The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-04-02
FATHER OF WATERS
HISTORY IS THEME
AT MADISON MEETING
tBy Associated Press)


MADISON, Wis, April 1.-The his
tory Of the Mississippi Valley running
back about 800 years will be told at
the annual meeting OF the Mississippi
Valley Historical Association at its
annual meeting here on April IA, Is
and 16
From the time when De Soto with
his handful of Spanish soldiers explor-
ed the unknown regions of the south
ern valley and left his body in the
waters OF the great river, down to the
present day, when industries and
farms and commerce produce the
wealth that De Soto sought, is a story
of development that has been insult.
fciently known and incompletely told
says DR.. George n. Fuller, secretary
or the association. 1T is tale
Astounding in romance
Early Explorers Recalled.
Back in the days when Cabeza de
Vaca md his three companions
marched across country from Florida
to Mexico and F'riar Marcos with
Little Steve. his negro scout, discov-
cred the cities of Cibola and their
tabled treasures and paved the way
Tor the expedition Of Coronado, the
'NA~' Vi 'iAt 'uiooiSSlltpl was d iduu
that doomed big in the dreams of the
Spaniard. A century later Indian
tales OF a great river flowing down to
the sea, came to the Sus of the
French Jesuits, preaching IN the wild
erness and along the rivers and lakes
of Canada. Priest and fur trader list
| ened to the tales and from the north
there came down into the valley
Fiadlsson and Groseilliers. Marquette
, and Joliet. Father Hennepin and the
fur hunter, Duluth, La Sale and his
trusty lieutenant, Henry de Tonti.
These men found that instead of
flowing into the Eerrillion sea which
/ we know now as the Gulf Of Califor-
MIA, the river emptied it's waters into
| the Gulf Of Mexico. Following the ex-
plOrations came settlements, at the
mouth and here and there on the
banks of the river. Forts grew into
villages. The jealous Indian protest
! ed, waged the only kind of warfare he
knew, and lost; French, Spanish and
Americans struggled for possession.
and international treaties tossed the
right Of ownership of the western
valley back and forth like a shuttle
cock
New Orleans and Natchez- kaskas-
Md diu St LOUIS DoCdTne Known III
the east. Floods of migrations began
to find their way down the westward
flowing rivers. Political institutions
grew up, Industries took root and
thrived, towns grew to cities and the
Mississippi Valley took place in the
nation, the importance of which
politically. commercially and Indus
trially, is Just beginning to be realized.
Tells Need Of Association.
who shall search out and keep the
| record of this growth? The eastern
| historian cannot tell the tale for he
does not realize what has been done
! The task belongs to the valley and
| for this end the Mississippi Valley His
| torical Association has come into
being.
An English writer recently said ::
| The Middle West is the true Amer
lea. The gay Orientalism of New York
! the rigid dignities of Boston, the laugh
ter and languors of the South-these
| things are not essentially American.
The true America is in the Middle
West--the Far West is still too
great an extent a pioneer country, just
as the East is too great an extent
a traditional country. The true Amer
lean spirit is blend of traditionalsm
and pioneering, and that is what is
found in the Middle West
Again the same writer says: The
| Middle West can afford to trust a
! future of which the present is merely