Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1904-05-07

SEC OF WAR WILLIAM II. TAFT.
Continuing on down the line came
the addresses by Tho prom nent OH.
cials connected with the exposition
and after an address by Secretary Of
War Taft, representing the president
of the United States, the president, at
the White House, in the presence Of
tho members of the diplomatic corps,
chief Justices and associate justices Of
The supreme court members Of the
cabinet, the president of the senate,
and other persons distinguished in Of
fetal life, pressed the button connect
ed by wire with the exposition
grounds, which caused the releasing Of
the electric current, and the great
machinery of the exposition began to
revolve, the same act unfurling the
flags on all the buildings and setting
the great Cascades in motion
Brief History of the Fair.
The Louisiana purchase exposition,
comprising a comprehensive collection
and exhibition of the worlds peoples,
products and industries, modes of liv-
ing, diversions, transportation facill-
ties, in fact q complete universal con
centration of arts, manufactures and
products of the soil, mine. forest and
sea, had its inception in 1888 and was
completed in April, 1904. The exposi-
ton commentaries the centennial of
the purchase from France, in 1903, by
the United States, Of the vast strip of
territory stretching from the Gulf of
Mexico to the Dominion of Canada
and extending from the Mississippi
river TO the crest of The Rocky Noun
tain range, and since k3awn as "The
Louisiana Purchase territory.
The entire Mississippi valley orig
inaly belonged to France hy right Of
discovery and exploration. In 1853
Spain acquired the Louisiana territory
after the treaty of peace al Paris,
when France, which had ced-
ed Louisiana to Spain under
the secret treaty of 1872, gave
up all her other possessions in North
America to Great Britain. Spain held
the territory for 81 years, returning 1t
to France on the demand of Napoleon
Bonaparte, through the secret treaty
of ST. Lidefenso, October !, 1900, Ma
poleon was then first consul of France,
The United States, by the revolution
ary war, had won sovereignty over the
territory between the Atlantic ocean
and the Mississippi river Spanish Of
ficials were still IN authority at New
Orleans, although the Louisiana ter
ritory had been returned to France.
The hostile attitude of the Splnards
towards Americans navigating he
Mississippi resulted in agitation which
led President Thomas Jefferson to IN
dertake the purchase Of the city and
island Of New Orleans, in order to con-
troll the mouth of the Mississippi. Rob
ert z, Livingston United States min
lister to France. and James Monroe
afterwards president of, the United
States, were accordingly commissioned
to conduct the negotiations for this
transfer. Instead Of the safe of The
island of New Orleans alona. Nepoleon
the sale Of the entire Louisi-
ana territory for sl5,0O0OO0 in order
to secure funds for the equipment OF
his armies.
The representatives Of the United |
States at once accepted the offer, and |
the treaty was signed at Paris, April
80, 1908 The formal transfer cf the !
territory took place at New Orle1ns, /
December 20. 1893. and The Upper |
Louisiana, at S.. Louis on March 10, |
1904.
The newly purchased territory en-
braced 100000 square miles, and is
now divided into The following a /,
states and territories: Louisiana, Ar