Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-13
PRESIDENT GREETS SOLDIERS
Executive Extends the Nations Greeting to
Thirteenth Minnesota,
PRAISES THE VOLUNTEERS FOR LOYALTY
Mayor of Minneapolis and Governor
of the state Also Voice Warm
Words of welcome to
the Men.


Continued from First Page)
raphy and history have now more than a
passing interest to the American people. 1t
is worth reading that when the federal
union was formed we held ,765 square
miles OF territory and in less than 100 years
we have grown to 3,S45, 513 square miles.
THE first acquisition, in 1SO3 known as
| the Louisiana purchase embraced SS3,073
square miles, exclusive of the area west of
the Rocky mountains. Its vastness and
| value will be best understood when / say
that 1t comprises the entire states of Arkan-
ses Missouri Iowa, Nebraska North and
| South Dakota and parts OF the states Of
Minnesota, Kansas, Colorado. Montana, Wyo-
| ming, Louisiana, all of the Indian territory
and part of Oklahoma territory
at would seem almost incredible to the
present generation that this rich addition to
the federal domain should have been op-
posed. and yet it was resisted in every form
and by every kind of assault. The ceded
| territory was characterized as a 'malarial
| swamp it's prairies destitute of trees or
vegetation. 1t was commonly charged that
we had been cheated by giving Sl5,00O,OO0
| for territory so worthless and pestiential
| that 1t could never be inhabited or put to
use and 1t was also gravely asserted that
| the purchase would lead to complications
| and wars with European powers. In the
| debate in the senate over the treaty dis
| tinguished senator from Connecticut said:
The vast and unmanageable extent which
| the accession OF Louisiana will give the
| United States the consequent dispersion of
our population and the destruction of that
balance which it is 90 important to maintain
between the eastern and western states
| l.br distant daV tho sinh
version Of our union
Dread of Louisiana Purchase.
"a distinguished senator from Delaware
said: But as to Louisiana this new, i'm
mense unbounded world--if it should ever
be incorporated into the union, of which I
have no idea. and which can only be done
| by amending the constitution, l believe it
| will be the greatest curse that could at pres
| ent befall us. 1t may be productive of in
| Vulnerable evils and especially of one that
! | fear to ever look upon. Thus our citizens
will be removed to the immense distance
of 1000 or 5000 miles from the capital of
| the union where they will scarcely ever
feel the rays of the general government
their affections will become alenated; they
| will gradually begin to view us as strangers
they will form other commercial connec-
tions and our interest will become distinct
| ana 90 say lndl unueT eNlSllnS
circumstances. even supposng that this
tent Of territory was desirable acquisition
sis, ,0Oo0 900 was a most enormous sum to
give
"a distinguished representative from Vir-
ginia said: fear the effect of the vast
extent of our empire
HE feared the effects Of the increased
value Of labor, the decrease in the value of
lands and the influence OF climate upon our
citizens who should migrate thither, | fear,
though this land was represented as flow
ing with milk and honey, that this Eden Of
the new world would prove cemetery for
the bodies of our citizens.
Imperialism had chief place in the
catalogue OF disasters which would follow
the ratification of this treaty, and it was
alleged that this was the first and sure step
to the creation of empire and the sub
version of the constitution,
THE phrase which is employed by
some critics, planetary policy 50 far as
l have been able to discover, first appeared
here Jefferson was made the subject of
satrical verse:
See him commence land speculator,
| And buy up the realm of nature,
Towns cities, Indians, Spaniards, prairies.
Tho opponents, however, were in the
minority and the star Of the republic did
not set and the mighty west was brought
under the flag of justice, freedom and op-
portunty.
In 1919 we added 60, 749 square miles,
which now comprise Florida and parts of AL
ALBANIA, Mississippi and Louisiana. In 1915
We received the cession OF Texas. 1t con-
, tained 376,931 square miles and embraced
the state of Texas and parts of Oklahoma,
Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming and New Mex
: leo. The next cession under the treat y
of 1S4S containing 522 SOS square miles, EN-
bracing the states OF California. Nevada
: Utah and parts of Colorado and Wyoming
and OF the territories of Arizona and New
{ Mexico. In 1853 We acquired by the Gads-
= den purchase 45,5S5 square miles, which en-
e braced parts of Louisiana and New Mexico.
Opposition to Alaskan Purchase.
1.-The next great acquisition was that OF
5 Alaska in 1867, containing 599,i4 square
miles This treaty like that of the Louis
0 lana purchase was fercely resisted. Wher
3 the house had under consideration the bill
approprating s72OO,0O0 the amount of pur-
chase money for Alaska agreed upon by the
treaty, the minority report on that bill
a quoted approvingly an article which charac-
Q terized Alaska as a terra incognita, anc
e that persons we'll informed as to Alaska arr
u ungrateful enough to hint that we coulC
have bought much superior elephant il
Siam or Bombay for one-hundredth part o
6 the money and with not a thousandth par
u OF the expense incurred in keeping the an
imal in proper condition.
"The minority report proceeded to sa!
: that The committee having considered
the various questions involved and the evi
> dence in regard to this country under con
s sideration are forced to the conclusion tina
T. the possession OF the country is OF no valu
> to the government OF the United States
r That it will be a source Of weakness in
stead Of power and constant annual expens
for which there will be no adequate return
That it has no capacity as an agriculture
country That far as known II has II
Il value as a mineral country. . Tha
e its fur trade is of insignificant value TO u
J., as a nation and will speedily come to a
q end. That its fisheries are OF doubtful valu
4. and that whatever the value of its fisheries
II its fur trade, its timber and its minerals
3 they were all open TO the citizens of tn
United States under existing treaties Tha
4. the right to govern the nation or nations @
: sayages in a climate unfit for the habitatio
II of civilized men was not worthy OF pur
chase
,e They therefore report the folown