The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-23
SECRETARY WILSON
Defends the Presidents Policy of Terri
torial Expansion.

torial Expansion.
Hon. James Wilson, secretary of ag-
riculture, was warmly greeted when he
rose to respond to the toast, Our Agri-
cultural interests
Secretary Wilson of the department
of agriculture said: The territory of
the original Is states is but small part
of the United States to-day. We have
been growing people, a spreading
people, an expanding people. The
Louisiana purchase in 1903 gave us the
great grain belt of the United States.
The annexation of Texas and New
Mexico and other territory lying north
OF those regions, in 1S45, gave us the
greatest cotton fields of to-day The
northwest territory discovered in 1872,
explored in 1903 and secured by treaty
in 1919, with the addition of Florida
at the same time, gave US what is now
our greatest timber reserve. Our treaty
in Mexico in 1S4S gave what is now our
great fruit belt in California and the
valleys of the Rocky mountains, as
well as our great mineral section, from
which come our gold and silver. The
Gadsden purchase, now part of Arizo-
ma and New Mexico, was added in 1853
The territory of Alaska, coded by Rus
STA in 1867. is land of immense posi-
bilitiee We are just beginning to learn
something of its wonderful resources
So it will be seen that from the revo-
lutionary war up to 1867 the United
States has been expanding, and while
1t has been expanding it has educat-
ed. Our schools and colleges are pre-
pairing the brightest and most enter
prising young men upon the earth We
have become the foremost manufacture
ing people; We are manufacturing ma
chinery for the old world: we are send
ing iron and steel to the old world, and
with this remarkable growth in terri
tory, education, manufacturing and
material progress, the growth of relig-
ion and morality has kept up.
Under the American Flag.
Inspired by Humanitarian principles.
the United States lnterfered between
Spain and her colonies to end what
outraged our sense of justice, interfered
with our commerce and made more diff
ficult the execution of international
law. Nothing has occurred since the
war was declared to justify any man
in stating that the United States has
departed in any respect from the line
of policy laid down when congress de-
clared war. While the president did
not seek the arbitramert of war, he
has met all its requirements. A quar-
ter of million of men were mustered
equipped and put in the field. The ISL
y
were conquered and brought under the
American flag in less than four months
A treaty was ratified in less than a
year from the beginning of hostilities
NO disaster on land or sea occurred A
minimum of casualties, an object les
son given to the world of humane war
fare. merciful treatment of the peoples
coming under our authority, an insur-
rection among the MalayS stamped out,
the national credit higher than ever
before in our history and all complaints
OF the conduct of the war met and
answered-this the situation to-day.
The events of the year have been of
much magnitude and have followed
each other with such rapidity that the
engrossing interest of to-day and the
immediate future have left no time for
reflection and retrospect.
Western Man the Type.
Not only has the seat of political
power moved to the Mississippi valley,
together with the center OF producing
area, but the national spirit is most
pronounced here and cosmopolitan SEN
timent is best developed. The Western
man is the typical man, loving all
America, rejoicing in all the progress
made by other localities.
I'VE have got to the place in our eff
forts to help the people of those Islands
in the Caribbean and China sea, when
it is necessary to study them and see
what they are prepared to do for them
selves. Those only are fit for complete
local government who are pos
sessed of intelligence and severe moral
ity. The history of the world shows
us that few peoples successfully govern
themselves as we'll as the people or the
United States do.
Millions of people have been alb
sorbed into our system and made good
citizens through our common schools
and by the education they receive in
contact with Americans Inc presi-
dent is now ascertaining how compe-
tent the peoples of those ISLANDS are TO
Continued on Page Four)