Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-07-08
SECRETARY ROOT.

upon the part played by the IroquOi
| Indians in the early history of America
| Senator Root in an address replet,
with historic facts, paid high tribute
to Samuel de Champlain and to thost
| French soldiers and explorers whl
shared in the early struggle fol
America. Senator Root pointed out the
| influence which the events attending
the discovery of Lake Champlain 30'
years ago had upon the issue of the
great struggle between France anC
Great Britain for the control of the
two white races for the opportunity
TO COLOMBO and expand and betweeei
the two systems of law and civi
policy. for the direction and develop
! ment of civilization among the millions
who were to people the vast region ex-
tending from the Atlantic to the Pa
cifc and from the Rio Grande to the
frozen limits of the North
Relating the events of the trip made
by Champlain late in June 1909, ac-
companied by a few white companions
and a great array of Algonquin In
dians, Senator Root told how, at the
battle of TicOnderoga, where Cham
plains party came upon war party
of the IropuoiS, the French explorer
fred his arquebus upon the Indians
1.-THE shot from Champlain's arquebus
had determined a part that was to be
played in the approaching conflict by
the most powerful military force among
the Indians of North America. l had
made the Confederacy of the Irquois
and all it's notions and dependencies
the implacable enemies of the French
and the fast friends of the English for
III the long struggle that was to come. "
T The superiority of the five civilized
ribes and their systematic form of
overnment were given by Senator
loot as two of the primary causes for
he ultimate defeat of the French and
heir Indian allies by the English and
he Iroquois. Speaking of those In
ians, he said they. of all the inhabit
nts of the New World We're the most
arrible foes and the most capable OF
.rganiZed and sustained warfare; and
f all the inhabitants north of Mexico,
hey were the most civilized and in
elligent.
Senator Root reviewed the early at
empts made to coloniZe the new con-
inent, and the privations and difficult
les which were met by the colOnists
AT Quebec twenty-eight F'renchmen
With Champlain had braved the rigors
f a Canadian winter and in the spring
{ 1909 but eight remained alive" said
senator Root. "In this same month OF
uly, 1909, the Half Moon of Henry
hudson was repairing damages ir
'cnobscot Bay after her voyage across
he Atlantic and preparing to sail or
the noble river that still bears hei
Commanders name.
"The field was open; the hands upor
he margin that reached out to grasI
ontrol seemed few and feeble; but the
,eriod of preparation was past. The
mighty forces that We're to urge on thu
tupendous movement of mankind II
human history had already received
| heir direction. The time was ripe fol
he real conflict to begin, and it had 1t.
| nomentous beginning when the Chiel
| If the Mohawks fell before the argue
| ,us of Champlain at Ticondcroga.
"The conditions which limited the
| ,owers and directed the purposes of thu
/ dTlOGS cOuUtIitS VI ILuiopC III Sii>
| ,arly years of the Seventeenth Century
| made it inevitable that the struggle
| or American control should ultimately
| ,ecome single combat between
| france and Great Britain" continued
| senator Root. To illustrate this opin
| on, he related the conditions which
| ,xisted in the various European coun
| .ries at that day.
"Of all the people of Europe" III
| aid, "only the French and the Englisl
| possessed the power, the energy, thu
| adventurous courage, the opportunit!
| md the occasion for expansion across
| he Atlantic. The field and the prizt
we're for them, and for them alone
| Senator Root also spoke of the quail,
fications of the two reigning monarch.
of these countries at that day. Henr,
w, of France. and King James o
| England.
From these two countries, each pos
sessed of great powers, each endowed
with noble qualities. proceeded tn
colonists who were to dispute for tn
possession of America" said the Sena
tor from New York. He recalled il
detail the conditions which had ex
listed in France and England for cen
turtles prior to the discovery of LAX
| Champlain and of the influence whicl
these conditions had upon the grea
struggle between France and Englan,
for supremacy in the New World. 9TH
world owes many debts to France,
added Senator Root, mot the least o
these is the inspiration the men o
every race can find in the noble ex
amples of such explorers as Niccole
and Joliet and La Salles:such leader
as Champlain and Frontenac an
IDuauesne and Montcalm and sue
Continued on Page Twelve.) /.
..