The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-04-14
Henry Hall, in Pittsburg Times.

Henry Hail. in Pittsburg Times.
Amid the anti-expanson turmoil
the movement to celebrate the one
hundredth anniversary of the "Louisi-
ana Purchase" by an international
exposition and worlds fair at St.
Louis i'm 1903 would seem out of keep
ing with the principles which some
of our statesmen would like to see fol-
lowed unless the country is to go to
the dogs entirely. And yet such
plan is before congress in bill which
is fathered by no less strong an op-
ponent of expansion than Senator
Cockrell, of Missouri.
This bill provides the machinery,
and very liberal funds for the crea-
ton of the Louisiana Purchase Expo
sition, to open at st. Louis not later
than May l, 1903, and to close not later
than Dec l. The nations of the world
are to be officially invited to take part.
and the United States is to appropri-
ate $5000,000 towards the expenses of
the exposition, provided that not less
than $10,0O0,00o is raised by subscrip-
tions to the stock of the corporation
to be formed to create and manage it.
and by the issuance of bonds by the
city of st. Louis. The government is
to have a representative exhibit in a
building to cost not over 100000 and
100000 more is to be appropriated for
other expenses. The total expenses
arising from this government exhibit
is limited to S1,500,000.
1t will be seen from this that the
Louisiana Purchase Exposition is to
rank among the great eXpositions of
the world, and that the Mississippi
valley will witness in 1903 a mighty
gathering of the nations of the earth,
bearing with them the trophies of
their industry and progress.
WORTHY OF CELEBRATION.
The Louisiana purchase was an
event which is we'll worthy of celebra-
ton. 1t was the first step which the
United States took in that wise policy
of expansion which has given us 4
territory extending from ocean to
ocean, and from the Dominion of Cam
ada to Mexico and the Gulf. AS orr
ginally understood, it added to the
public domain 1,1S2,752 square miles,
or 756, ,961, $50 acres. In the restricted
sense, exclusive of the territory west
of the Rocky mountains, which it is
now claimed was not included in the
Louisiana purchase proper. but which
was ours by the right of discovery and
settlement, it covers SS3,072 square
miles, or 566, 1885, ,0S0 acres. 1t embraces
the entire states of Arkansas. Mis-
souri,, Iowa, Nebraska, North and
South Dakota, parts of Minnesota,
Kansas. Colorado, Montana, Wyoming,
Louisiana, all of the Indian territory
and part of Oklahoma Territory. Its
area is more than seven times that of
Great Britain and Ireland: more than
four times that of the German en-
pire, or of the Austrian empire. or OF
France; more than three times that
of Spain and Portugal; more than sew
en- times the size of Italy, and twice
that of Egypt; nearly ten times tha.
of Turkey and Greece; nearly three
times that of Sweden and Norway,
| and nearly six times that of the Japa-
| nese empire 1t is also larger than
| Great Britain, Germany, France, Spain.
Portugal and Italy combined. 1t is
| about one-fourth less than the area of
| the thirteen original states. According
| to the census of 1890 it had then a
population of II ,232, ,439. 1t produced
in 1896, according to the reports of the
| department of agriculture, Las, 137 ,OS1
bushels of corn, valued at $l91, ,s12, ,676;
| Isl ,395,7S6 bushels of wheat. valued at
| s111, ,4SS, ,251; and 26O,S22175 bushels OF
oats. valued at SAL 500, ,266. The value
| of the real and personal property in
| 1890 was $3.50, 456, 461 The area OF
public lands disposed of to 1S9,
| amounted to 510,S5S square miles, while
bn lap dc int, 4
aggregated 152, 1872 square miles. The
area unappropriated and subject to en-
| try equals 1SS,300 square miles"
CLAIMED BY FRANCE.
This vast territory was claimed by
France under the right of discovery
and occupation, in part, La Sale
| under the authority of Louis XIV, was
the first white man to descend the Mis-
sissippi from it's navigable northern
waters to its mouth, and from the gull
inward again. On April 9, 1852, stand
ing on the banks of the most western
channel of the Mississippi, about three
| leagues from it's mouth, he took pos
session of the country in the name OF
Louis XIV, and naming it Louisiana
proclaimed it's extent to be from the
| Ol the great river LOUIS, OI
the eastern side, otherwise called Ohio
Alighin, Sipore or Chisagona, as far as
its mouth at the sea or gulf of Mexico
upon the assurance which we have re-
ceived from all those nations (the In
| dian tribes along those riversl that we
are the first Europeans who have de,
scended or ascended the said river"
For nearly eighty years following La
Salle's discovery the country named BY
him as Louisiana remained intact as
French possessions. Here the grant
was made TO the Mississippi CONNER,
cial company, under the regency of the
Duke of Orleans. This was the cele.
brated John Laws Mississippi scheme
in which s20000,00O was sunk. Alto,
| gether it was an expensive colony tC
France. II is conceded that she spent
100000 livres in colonization efforts
| in Louisiana. Willing to rid herself OF
such an expensive luxury, France ced'
ed 1t to Spain in 1862, but the forma
transfer OF sovereignty did not take
place until 1885, and then the colonist'
We're so enraged at the cession thai
they rose in revolution and two year.
later the Spanish governor was obliged
to leave New Orleans. The next year
however, Spain sent a fleet and an
army of 1900 men, re-occupied the col
ony, and some of the revolutionist'
were condemned TO death, some TO i'm
prisonment for life. ana the property
of all was confiscated
CEDED BACK TO FRANCE.
In 1900 Spain by secret treaty cedeC
the province back to France. Mean
while the thirteen colonies had gained
| their independence, and had becom,