The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1899-10-13


opposed and yet 1t was resisted in every
form and by every kind OF assault. The
ceded territory was characterized as a
'malarial swamp" Its prairies destitute
OF trees and vegetation. 1t was commonly
charged that We had been cheated by piy.
Ing $l5, 900 600 for a territory so worthless
and pcstilcntial that 1t could never be in.
habited or put to use; and it 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, distinguished
senator from Connecticut said: 1.-THE
vast and unlnanagcable extent which the
accession Of Louisiana will give the
United States; the consequent dispersion
Of our population and the destruction OF
that balance which Is SO important to
maintain between the Eastern and West
ern states, threatens at no distant day the
subvcrsion OF our Union"
Other distinguished senators spoke in
similar vein.
Imperialism had a chief place in the
catalogue Of disasters which would follow
the ratification Of this treaty and 1t was
alleged that this was tho first and sure
step to the creation OF an empire and tho
subversion Of the constitution. The
phrase which Is now employed by some
critics planetary policy SO far as have
been able to discover first appeared then
The opponents, however, were In tho
minority and the Star Of the Republic
did not set and the mighty West was
brought under the flag Of justice, freedom
and opportunity.
In 1919 we added 67,74a square miles.
which now comprise Florida and parts OF
Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.
In ls45 We received the ccssion Of Texas.
1t contained 376,93l square miles and en-
braceh the state Of Texas and parts Cf
Oklahoma. Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming
.nd New Mexico.
The next ss .sion was under the treaty
Of lsaS, containing 52o 55S square miles
embracing ,hc states OF California,
| Nevada. Utah and parts Of Colorado and
Wyoming and Of the territories Of Ariz-
ona and New Mexico.
In 1853 We acquired by the Gadsen pur
| chase 45, ,535 square miles which embrace
| parts of louisiana and New Mexico
The next great acquisition was that OF
| Alaska. In 1867, containing 5S9. li6 square
miles This treaty like that for the Lou
isiana Purchase" was ficrcely resisted
| When the house had under consideration
the bill appropriating the SUM OF 8, ao.ooo
the amount Of purchase money Tor AiasSs
agreed upon by the treaty, the minority
report on that bill quoted approvingiy al
article which characterized Alaska u
Terra lncognito, and
THAT persons well informed as u
Alaska are ungratcful enough to hin
that we could have bought II much supe
rior elephant in siam or Bombay Tor on
hundredth part Of the money, with not
tenth thousand part Of the expense IN
Cured i'm keeping the animal III prope
condition.
The minority report proceeded to 81.
that:
"Thc committee having considcreu TN
vnrious questions involved and the eNi
dcncc in regard to this country uhoe
consideration are forced to the concius'o'
that the possession of the country IS oi IL
value to the government OF the 'hi'c'
States That it will be II source oi weak
ness instead Of power and II constant al
nual expense for which there Will be n
adequate return. That 1t has no cspacl'
ns an agricultural country. That SO IA
ms known IL has no value rs II mlner;'
country
To this treaty the opponents were y
the minority and that great rich terr''ol
from which we have drawn many an
many times over It's purchase price an
with phenomenal wealth yet undevelope
ia ours in spite OF their opposition.
In the last year we have added 10 IN
territory OF the United States Hawaiia
islnnds-onc Of the gems Of the PAcii'
ocean-contsining 674O square m,,c'
Porto Rico. containing 5000 square miles
Guam, containing 30 square miles, "n
the Philippine archipelago embracing ~
proximately ll3,OOO square miles. In
latest acquisition Is about one -slxtn III
s,,e NJ tho original l3 states. 1t Is largt
: than tho combined area Of New Jerse!
Delaware. Maryland, Virginia. MORT
Carolina. South Carolina and the Distri'
Of Columbia. 1t exceeds IN area az u :.
: New England states. 1t Is "imos'
large as Washington and oregon 70.
bined and greater than Ohio, Indiana -.
. Illinois united. Three times larger .n'
> New York and three and onc-h"if t'in
+ larger than the state Of Ohio
The treaty Of peace with spain wnl'
pnye Ms the Philippines, Porto MOO q,
o Guam. met with some oppOsition III v
q senate. but was ratified by that BODY
Q mora than two.thirds vote; wnilc IN =
= house the appropriation OF eouou
q was made with little or no opposiSion'
Q A. tho case Of the Louisiana purchase q
4 A,.skn. the opponents Of the treaty we
= n ,he minority and the star OF hope 20
. oppressed people was not ex.lnsu.snsu. as,nn:
The future of these new Possosslou.
% the keeping Of congress, anu ~ cousss. .scr :.
n the M servant Of the people. Inat tney -
4 be retained under the oen'sn s...ss '''
N eighty OF the a Unitsa % o'"'So don,
J. do not permit mysciI ~, W ,nvs,
That they will prove ricn ano .nv..