The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-25

national expansion from its beginning, and
some OF his boks show how thoroughly
imbued he is with its spirit. His Life OF
Thomas II. Benton and his winning OF
the West are full of II. In his speech at
St. Louis he gave the acquisition of Louis
lana new interest by the wealth OF MIS-
torical illustration he threw around it, At
Portland. Ore. he recalled ''the greatest
single pioneering feat this continent
the voyage across the continent of Lewis
and Clarke. which rounded out the ripe
craftsmanship of Jefferson and his fellows
by giving to the United States all of the
domain between the Mississippi and the
Pacific, and reminded his hearers that
they were part of a commonwealth great in
its past and infinitely greater in its fu-
ture" So arguing from the past his mag
nation constantly projects itself in the
future.
In Washington the President got his
first sight of Puget sound, the great in
land sea that extends a hundred miles
into the State. This was enough to rouse
the imagination of a much duller man
than Mr.. Roosevelt. Seattle is three thou
sand miles from Washington city. 1t was
about hundred years ago that the Lewis
and Clarke exploring expedition first dem
onstrated that that part of the continent
could be reached overland It was nearly
fifty years later before our title to Oregon
England claimed all that region. including
the mouth of the Columbia river, just
as she is now claiming on behalf of Can
ada important outlets and harbors in the
Alaskan boundary dispute. At Seattle one
can look across Puget sound to the north
ward towards Alaska. although from Sc
attic to Skagway is 100 miles by water.
and to Nome City is $500 miles. At Sc
attic the President said:
You can't realize how great your future
is. No other body of water on the face
OF the earth offers quite the advantages
to the people who live about Puget sound.
No State, and 1 include them all when /
say Ii. has quite such advantages as this
great State of Washington. You, the peo-
pie Of Seattle are at the gateway of Alas
ka, and even the people of the country
that come from are beginning to appre-
ciate the greatness of Alaska The men
of my age who are in this great audience
Will not be old men before they will see
one of the greatest and most populouS
States of the entire Union in Alaska /
predict that Alaska WILL within the next
century, support as large q population as
the entire Scandinavian peninsula of Eu-
rope, the people of which, by their brains
and energies. have left their mark on the
face of Europe. / predict that you will
see Alaska with her enormous resources
Of mineral, fisheries, her possibilities that
almost exceed belief, produce as hardy
and vigorous race as any part of Amer
lea.
The President was not trying to boom
Seattle or tickle his audience. He was sim
ply giving play to his imagination to tell
the truth about the future of Alaska as he
saw it in his minds eye and in the light
of American history and expansion in the
past. 1t was bold prophecy, but the
child may be born that will live to see
| it fulfilled. The Scandinavian peninsula
| Of Europe, referred to by the President
embraces Norway and Sweden. Alaska
possesses greater resources than these
countries. and Is capable Of supporting
| larger population. When the population
Of the United States becomes 100000. 900
| as 1T will within the next fifty years
who will undertake to tell what Alaska
will be? The President is not a dreamer
He Is an American who argues from the
| past to the future. and who has unbounded
faith in the American government and
people.