The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-04-28
THE PURCHASE Of alaska
MOST IMPORTANT EVENT IN
SCENARIOS CAREER.
Same Arguments Used in 1899 as Used
in 1869. But Expansion VIII Go On
in Spite of All Arguments.

The NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of 1899, says
Washington correspondent, are us
ing the same arguments against the
acquisition of new territory that were
offered against the purchase of Alas
ka thirty years ago. 1t was argued
then that we had enough land of our
own; that Alaska was worthless, and
that it was bad policy to increase our
national responsibilities; that it
would be necessary to retain large
military force up there, and that the
necessary taxes to support it would
be q great burden upon the people.
Nothing, however, was said about the
consent of the governed. Much
of this opposition came from the
leaders of the dominant party in con-
gress, as is the case with the Philip
pines. Orange Ferris of New York,
for example. said in debate that Alas
ka was 'wretched, God-forsallen re-
gion, worth nothing, and a positive
injury and incumbrance." He moved
an amendment to the annexation bill
authorizing the president to pay ST.
100000 "to any respectable European,
Asiatic or African power that would
take Alaska off our hands"
So good man as Representative
Hiram Price of Iowa declared that the
81 200 900 which we paid for Alaska
was "a dead loss to us, and the more
expense we incur the worse it will
be for the country and the people.
Gen. b. +. Butler said: 'If we are
to paw her (Russia) for her friend
ship. / desire to give her the $780,
600 and let her keep Alaska. No man
| 1fpl tn
earthquakes of st. Thomas and the
icefields of Greenland could be found
to agree to its acquisition
Elihu b. Washburne of Illinois
took the same position in regard tC
Alaska that Mr.. lloar takes regard
ing the Philippines. and he lived tc
realize his folly. He urged congress
not to ratify the treaty; he declared
that the government was taking up
on itself unnecessary and expensive
responsibilities, and went so far as
to predict that no part of Alaskan
territory would ever be inhabited by
white men.
This illustrates how frequently
good men go wrong and how easy i
is for wise men to be mistaken. The
price paid for Alaska was $7.20O.OOO
! The area acquired was 369,529,6OC
acres, so that it was about 2 cents al
acre. The Alaska fur companies have
already taken over $33 100000 wortf
of sealskins, and they have paid into
the treasury over $6,OOO,000 as royal
ties. with $1,340,533 still unsettled.
The fish product of Alaska in 1S9'
was valued at $2,977,O19. During thu
last fifteen years it has exceeded
$40, 100000. The commissioner o
fish and fisheries in letter to con
gress estimated the value of the Alas
ka fisheries. excluding whales ant
seals, at $67 100000, or nine and one
half times the cost of purchase.
The gold output has exceeded SIS.
100000 already. The Treadwell mine
alone up to 1897 had paid S6,625,94'
as dividends to it's stockholders, ant
claims to have several millions il
sight. In that year alone the outpu'
of the mine was S2,439,000, and il
1897 it was nearly twice as much.
When Mr.. Seward was asked wha'
he considered the most important
event in his career he replied: 1.-THE
purchase of Alaska; but it will take
the people a generation to find it out.