did not yield the advantages
TINT wnro fnrasann ran iS-n ,,,hn,, a.
Grant administration allowed coast
syndicate to get away with the monop-
oily OF the seal killing ON the priby-
lon islands,
Stewards first offer for Alaska was
the round sum OF $1,000, 900. IL ru-
NOR at the time was correct the payee
of that sum was bound to cultivate the
newspapers of the capital and to sup
ply the lobby with funds against the
day when the treaty should be before
the senate for It's ratification. The
offer was reported to st, Petersburg
and in return Stoeckel was told to de-
mand-in order to meet expenses OF
the lobby. unfriondly critics charged
$4,000 in addition. This Seward
acCeded to- Russia, II was agreed
should have S7,250, 900 for Alaska and
its transfer free of incumbrance of
whatever nature to the United States
The fact OF agreement as to the price
was cabled to the czar by Baron Stoec.
kel, and, receiving answer that he go
ahead, at o'clock on the same day he
and Seward signed the treaty. 1t had
been most singular case from begin
ming to end, SO much OF the negotiat-
ing having been done outside of the
customary channels of diplomacy.
Only two notes passed, one on each
side, discussing the transaction.
When the president sent the treaty
to the senate II had very few friends
in the country at large. Some whalers
In Massachusetts favored II and the
Pacific coast states and territories
were credited with having been the in
stigators OF the deal The press on
posed and ridiculed the whole transae-
ton. A few papers supported the
! treaty, mainly on the ground that
Russia had been friend to the union
during the civil war and might posi-
bly, be entitled to the money II was
proposed to give her, leaving Alaska
entirely out OF the account, 80 utterly
worthless was the territory thought to
be. II was commonly alluded to as
Stewards polar bear garden"
Ii was believed for n time that the
treaty would have hard shedding In
the senate though 1t was known that
Charles Sumner was preparing u
speech on the side OF ratification. The
administration, which had not then
broken with the republicans, bent all
It's energies 10 secure ratification.
And then there was Baron Stoeckel's
81, 250, 900, OF which at least $780, 00 II
was understood, would be available M
grease where fabrication Of legisla-
tive machinery was needed,
At the time that England was show
Ing most hostility to the union. and,
as consequence OF the Mason and
Slidell affair, II was feared that Eng
land would declare war, the emperor
OF Russia promptly made known his
friendship for the north, and more
than intimated his purpose TO take a
hand in the unions behalf In case
England sided actively with the south,
SO much was true, but that did not
Justify the belief that money was
about to be paid to Russia, ostensibly
for Alaska. but really for sympathy
and encouragement given three years
before. That belief was prevalent,
however. and 1t Is helped Ia cheaper
Alaska In the public mind,
Russia maintained consistent at.
ltitude during the civil war. Tho
cars war vessels were In New York
lharbor at the time Of Englands great
est buster, and no doubt they would
have been employed for the north
had England sent her war fleet TO our
coast with hostile intent Gortchakof,
who was fighting England by diplo-
macy the world over at the beginning