The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1920-03-04

jE54%llf1E D lux T. OF the growth OF the
I3d&aI thirteen original states, narrow,
g@dNg0 strip of territory along the Allan
(0.4V tic coast, until at present they en-
brace in the American Republic the largest
portion of the earth's surface controlled by
one government is record of great men,
great ideas, romance of industries, inven-
lions and development of the vast resources
of the country with many hardships endured.
This marvellous growth may be ac-
counted for to certain extent by the form
of government adopted shortly after the war
of independence. At that time the organ
ization and government of the great west
was formulated. A system that was to be of
inestimable value in the process of occupying
the continent and building up mighty re-
public. A system well adjusted to the needs
of an expanding people by distribution of
the authority between the states and ma
tional government. So well adjusted that
it has stood the strain of local interest and
national growth.
At the close of the Revolutionary war
we find thirteen states badly demoralized
from the experiences of war that was both
civil and revolutionary with little in common
except political inheritance and large war
debt. The states had been established at
different times and for various purposes and
were composed of many different nationali-
ties They knew very little of each other as
communication was slow and means of trans
portation very poor. The southern states
depended on agriculture while the states of
New England depended largely on ship
building and commerce. Manufacturing was
very limited owing to the restrictions that
had been placed on the different industries
by England before the war. With These
conditions to contend with task of Hercu-
lean magnitude was before Washington and
the men chosen to put the new government
into operation. 1t is in large measure to
their wise counsel and leadership that the
states were united and started forward on
the road to prosperity and greatness.
1t is to Alexander Hamilton, Washing
tons secretary of the treasury that we owe
great deal for the manner in which he
handled the nations finances and placed its
credit on a sound foundation opening the
way to a development of resources. With
consent of Congress Hamilton used the
money, raised by duties on imported goods,
to pay back as fast as possible the debt to
France and other countries that we had con-
tracted during the war and also to pay back
the money that had been loaned to the
Government by citizens of this country. The
confidence in the new republic that this in
spired cannot be overvalued in studying the
rapid development of the United States at
that time.
The territorial expansion began with
the acquisition of the Northwest Territory
at the close of the revolution. A vast wilder
ness extending over the Alleghaney noun
tains to the Mississippi river. Then in 1908
the territory of Louisiana was purchased
from France This more than doubled the
area of United States and gave us complete
control over the Mississippi river. The
Louisiana territory embraced the country
north of the present state of Texas and west
from the Mississippi to the Rocky noun
tains. In 1919 another area of $4,000 square
miles was purchased from Spain, that is now
the state of Florida. In 1845 we annexed
Texas country composed mainly of Ameri
cans who had freed themselves from Mexico
This territory was large enough to maxi
five states the size of New York. The dis
pute between Great Britain and Unite'
States over the Oregon territory was settles
in 1916 and we came into possession of tn
country between what is now the northern
boundary of California and the presen
boundary of the United States on the mort
of the 49th parallel, embracing the presen
states of Oregon, Washington and Idaho
As result of the war with Mexico vas
territory of nearly a million square mile
was acquired which left us in possession
all the territory from the Rio Grande rive
in the south to the 49 degree parallel on tn
north. A small strip of territory betwee