The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-29
ARTICLE ".
The Purchase of Florida.

The early history of Florida we'll Illus
trates the causes of SPANS failure to re-
tain her colonial possessions There is
seemed as II she had a permanent foot
hold, insured by discovery, and posses
sion extending over two centuries and a
half, but she paid no attention to the de-
velopment of agriculture; she gave no
thought to building up the permanent
prosperity of the colony She was intent
only upon the acquisition of immediate
wealth. Her eyes were fixed only upon
the present 1t is suggestive that the
discovery of Florida was due to the quest
of fabulous treasures of boarded gold
and a wish to find the mythical fountain
OF youth. In the same spirit the colony
was administered.
After the seven years war it was care
lessly given away, and she obtained
possession of it again after the Revolu-
tionary war only because England con-
sidered it barely worth retaining. When
little later Florida became an object of
desire to the United States, SPANS hold
upon the colony was too feeble to cause
any obstacle to it's acquisition by this
country. Her subjects had no love for
her such as the French in Louisiana had
for their mother country. Her govern
ment was too weak to perform it's obi
cations to the neighboring states. This
COiOtly WIS 100 llllS OGNSlODeu after
three centuries of inaction to make it a
property valuable enough for a struggle
TO retain it. In fact, SPANS policy, or
lack Of policy, had borne its inevitable
fruits.
Three factors combined to cause the
annexation of Florida, viz: It's position
its disorderly condition and Andrew Jack
son.
The situation of Florida made it highly
desirable to the people of the United
States. 1t was the corner lot and a most
valuable one. Natural barriers form the
best political boundaries. Italy is we'll
fenced by the Alps. Spain by the seas
and the Pyrenees. But there was no
natural line of demarcation between
Florida and the Union. The desire for
additional land. the necessities of trade
and national ambition were sufficient to
cause the disorderIy frontier population
to break over into the foreign territory.
Moreover since Spain held Cuba her pos
session of Florida gave her an easy mas
terry over the narrow stretch of water
between Florida and Cuba, and conse-
quently the control of trade in the Gulf
OF Mexico This was a source of possible
annoyance to the power, which. in 1803
acquired the Mississippi and which was
dlscharging an enormous and ever-grow-
ing volume of trade down the broad
channel Of that stream
It must be borne in mind, too, that at
the period in question Florida extended
BEYOND Its present limits. To the ives,
it reached practically to New Orleans
The present states of Alabama and Mis-
sissippi were as yet unorganized, but they
were settled and their natural avenues
OF trade were the river courses to the
gulf. The harbor of Mobile was especial,
ly coveted. The American people ana
government had claimed, as we have seen
III previous PAPER, that their purchase
of Louisiana included West Florida as FAR
eastward as the present boundary of the
state of Florida. Spain stoutly resisted
this contention, and there was much fric-
ton between the two countries. 1t IS
easy to see that SPANS possession of the
whole gulf coast eastward from New Or
leans was bound to become intolerable to
the United States. when we look at me
way in which she held it and the use she
made of it, we see that clash was
inevitable within very few years
The situation would have been sur
fic.ently trying for the United States II
Spain had simply maintained title 10
Florida and kept the land idle like a real
estate speculator holding vacant lots. Or
if She had been wise and just and capa-
bic as colonizing power and had bunt
up a thrifty, prosperous community,
peaceably disposed toward us, the co:i-
fiict might have been avoided for time
But trouble began as soon as the adJa-
cent lands were settled, for Spain neither
colonized Florida successfully nor con.
trolled it justly. The colony and her In>
terest in the land barren of gold was so
slight that she exercised there practically
no police control. Consequently, Florida
was to the United States. an amending
source of irritation.
Spain herself was in constant trouble.
Napoleon was dragging her in his cap
tive train or she was in the throes or
revolution at home or her colonies were
in revolt; she had as little leisure as she
had inelination to give heed to distant
Florida. That territory. thus left in an
archy, became a center of trouble for the
young republic The English, during the
war of 1872, hostile Indians, runaway
negro slaves, smugglers and pirates made
Florida a veritable pest to her Northern
neighbor. Spain was none too anxious to
control he- colony in the interests of the
United States even had she been able
For she had against us grievances TO
Offset our complaints on account OF her
closure of navigation in the Mississippi
just before the transfer to France. She
was injured by various filibustering eX-
petitions in aid of her disafTected South
American colonies. Finally diplomatic
relations were severed in 1905 and in 1910
President Madison took military posses
sion of West Florida. The next year con-
gress, by secret acts. authorized the I
president to take temporary possession OF
East Florida. This was not meant to be
a final seizure but was to be done pend.
ing the ability of Spain to take care OF
her own refractory province.
The war of 1912 brought new occasions