The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-13

worth recalling that when the Federal Union
territory aud in less than one hundred years
we have grown TO 3,S45.5l5 square miles
square niles exclusive OF the area west Of tho
loSTy Mo9ntains I,s yas:,ness and ,h value 7,
Sa Iowa. s' f": Nsrh
sofa. Kansas. Colorado. Montana. Washing
ton. Louisiana. all Of the Indian Territory and
most Incredible to the present generation that
this rich addition to the Federal domain should
syS Gs Slm Cy S4 yff
ceded territory was characterlzet as ma
lnrial swamp It's prairies destitute OF trees or
We had been cheated BY giving $1,000
700 for territory 50 worthless and and pes, pes;
that tn. purchase would lead to. comp ications
the Senate over The treaty a Distinguished Sem
ator from Connecticut said: The vast ana un,
louisiana viii give tho United states the CON
scquent desperation Of our population and the
des,.ns',on OF thHt balance W IN 80 m
Western states threatens, at no very distant
day the subversIon Of our Union n,.
eaid But MS to Louisiana, this new. i'm mense.
unhounlcd world. II 1t should eyer be incorpo-
Constitution. | believe it will be the greatest
be productive Of ,innuIneraOle evils, ana.
ESPECIALLY. ono that fear to ever look upon.
t"as our citizens wiz be renewed to the
mu-s from the capital Of the Union. where
tLcy will scarcely ever feel the rays 81 the
General Government. their affections will be-
some aliennted. they Will gradually begin to
view us as strangers. they will form other COM
come distinct And say that under existing
circumstances. even supposng that TINS extent
OF territory was desirable acquisition. ufteen
OF enormous
"A distinguished representative from Nir-
gina said he feared The effect OF me vast
the increased value Of labor. the decrease in
the value Of lands and the Influence OF climate
1ie did fear. though this land was represented
ns flowing with honey and milk that tho Eden
for the bodies OF our, citizens. Imperial:
dan sad vbc s Pgaa IN he N.
o. the treaty. and it was allowed that this was
the first and sure step to the creation Of an
empire and the subNersion OF the Constitution.
The phrase which ia now employed 10y some
critics 80 far as have been able to discover.
first appeared hero Jefferson was made the
subject OF satirical verse:
See him commence. aye. and spt culate.
Aud buy up The rsslm u Of nature;
Tho opponents. viewer were In the min
GRITTY and the Star q tho ep Iblc did not set,
aud the mighty West was Drought under tho
nag OF III" We sdd.d sTaars miles
which now COMPRISES Florida and parts Of
Alabama. Mississippi and Louisiana. In ls45
We received the cession OF Texas. 1t contained
370,S3l square mile and embraced the State
q IeAas o,orn nG p&WEts Of 0kHah9GmH
Mexico. The next cession was under the
Treaty Of 1873. containing .522.56S square
vada. Utah and parts OF Colorado and Wyo-
m ng, and of the Territories OF Arizona and
In 1913 we acquired by the Gadsden pur-
chase, ,45.535, SQUARE miles which en- brace
larts OF louisiana and New Mexice. The nsxt
tiattt hat b. In,
containing 5'Di 4G square. miles + his treaty
IKE mat for the l&2nisians az purchase h Ts vas
under cQnsderation the bill which APP
pr9priated s7.2no.OOO. the amount Of purchase
money for Aasks agreed upon p, Hy the treaty
provingly an article which characterized Alas
ka as terra incoRnita. and that persons we'll
to hint that we could have bought much su-
peror elephant in Siam or bombay for one
tEousandth TART OF the expense incurred in
keeping the animal In proper condiion.'
The minority report proceeded to say that |
the committee. having considered the various
questions Involved and the evidence in regard
to this country under consideration. are forced
to the conclusion that the possession OF the !
country is of no value to the Government
OF the United States. That it will be "a source
slant annual expense for which there will
be no ade1uate return, that it has no
far as known il has 10 value as a mineral |
country that its fur trade is OF insignificant
10 an ends that the fisheries are OF doubtful |
value. and that whatever the value Of It's fish |
cries. its fur trade its timber or its minerals.
they we're all open to citizens OF the United |
stntes under existing treaties that the right |
70 govern nation or nations Of savages in q
men was not worthy OF purchase. They there. |
fore report the following resolution: " Rpsoiprd.
Tor .he purchase OF Russia America"
In the de bato In the House Distinguished !
amount / desire to give her ths 81. 200 600. |
and let her Keep Alaska. | have no doubt that
have had Alaska for the asking provided We |
should have taken it as gilt. hut no man. ex-
OF st. Thomas and the iceheds oil Greenland, |
gould be found to agree to any other terms for
ITO this treaty the opponents were in the
minority. and that great rich territory. IRON
which b, we i have drawn many and many times
yet undeveloped is ours in spite OF the opposi-
I'm the last year we have added to the terri
tory OF the United States. the Hawaiian ISL |
ands. one Of the gems OF the Pacific Ocean.
containing 1900 square miles Guam. contain.
ing 80 square miles. and the Philippine |
66 SQUARE mes YhIs istss9 ao"aisioa is
about one sixth the size OF the original thirteen !
States; II is larger than the combined area OF |
q Columbia, 1t exceeds in area all OF the New |
I'M ton and Oregon com blncd and greater than |
ohio. Indiana and Illinois united three times |
larger than New York and three and one half |
times larger than the State OF Ohio.
Tho treaty of peace with Spain, which gave |
us the Philippines, Porto Rico and Guam. met |
W tn some opposition in the Senate. but WAS |
ratified By that hody. by more than a two |
thirds vote. while In the House an approrria-
ton OF 20.OOO.OUO was made with lille or no |
opposition, As In the case OF the Louisiana
purchase. the opponents OF the treaty were in |
tbs minority and tho star OF hope to an OBJ |
pres people was not eHtlnguished.
uc future OF these new possessions Ia in !
the keeping Of Congress-. and Congress Is tho |
servant OF the people. That they will be re- |
1ained under the benign sovereignty OF the |
United States, | do not permit m yselt to doubt. |
That hey will prove rich and valuable herit- |
nge. feel assured. That Congress will pro- |
vide for them n government which will |
bring them blessings which will promote
their matera interests. as well as advance |
the people in the path OF civilization aud in
telliGence. confident y believe. They will not
be governed as vassas, or serfs. or slaves they
will he given government Of liberty. regulated
by law. honestly administered without oppres-
sion. taxation without tyranny. Justice without
bribery. education without distinction OF social
condition, freedom Of religious worship and
profession IN life. liberty and the pursuit OF
hs1I