The Topeka state journal., 1899-10-12
MINI NESOTA'S
WELCOME HOME
Arrival of the Volunteer Regi-
ment at st. Paul
Celebrated With a Banquet and
OratOry.
ON HISTORIC GROUND.
In the Hall Where the Presi-
dent Welded the GaveI
Over the Convention Which
Nominated Harrison.
He MAKES A SPEECH
In Defense of the Policy of
Expansion.

Expansion.
Minneapolis, Oct. 12.-President NC
Kinley and party arrived in this city
at IL o'clock this morning. An I'M
nense crowd assembled at the Chicago
Milwaukee & ST. Paul depot to greet
the chief executive. AS he emerged
frem the train tremendous cheering be-
gan and was taken up by the waiting
crowds and carried down the line for
blocks
Carriages in waiting conveyed the
president and cabinet to the home OF
Mr.. Thomas Lowry. Here a light
luncheon was served. Meanwhile the
train bearing home the Thirteenth
Minnesota volunteers from the Philip
pines arrived. The regiment formed IN
line at the head of Niconette avenue
Carriages bearing President Mckinley
and his cabinet drew up and took their
positions at the head of the column.
The procession moved shortly after
1 o'clock passing down Nicolette ave
nue. to the center of the city. AT Terth
street the president entered the review
ing stand, and the Philippine veterans
passed before him.
AS the rear guard passed the review
ing stand the president drove to the
Exposition building where the principal
events of the day took place. Within
the building, where the Republican
convention of 1892 nominated Benjamin
Harrison for president of the United
States under the Craftsmanship of VIM
Mckinley, was spread feast for the
Zhirteenth Minnesota volunteers.
THE PRESIDENTS SPEECH.
At the conclusion of the banquet
President Mckinley was introduced by
President Cyrus Northrup of the Uni
versity of Minnesota The president
said:
1.-THE century now drawing to a
Ill fEnea
worlds progress and history. Mankind
in moral and intellectual advancement
has been onward and upward. The
growth of the worlds material interests
is so vast that the figures would almosk
seem to be drawn from the realm of
ina aginatiOn rather than from the field
of fact. All peoples have felt the ele-
waiting Influences of the century. HUI
manity and home have been lifted up.
Nations have been drawn closer to-
gether in feeling and interest and SEN
timent. Contact has removed old preju-
dices at home and abroad and brought
about a. better understanding which
has destroyed enmity and promoted
amity. Civilization has achieved great
victories and to the gospel of good will
there now be few dfsSenters. The great
powers under the inspiration of the
cZar of Russia have been sitting to-
gether in a parliam ent of peace seeking
to find a. common basis for the adjust
ment of controversies without war and
waste. While they have not made war
Impossible LneY nave maze peace more
probable and have emphasized the uni
Versal love of peace. They have made
a gain for the World S repOSe and Amer
leans while rejoicing in what was ac-
complished rejoice also for their par
ticipatiOn in the great cause yet to be
advanced, we trust to more perfect full
fIlment
''The century has blessed US a nation.
While it has not given US perfect peace,
it has brought US constant and ever
increasing blessings and imposes upon
US no humiliation or dishonor- We have
had wars with foreign powers and the
unhappy one at hOme-but all term
mated in loss of prestige, or honor
or territory, but a gain in all.
THE increase of our territory has
added vastly to our strength and pros
perity without changing our Republi-
can character. 1t has given wider
scope to Democratic principles and en-
larged the area for Republican institu-
tions.
'I sometimes think we do not realize
what we have and the mighty trust
we have committed to our keeping. The
study of geography and history have
now more than a passing interest to the
American people. 1t is worth reading
that when the federal union was form
ed, we held 909 765 square miles of ter
ritory and in less than one hundred
years we have grown to 3,S45, ,513 square
miles.
as the Louisiana purchase embraced
SS3072 square miles exclusive of the
area west of the Rocky mountains. It's
vastness and value will be best under
stood when I say that it comprises the
entire states of Arkansas, Missouri
Iowa, Nebraska, North and South Da-
kota and parts of the states of Mime
sofa, Kansas, Colorado, Montana
Wyoming, Louisiana, all of Indian Ter
ritory and part of Oklahoma territory.
It would seem almost incredible to the
present generation that this rich addi-
ton to the free domain should have
been opposed, and yet it was resiste ed
in every form and by every kind of as
sault. The ceded territory was char
acterized as a 'malarial swamp its
prairies destitute of trees or vegetation.
1t was commonly charged that we had
been cheated by-gfving SIS, 900, 600 for a
territory so worthless and pestilentiaI
that it could never be inhabited or put
to use; and 1t was also gravely assert
ed that the purchase would lead to
complications and wars with European
powers. In the debate in the senate
over ~the treaty a distinguished SEN
ator from Connecticut said: The vast
and unmanageable extent which tn
accession of Louisiana will give thu
United States: the consequent dis
persion of our population and the des-
| truction of that balance which it is so
important to maintain between the
| eastern and western states, threatens,
| at no very distant day the subversion
| of our union
"a distinguished senator from Ta1a