The Topeka state journal., 1901-10-01

them with q strenuous and disturbing
voice.
But this new generation Graded ana
nourished on the bosom of Kansas
knows no other mother. They have no
past but hers; they ask other fu-
ture.
ADDRESS OF N. l. BOWMAN.
Man in a thousand ways seeks to
control the natural powers of his fell
low man and to appropriate the prod
uct of those powers when applied to
natures resources, and mans God
given powers and the product thereof
are controlled and appropriated by his
fellow man against his will, to that ex-
tent he is a slave; and against it, if
worthy the name of man and the image
of God. he rebels, and for freedom
goes to war.
The historian tells US that New York
became subject to British authority by
conquest from the Dutch BY that
mild sounding word conquest IS
meant proceeding very similar to that
adopted by a big dog when he sees
little one in possession of a nice juicy
bone; he just steps up to the little fell
low, gives him a whipping, and takes
his bone. England saw little Holland
feasting off New York, and England
just stepped over, conquered the Dutch
and took New York. I am inclined to
think that it made very little differ
ence to the Dutch whether they were
enslaved by England or Holland.
In the year 1541 Coronado, Span
lard, stepped on Kansas soil, because
of which Spain claimed the territory.
In 1906 the king of England, without
looking for CoronadO'S tracks and with
out making any of his own, granted
the territory to the London and Plym-
outh companies, who claimed it as
British possession.
In 1878 Father Marquette a French
man. entered the territory in which
Kansas was included. without either
actual or constructive notice of the
British filing upon the land, but L
am persuaded with actual notice that
Coronado had .'staked the claim, for
from his report we learn that he went
across the territory in boat until
of Mexico when he turned back for
fear he would fail into the hands of the
Spaniards, then took possession of the
whole country in the name of France,
and called it Louisiana.
The territory including Kansas then
had three distinct chains of title-Span-
ish, English and F'rench-until 1762,
when France stQuit claimed to Spain.
In 1900 Spain squit claimed it back to
France. and pioneer life in the far
west had on account of a little trans
action at Yorktown become so dis
tasteful to the British that they volun-
tarily reunquished their right under
their filing and abandoned the terri
tory. Thus the entire title was gath
cred up by the French. We shed tears
of gratitude when we think of the un-
selfish assistance the French extended
to us in our war for liberty with Great
Britain; and I would not have it
changed, for it expands our souls, and
drives out selfishness and egotism- L
would still let our children compare
Lafayette's greatness and goodness
with that of Washington, and make
him out, if they choose, the greater, be-
cause of his apparent unselfish love for
US and his grand. disinterested self
sacrifice; it broadens and teaches them
generosity. But 1 want to whisper to
you in strict confidence, s'on the dead"
that the revolutionary war was pro-
eeeding in rem, in which the French in
terpleaded and quieted the title to the
entire Louisiana territory. worth $lo,-
O00 600.
In 1903, the title to the Louisiana ter
ritory being quieted against the Brit
ish, and in the French in fee simple,
and the old pioneers who defended the
liberty pole adopted and made sacred
the stars and stripes" under the ma
tional name Of the United States OF
America, purchased ft-yes, purchased
it. and paid it's full value $15,000,0OO.
They could have walked over and
taken it as England took New York,
by conquest" but they were then,
and God grant they may be now and
forever, a nation of defenders, and not
conquerors - defenders of liberty,
equality before the law, and of honest
ownership Of property; never conquer
ors for slavery inequality before the
"
When our forefathers purchased the
Louisiana territory of France the
Spanish occupied 1t, and the Spanish
flag everywhere the symbol of cruelty
and slavery, in mockery waved in the
Kansas breeze.
In the year 1906. while Napoleon with
his army was enslaving all Europe,
and while Spain was appropriating and
squandering the wealth Of the mur
dered Incas of Peru and the Monte
zumas of Mexico, and holding in sla-
very the inhabitants of Cuba, Zebulon
NJ. Pike, on this spot. was hauling
down the Spanish flag of oppression
and erecting instead the ''stars and
stripes" of our own free land, thus
quietly dedicating the Kansas and Ne
braska territory to liberty, equality
and justice for oppressed mankind for
ever.
Beneath the clear sky, in the pure
air, on the broad prairies of Kansas,
where the true type of free-born Amer
lean citizens live; that class who, be-
lieving themselves as much entitled to
life, liberty and the pursuit of happi-
ness as the king of England raised
their flag and walked out on the battle
field to maintain that right or die
slavery of the black man by an indi-
vidual citizen was in principle no bet
ter than the slavery of an entire white
nation by another nation, marched on
the battlefield to secure the black man
the right to life, liberty and the pur-
suit of happiness. That class who, re-