The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-03

trated that almost trackless wilderness
which was destined to become the great
empire of the west. ST. Louis! what IN
spiring memories and pleasing traditions
cluster around that name. 1t was mere
that the Spaniard De Leyba, who now
eleeus somewhere in yonder city, failed
TO protect his countrymen when the Eng
lisb and their Indian allies attacked ms
fort. and it was here that George Rogers
! Clarke. the Long Knife Of the Amerl-
cans drove back the bloody assailants
and with his little band accomplished
what the Spanish garrison could not do
In the olden days of war and strife, 1t
was here that the Spaniard Don Carlos
De Iassus. after a Spanish dominion of
thirty-six years, pulled down the Inflated
Spanish banner to give way to the lilly
decked flag of France, which on the next
day was taken down to make way for
the stars and stripes, better banner
which was destined to float in the van
guard of civilization as long as nations
live upon the earth.
The Old inhabitants.
within three days in May, 1904, the
people of St. Louis saw three flags, rep
resenting the power Of three nations
floating above them. Spain had surren-
dered her claim to Napoleon, who in turn
ad ceded Louisiana to the United States.
! Although three years interviewed between
the time that the Louisiana country was
| transferred from Spain to France and
from that power to the United States, yet
the Spanish and Creole citizens at st.
Louis knew but little about the change,
and it was not until May, 1S04, when the
formal transfers took place and when
three flags fioated over the city within
the space of three days For only four
teen hours did the French Creoles Of
Upper Louisiana behold their beloved en-
sign floating above the fort at San Lui."
The French lilies We're lowered amid the
lamentations of the Creoles and the
starry banners of the new republic was
raised. amid the beating of drums and
the exultant shouts of American citizens
Napoleon, in 1900 had forced Spain to
cede Louisiana to France. Thirty-six
years before France had coded the coun-
try west of the Mississippi to Spain. At
ter holding his Louisiana possession for
only three years. Napoleon was con-
fr onted by two grave problems; he
needed money; again, he must do some
thing to oppose the power of England on
the American continent He evidently
conceived the plan of weakening England
in the west by building UP a formidable
rival, hence the sale of louisiana to the
The Great jefferson.
THE Sage of Monticello, the great JEFF
, ferson. with eager eye, looked westward
to that undeveloped empire beyond the
, Mississippi. He saw and fully compre-
hende5 the advantage to the United
States to be gained by the acquisition of
a land so rich in natural resources and
so full OF promise Possibly not many
citizens in the United States realized the
? vast possibilities in Mr.. Jefferson's pur-
chase. Some of them even opposed it,
declaring such action to be unconstitu-
tional When the great jefferson became
president the star spangled banner of our
republic floated upon the breeze east of
the Mississippi. When the sun set upon
j our shores in those days Of the infant re
l public, no starry flag bathed its folds in
his departing rays west Of the Father of
d Waters When Mr. jefferson, after
= eight years of official life, turned the
n country over to his successor, that flag
( Of fame and immortal glory waved
n proudly from the shores Of the Pacific
n and when the departing sunlight fell upon
d the glorious emblem of liberty and civil
e cation the evening winds breathed gently
/. in its folds the irresistible spirit OF ex-
e pansion In eight years Jefferson had
e crossed over half the continent. He had
e reached the sea. It was on the l4th day
= of May. 1S0i, that Lewis and Clarke LEFT
o ST. Louis and pushed their way up the
e Missouri and out into that portion Of tbs
r continent which was in time to become
a one of the richest portions of the globe
Land of the Fair God.
The last commonwealth TO be carvec
I out of this great domain secured for Us
! by Jefferson was sunny Oklahoma. tbs
q wonderland of the southwest. Fourteen
$ years ago this month the country nov
a embraced in Oklahoma was the home o
& the Indian and was unknown TO civiliza
: ton. For several years the Oklahoma
D, boomer was conspicuous charactel
- along the borderland Of the disputed ter
# ritory. His persistent efforts TO fore
: ! open that land which he maintained wa
:, government domain have become mat
= ters Of history with which all are con
versant Never was a more heroic struS
sic made than the one made for the right
Of the people who desired homes in n
coveted land The name Of Payne, o
Couch. intrepid leaders they were, wi
live live long in the memory Of ever
true Okiahoman After heroic struggi
= the cause Was Won. Congress listened I
~ tho voice Of the people, and on April :
"a 1S,s. the opening Of original Okiahorn
"a took place The oklahoma boomer ha
l. passed into history. lie gave way 10 IN
Id oklahoma sooner who has been in evi
Il deI.ce for several years.
." Story OF Enchantment.
The story q oklahoma reads like
% story OF enehantmenL At noon on III
y nd day Of April. ISSs. the country va
= practically uninhabited- That nisht sis
a. " thousand people slept within the bot
O. GERS Of the new commonwealth. The CT
ginal opening only comprised q very snla
portion OF what IS now oklahoma. Fro
8. time 10 tine new lands have been adds
les by Congress. Today the territory eu
st braces over twenty-tour million acres: h
ID 4 reputation OF over six hundred tho'
n sand: a cash valuation OF over three hui
ice bred million dollars. seven educational h
1T stitutious under control OF the terrier,
le- eight educational institutions Lat col