The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1899-03-04
ACQUISITION o. TERRITORY.

ever been the champion of terrific
rial expansion SO long as the terri
tory to be annexed was contiguous
to the United States. But the
national leaders of the party have
taken decided stand against the
imperial policy Of the republican
party under Mckinley, and have
passed resolutions in opposition to
the permanent retention of the
PHILIPPINE Islands.
Every school child is familiar
with the words Of Thomas Jeffer-
son, the father OF the democratic
party, who said, ~ ha re stretched
the constitution till it cracked in
order to complete the bargain. .
These words were uttered by Jef-
ferson when asked about the con-
stitutionality of the Louisiana
Purchase which was made in 1909.
The democratic party showed
great wisdom in ratifying this pur-
chase, for it doubled the area of
land for two cents and a half an
acre.
Robert X. Livingston, one of
the commissioners said when sign
ing the treaty, eve have lived
long, but this is the noblest work
of our whole lives. The treaty
which we have just signed will
change our vast solitudes into
f1ourishing districts. From this
day the United States will take
their place among the powers of
the first rank"
Napoleon, from whom the terri
tory was acquired, understood its
significance, for he said OF the pur-
chase "This strengthens forev-
er the power OF the United States !;
and ! have just given to England
maritime rival that will sooner or
later humble her pride" The OPP
position to this purchase killed the
Federal party, while time has
demonstrated the wisdom of Jef-
ferson and his followers in making
it.
1t was by a democratic presi-
dent, James Monroe, sanctioned
by democratic senate that Flori-
da was purchased from Spain in
1919.
1t was under democratic pres
ident, ames K. Polk, sanctioned
by democratic senate, that Texas
was acquired in l84S, at the close
of the Mexican war. This terri
tory embraced almost million of
square miles and cost the United
States over S25, 900, 900, which in
cluded the debt of Texas which
the United States assumed. This
was thought to be an enormous
outlay and as it had been incurred
through the annexation of Texas
the opponents of the party dubbed
Texas as "Taxes" with the letters
differently arranged. This violent
opposition to the policy of the
democractic party under Polk
killed the Wing party just as the
opposition to the Louisiana Pur-
chase killed the Federal party dur
ing lefferson's time.
1t was under Franklin Pierce, a
democratic president, sanctioned
by a democratic senate, that the
United States came into posses
sion of that territory known as the
Gadsden Purchase, for which $Io,
900, 900 was paid to Mexico in
1853. BY this purchase the United
States came into that portion of
land lying between the Gila and
Rio Grande rivers in Arizona and
New Mexico.
A democratic president was
elected in 1874 on the issue of
"54 degrees, 40 minutes or fght;".
and the citizens of Idaho are in
debted to that president and the
democratic majority in the senate,
who ratified the treaty with Eng
land fixing the boundary at the
49th parallel, for the territory en-
braced in our state. Even Alaska
the only purchase sanctioned by
other than democratic senate,
was made after President Johnson
returned to the democratic fold.