The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1903-05-08
WINNING OF THE WEST
A Happy Coincidence in West
ern American History.
The Author OF THE Winning of the
west Is the Dedicator OF the
Purchase" Exposition.

| N"0SC exposition.
| a happy coincidence has brought the
aHthor OF The Winning of the Vest tn
81. Louis in the capacity of president of
| the United States, to be the central
| ngure 10 the grand ceremonies ATTENDING
the dedication of an exposition designed
! TO commemorate what was the begin
| ming OF American sovereignty over the
western part of thecontinent. The man
ana the occasion are well fitted. Roose-
Velt represents the type OF eastern men
| VINO pioneered the west, for he has the
| adventurous, continental spirit that il
| not content with small SURROUNDINGS
lie was born too late to be a pioneer
| and the conditions of his life did not re.
qulre him to seek the west for the sake
OF fortune. Nevertheless, ont of sheer
love OF it he sought out the great Mains
and for years lived the live of n nIains-
man, making himself essentially western
In many OF his most notable traits and
characteristics.
The occasion that has taken him to
st. Louis is one of the most significant
In history. 1t commentaries the most
remarkable movement of colonization
and settlement known to man. and the
greatest OF the triumphs OF industry and
peace.
At the time OF the purchase Of the
Louisiana territory from France the
united States had hardly more than
o,OOO,OOO inhabitants, and it ia doubt-
tul ii there were as many as sc. 600
white people in the whole OF the vast
country annexed. So far as human
foresight could see centuries would be re.
qulred for the American people to spread
over the acquired territory, subdne its
wild tribes, explore it's wildernesses. con-
struct highways across the wide expanse
and bring its mines and its fields into
the service OF civilization. Only a single
century has gone by, and the territory
Is now so thoroughly colonized and
settled that where once the savage had
MS nome there are many cities richer in
the comforts and luxuries of civilization
than some OF the capitals OF the old
world.
A recent writer upon the exposition
says: The city in which the celebra-
tlon VIII take place, remote fur trad
ing post when the purchase was made,
mas today three times as many citizens
as all the American cities together had
Ia 1913. 1t is spending on it's expos-
ton about three times what the nation
paid Tor the whole of this territory. A
single years product OF the city's fac
torres would pay the price Napoleon ex-
acted Tor Louisiana fifteen times over.
Ihe wool product alone OF the states
made out OF Louisiana would pay that
price. Las6 years CON crop OF Iowa
alone would have paid that price six
times. The wheat yield of the territory,
more than hall that of the whole coun-
try, Tor any single average year would
buy the territory a hundred times
Inc achievement OF so great a peace
iul conquest stands as a result of all the
great forces which in modern times have
worked for the benefit of mankind. The
grand result has not been attained by
the pioneer and the statesman alone.
Every new revelation of science, every
Improvement in machinery, every new
accomplishment in art and industry, has
helped in the work. The steamboat. the
railroad, the reaping machine, the trip
hammer, the scientific methods Of min
ing, the higher processes of agriculture,
the spinning jenny and the telegraph
have all been potent factors in the work.
lt ls therefore altogether right and fit
ting that the century of conquest should
be celebrated by the universal exposi-
ton OF the products of art, science and
industry. Moreover, it is gratifying
that the exposition is planned on a scale
OF unprecedented magnitude, for in no
other part OF the world have science and
industry achieved such stupendous re-
suits.
The best hope OF the future is that the
great west may grow along the same
lines as in the past, and the people
OF the whole world may respond to the
solemn and impressive prayer of Car
dinal Gibbons: May this vast terri
tory which was peacefully acquired a
hundred years ago be for all time to
come the tranquil and happy abode of
millions OF enlightened, God fearing and
industrious people engaged in the vari-
GUS pursuits and avocations of life. AS
this new domain was added to our DOS
sessions without sanguinary strife, so
may it's soil never be stained by blood
shed in any foreign or domestic warfare"