Amador ledger., 1900-09-21
EXPANDED AMERICA.
The Purchase of Alaska and the Annex
alton of Hawaii, Tutuila
and Guam.
No. 6.

discovery and occupation. Our navi-
gators had made discoveries up that
way, and there was some question as to
where our claims ended and Russia s
began, which was settled by the treaty
OF 1924, fixing the southern limit of
Russian America at "a deg. 40 min.
Alaska was not regarded as good for
much of anything save furs and fishes,
but the treaty with Russia did not ac-
cord as good fishing privileges to Aneri-
can fishermen as the Pacific coast states
thought their interests demanded, and
petitions went to Congress from the
northwest to have a more liberal treaty
made with Russia. In making over
lures to Russia for an extension of fish
ing privileges to the Alaskan banks it
was found that the whole of Alaska
might readily be bought, and it was
bought March 80, 1867. for 81, $4,000
There was no supreme national neces-
slty for the buying of Alaska. There
was no clamor by American residents
for the annexation of Alaska. 1t was
never intended that Alaska should be
admitted into the Union as a state. 1t
was not annexed in order that there
might be an extension either of slavery
or of American liberty. 1t was simply
in the market, the price was cheap
enough, there were advantages enough
in sight to make it worth the money,
and we bought it.
The consent of the 10000 people living
in Alaska was not asked for or offered.
There was stipulation in the treaty
of annexation that the white people in
Alaska should have the rights of Ameri-
can citizens, but, as in all other cases,
those rights were guaranteed by treaty
stipulation and not by mere operation
of the constitution.
The constitutional right to purchase
was held to have been established by
unbroken precedent from Jefferson
down..
1t has been anticipated from the first
that Alaska would always remain ter
ritory and never become a state, and yet
the Constitution has not fallen apart
and free government has not perished.
The story of Hawaii is briefly told.
American missionaries established them
selves i'll the islands and taught the
native people as much of the ways of
civilization as possible. American and
European capital became interested in
productive enterprise, bringing prosper
ity to the islands. The native govern
ment did not properly safeguard the
industrial interests. The representatives
of the industrial interests brought the
native government more and more un-
der their influence until they finally
absorbed it and discarded its monarchi-
cal features and established republic
The young republic sought annexation
with the great republic and is now
part of it.
Congress set up territorial govern
ment for Hawaii and extended the
American Constitution to the islands
by special enactment. By that act the
citizens of Hawaii are made citizens of
the United States. They are as free as
the people of California and as well
governed. No wrong has been inflicted
upon them by annexation, but their
condition has been bettered, and, thanks
to progressive Republican policy, the
United States now holds the key to the
trade of the Pacific.
We Americanized Hawaii and annexed
it because we wanted it. 1t was great
national necessity that afforded the jus
tifcation and the constitutional war
rant, Just as in the cases of the annexa-
ton of Louisiana under Jefferson and of
Florida under Monroe.
Tutuila is one of the Samoan group of
islands in the south seas. For many
wears there has been a great deal of
trade in the South Sea islands, and as
the Samoan group early became impor-
tant for traffic, English, German and
American traders soon came into sharp
competition there. The respective gov
ernments above mentioned established
consulates there, and out of the mutual
ity of association and of commercial in
terest there arose in 1890 a tripartite
agreement for the government of the
islands.
This tripartite agreement was not ad-
hered to in good faith by Germany, and
friction between the powers and inter-
necine strife among the natives resulted
1t seemed better, therefore, to dissolve
the agreement and take the islands i'll
seyeralty. This has recently been done,
the United States taking the Tutuila
group (Which, however. had been ceded
to the United States by the natives in
fQ7Sl Gaymapv taking the rest of the
islands, and Great Britain retiring from
them altogether.
Guam is an island in the Ladrone
group directly in the track of our trans
Pacific commerce, and it came to us as
result of the war with Spain. It will
make al excellent and needed harbor of
refuge and naval and cable station.
According to the Bryan moral philos-
ophy the acquisition of Hawaii, Tutuila
and Guam were instances of criminal ag-
gression, but prudent people will see in
such acquisitions instances of wise fore
thought and common-sense action on
the part of common-sense admins
ration.
We acquired these insular possessions
because they are important strategic
points to enable us to extend our COM
merce and furnish needful refugees in
time of war for our commercial and
naval marine. Hawaii is at the focus
Of trans-Pacific commerce. Guam has a
fine harbor and will make a splendid