The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-04-29

IN Lno Iull Tue OIL SuCCeSb.
Here, however, an enemy was en-
countered more formidable than the
opposing Mexicans. The great river
suddenly flooded its banks, or great
tidal wave swept up from the Sea of
Cortez. Exactly what did happen is
not quite clear, but the result was
disastrous. All the food supplies and
great deal of the munitions of war
were swept away, and the Indians
who had been so loyal and helpful be-
gan to desert, and were soon found CO.
operating with the Mexican forces.
Half starved ana crazed with thirst,
with swarms Of vultures overhead,
and several thousand Mexican troops
close upon their heels, Walkers
force wandered airhlessly around in
the delta of the Colorado for days At
last their plight seemed so desperate
that the Mexicans, under Menendez,
risked an attack. 1t was bloodily re-
pulsed, however, and only when the
Mexicans withdrew did Walker and
the remnant of his band stagger
across the border and surrender to
Gen. Burton, who, at the head of the
American forces, had been an inter
ested observer of the proceedings.
Walker and the chief men among
his followers were taken to San Fran
cisco, where their trial in the United
States Court promptly resulted in a
popular acquittal. The selected force
of future viceroys, as Walker desig-
mated them, which he had sent south
when he turned his steps toward So
NORA met with tragic fate. After
the retreat of the chief into American
territory, they were captured and put
to death with every refinement of tor
ture.
A few years later, when Buchanan
was President and Robert MacLane
of Maryland was United States Minis
ter to Mexico, a formal attempt was
made by the Administration to enter
into negotiations with Mexico for the
acquisition of the coveted lands. But
the approach of the civil war put an
end to this, as to many other schemes.
Since those days hardly a year has
passed but some attempt has been
made to put the waste lands of the
peninsula to some use which would
be profitable alike to the Gringo and
the world at large. Gen. Ned" Beale,
first of the FolEy-niners, the man who
first brought the gold from the Amer
lean river to Washington, worked ar
Gently in favor of annexing Lower
California. which in his opinion never
should have been separated from Up
per California. Gen. Beale was I'M
doubtedly intrusted by General Grant
with the mission of bringing about
the desired change of frontier, when
war with Mexico seemed imminent,
and it is doubtless only the sudden
collapse of Maximilian's empire
which defeated the project. It is GER
tain that there are in existence let
tiers exchanged between Gen. Beale,
then Surveyor General OF California,
and Salfon P. Chase, Secretary of the
Treasury, which make. it quite clear
that at the time an important body
of public men in Washington were in
favor Of taking the peninsula by any
means which the welfare of the COM
monwealth would justify.
When in 1889 another group of Cal
ifornians planned the seizure of the
peninsula and the erection of another
Lone Star State" later doubtless to
be taken over by the United States,
Secretary Blaine informed Minister
Romero that the Administration did
not covet Lower California and was
not in sympathy with any attempt to
Wrest it from Mexico.
But today the situation is a very
different one and a much more diff
ficult one, as Gen Bliss and his Of
ficers are beginning to learn. The
Southwestern States are crowded. not
according to the calculation of closet
I.statisticians, but clearly so according
to the spacious ideas of Southwestern
ers.
On one side of an imaginary line the
available land is occupied, and popu-
lation and values are increasing in
almost fabulous ways. On the other
side stretches out land which has
all the charm of the unknown, which
has the shape of the Kingdom of It
ally and the size of the Empire State.
Here there is almost no such thing
as population, and thousands of acres
are often given away for such trink-
cts as a respectable ten-cent store
would disdain to exhibit in its show
cases. Before order reigns along the
hnrdor fo ,,or-gIT- III IL