The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-01
Orator Declared California Was
Valuable for Gold Only.
Citrus Fruit Yields Sum Nearly
Equal to Mines.
WORLD DELUGED IN GOLD
What VIII Be Result of In
creasing Annual Production.
American Gold Going to All
Parts of World.

II
New York, March lin his historic
speech in the United States senate on
March Z, 1850, a date by which the
traditional speech is identified, Daniel
Webster intimated that the chief value
of California to the Union lay in its
wondrous deposits of gold and. presum-
ably, of other metals. Mr.. Webster in
a slight degree qualified this statement
by saying that there might be a few
arabic tracts of land in California,
but he was certain tnere was none of
any value to agriculture in New Me-
leo The Panama-Pacific exposition,
which apparently is to rank with the
largest and most successful of expo
sitionS held in the United States, will
be able to show how greatly Webster
erred. The senator had about as good
an idea of the resources of California
as was held by any statesman of the
east excepting, possibly, William H.
Seward. Throughout the east, Califor-
mia was regarded as of value simply
because of the discovery of gold, al
though some of the reports from the
Pacific coast spoke of good opportunl-
ties for lumber cutting in parts of
the territory.
Last year California shipped citrus
fruits of the value of 35 million dol
the state has gained as a producer Of
wheat. The money value of her citrus
products alone is so great that it can
favorably be compared with the gold
production of the state. The latest
bank statements show steady gains in
deposits and resources and, notwith-
standing certain political agitatiOns
which are sometimes thought a little
radical that have prevailed in the
state, its credit stands very high. The
Panama-Pacific exposition is chiefly
designed for the purpose of teaching
the world what the relation of the
canal to the Pacific coast is to be and
what the commerce that is initiated
or distributed at the seaports on the
Pacific coast may be expected to be
after the Panama canal becomes the
vast commerce bearer of which now
there is not the slightest doubt.
One Of the most valuable of the
suggestions that have been made to
the president and management of the
Panama-Pacific exposition has re-
Butler, president of Columbia univer-
sity. He has asked the officers of the
exposition carefully to consider
whether the occasion. will not be a
most appropriate one for the erection
of a permanent hall of peace which
may be used as a meeting place for
gatherings of every sort while the eX-
position lasts and after that as a hall
monument to the exposition. A build
ing of that kind, if it have appropria-
ate architecture and be erected at
some central point, would, in Dr. But
ler's opinion, capture the imagination
of the world and concentrate the at
tention of statesmen the civilized
world over upon the Golden Gate in
order to watch what was taking place
there.
The Golden Gate
" of
be developed at other Pacific ports
the prestige and pre-eninence of the
Golden Gate must remain unimpaired
and. in fact, be greatly increased by
the influences of the Panama canal.
While this exposition is in progress
the third peace congress will proba-
bly, convene at The Hague, and DR..
Butler points out that it should be
possible on the other side of the world
at San Francisco to set in motion
forces and influences that would
make themselves powerfully felt in
the action of the official representa-
tives of the government to our dele
gates assembled at the Peace Palace
at The Hague.
In DR.. Buffers view there can be
no better place for holding con-
cisco after the Panama canal has
been opened. There might also be
organized an international congress
of the oriental nations and their civ
A3]AdOny emma ana Japan being IN
v1ted to send representatives who
would discuss with American repre-
sentatives the best means of promot-
ing close and intimate relations be-
tween the United States and oriental
peoples. For in this way trade is
enlarged, and with the opening of the
Panama canal and the brilliant cere-
monial with which San Francisco is
to celebrate that event there is to be
assurance that the United States is to
command a fair share of the com
merce of the Pacific and possibly may
gain paramount commerce upon that
ocean.
The Deluge of Gold.
One subject which will undoubtedly be
discussed very earnestly at San Francisco
1s the amazing increase in the gold pro-
duction of the world, to which California
has contributed so greatly The most
carefully revised statistics justify the
statement that within twelve years-flf-
teen at the most-the amount of new
gold mined and put in circulation or used
in the arts is approximately four billion
dollars. OF a sudden this stupendous