The Washington herald., 1907-05-11
BY FREDERIC j. HASKIM.

NJ TNEUEHi
Forty-nine years ago to-day Minnesota
took her place among the sovereign
States Of the Union This Star OF the
North was the thirty-seeond to be
placed on the blue field Of Old Glory. and
the nineteenth 10 be added TO the original
thirteen. Interesting political maneuvers
and heated debates marked the admission
OF this Commonwealth The act OF Con
gress authorizing the Territory Of Min
nesota 70 frame its constitution was
passed February 3. 1857. but 1t took over
a year TO secure recognition for it as a
State. It was the time OF the great Kan
sas-Nebraska controversy. and the ques-
ton OF slavery had already divided the
country Minnesota would be a free
State. This guaranteed her cordial well
come from Northern Republicans, but
when the election for officers for the en-
bryo state was held she went Demo
cratic. TO the great CONSERVATION OF her
Northern sponsors, and would have I'VE
legislators Of that party TO represent her
in Washington. When finally admitted on
May i. 1885, she appeared in the unique
position OF free State seeking Statehood
under the championship Of that ardent
Southern Democrat Alexander II. Ste
phens, while John Sherman heartily and
bitterly opposed her.
As a Territory. Minnesota came into ex-
istence on March 8. 1S49. A meeting Of
delegates from the various villages and
posts was called for this purpose when
Wisconsin acquired Statehood. and left
that part of the State east OF the Mis-
sissippi without protection. Minnesota
has, in fact had many names and many
masters. The eastern half OF the State
once belonged TO France. the western 10
Spain, the Mississippi River dividing the
two. The eastern part became English
property at the treaty Of Versailles that
closed the French and Indian wars. After
the Revolution. Virginia eeded it TO the
general government as part Of her IA
nous Northwest territory. In 1890 It be-
came part Of the Territory of Indiana; in
1886 part OF the Territory Of Wisconsin,
and was then left orphaned when Wis
consin narrowed her boundaries TO go
into the Union unhampered by outlying
lands.
The western half of the State became
the property Of the United States in 1903
as a part of the great Louisiana pur-
chase. The next year It vas known as
part Of the province OF louisiana. Then
the southern part Of the purchase was
cut OF as the Territory Of Orleans, and
this land. with all the rest was thrown
under the dominion Of the Territory Of
Indiana, with the seat of government at
Nincennes. on the Wabash. In 1sl2 it be-
came part Of the Territory OF Missouri.
In 1884 il was included ia a session Of pub
lie lands 10 the United States, and was
redistricted as a part Of the Territory Of
Michigan. In 1886 the creation of the Ter
ritory OF Wisconsin gave another excuse
for changing the dominion Of the lands
west Of the Mississippi. In 1898 the Ter
ritory of Iowa absorbed this half. hut
when iowa became a State. in 1916, she
calmly disowned it, and left IT, too.
orphaned and ungoverned. No wonder,
then. that the settlers asked that a Terri
tory be formed from these two neglected
garden spots. Gen II. II. Sibley who
was one of the early. settlers Of Mendoza,
near St. Paul, and first governor of Min
nesota lived In his same blue limestone
house from 1895 70 1862, and in that time,
without leaving home, he had lived in
the Territories OF Michigan. Wisconsin.
Iowa. and Minnesota, and in the State
of Minnesota
Stephen Bruie. a fur trader. tramping
e..
brought news from the. Indians Of a beau
tiful lake-starred country 10 the west
where a great inland sea formed one
border. where the blue lakes could not
be counted, so many were they. and
where game roamed at viii The Indians
had called il Minnesota, or clOuded water
{ poetic idea CLEANED il is said from the
reflections Of the blue, cloud-heCked sky
in the clear lakes. In 1854 one Jean Nicol
let went as far as Green Bay on his way
10 this wonderland, but the first white
> men who went into the present confines
OF the State were two travellers. MedarC
Chouart, Sieur Groseilliers, and Pierre
Esprit, Sieur Radisscn. These visited
the Sioux Indians far inland.
In 1873 David Greysolon Du Luth, a
cousin OF Henri Tonty. went inland, sci
up his kings arms. and named the river,
and larger lakes. He journeyed on down
the Mississippi from near its source, ant
met La Sales party under Nichale Ac
Cault coming up, That cheerful and FIRE
sponsible old romancer, Father Henne
pin. tells of this In his story Of the
Northwest In 1853 Nicholas Perot, mos
energetic Of cOureurs des bOis. came q
the new country and founded the frs
French settlement in Minnesota. Fort Pc
rot. on Lake Pepin. In 100 La Sueui
came, and after these an influx OF
traders. settlers, soldiers of fortune, anC
sturdy farmers that have represented
many nationalities. In the more recen
years. Scandinavians are the most numer
Gus eomers.
When Eastern Minnesota came into En-
gIish possession one Jonathan Carver,
trader from Boston. was sent out to ex
plore the territory under the direction O.
the Lords Commissioners OF Trades anl
Plantations. He set out in 1866. goinl
from Boston 10 Fort Michilllmackinac
1900 miles, and from there. with Frencl
and Indian guides. plunged into the for
ests beyond. His reports are not only
accurate descriptions of then eMstinl
conditions. but are prophecies that to-da!
is seeing fulfilled. He looked down tn
centuries and saw a great population. al
open communication from that section Il
the Cult, and a shorter route 10 the ST
Lawrence by means OF canals. He foun,
that threads Of commerce We're alread,
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