Evening star., 1926-03-07
Capital Sidelights

slider where our public lands came
from and how the Nation grew west
ward from the thirteen original
States on the Atlantic Coast, first to
the Mississippi, then to the Pacific
Northwest and then to the Pacific
Southwest, until we have As today?
This involves the history of the
United States, every important pub
lie question and policy. including in
ternal improvements, tariff, slavery,
the settlement and admission of new
States, the development of great nat
ural resources and raw materials
the treasure house of the Nation.
A new member of Congress. Rep
resentative Charles f. Winter of
| Wyoming one Of the most cultured
land erudite men in the House has
this information at his tongues tip.
First, by treaty with Great Britain
at the close of the Revolutionary
War, in 1888. we got all the territory
of the thirteen original colonies
and. in addition, all the territory
westward to the Mississippi, includ-
ing what was later designated as the
| Northwest Territory 570,996 900
acres.
Second, by purchase of louisa ma
from France in 1853 for 5000 O0C
we acquired 529911,6SO acres, and
thus approximately doubled the then
area of the United States and carried
the Western boundary from the Mis-
rt sod - 4 .N,sw.
Out of that area formed the States of
Louisiana, Arkansas. Missouri. Iowa
Minnesota. Nebraska. Kansas. Okla
homa and large part OF North Da
kota. South Dakota, Colorado, Wyom
ing and Montana
Third. by the purchase of Florida
from Spain in 1919 for s. 000, 900 we
got another 40, l4464 acres-which
presents an almost unbelievable com
parison with millions made during
the last year on the transfer of a
relatively very few of those original
acres.
Fourth, by the annexation of Texa.
in 1S45 we added 249. .066, ,240 acres
We later paid Texas 10000 900 tC
surrender it's claim to 170.173. 44C
acres in the territory of New Mexico
Fifth. by the Oregon settlement
with Great Britain by treaty in 1S4'
we took title to 1873 3.3S6 240 acres anC
reached the north shore of the Pa
cific. From this were later carved
the States of Washington. Oregon
Idaho and parts of Wyoming anG
Montana. This additional area round
ed out our possessions and completed
the full sweep TO the Pacific North
west.
Sixth. by cession from Mexico il
33S $50. 9GO acres. comprising the grea
areas of California and New Mexico
The latter territory was later divided
into the States of Arizona, Nevada
Utah and parts of New Mexico, Colo
rado and Wyoming. This completed
our onward march to the Southwes
Pacific.
Seventh. by the Gadsden purchas'
from Mexico in 1853 we stretched ou
an additional % 142 400 acres at a cog
of $40, 900 900. This pieced out th'
Southern border and forms a part o
the south end of Arizona and New
Mexico.
Eighth. by the purchase of Alask'
from Russia in 1867 for s7,200,000 W.
took over another 37S165.760 acres
| which still remains under territoria
government.
This totals up 2.315.31o720 acres.
X X
Representative Winter emphasize
that his home State of Wyoming en-
joys the sole and unique position o
being comprised of part of each o
the four great territorial acquisi
tions-the Louisiana purchase. Texa
annexation. Oregon settlement ant
| Mexican concession.
Within an area of $50 miles squar
in the northwest corner of Wyomin,
| are the source and headwaters of tn
three great primary river systems
the United States west of the Obi
River-the Mississippi. by its lon
arm: the Missouri, flowing into th
Gulf of Mexico: the Columbia River
flowing into the North Pacific by 1t
| longest branch. the Snake River: tn
mighty Colorado. emptying into TIL
Gulf of California.
i Joel GraySon. the only man aliv
who can find old documents for mem
bers of Congress and who is familiarl
known by the leading men in polite
and business in all the States whil
he goes unassumingly about his rot
tine duties in the House documen
room. has just celebrated his forty-fftl
wedding anniversary. When Cabine
officer came along and said "You
wife must have n wonderful dispos
tion to stand YOU SO long" Joe
hcamed for he considers that tn
highest compliment that could he pa
to him.
10. the poor Indian
But he Is coming into his ow1
| l. sd
William Tyler Page. clerk of tn
House, when he was leaving the Car
itoI one evening lately.
Champ Clark used to claim that Mr.
Page was born in the Capitol. but thi
is a fallacy, he has only worked in th
Capitol for A. years, and he seldom
: leaves the building before or
O'Clock at night. 1t is his custom Il
bid the policemen on guard Good
night"
AS he was passing the corridor lead
ing from the rotunda 10 the Senat
wing he noted A new face, and thi
stranger in police uniform answered
. his plea mt greeting with a guttura
grunt. On inquiry he learned that tn
. new Capitol policeman is a sure
enough Indian, Chief Wounded Sol
dier. and was appointed by Senate
W. II. McMaster of South Dakota.
We have had our aborigines repre-
sented in the art works Of the Capito
In the busts of Be-sheck-kee by Fran
els Vincent and Joseph I4asalle. an,
Of Aysh-ke ebah.lie-ko.zhay by Vim
cent?, and In the great paintings in tn
rotunda. especially the Baptism o
Pocahontas" by John G. Chapman Il
and in the nine paintings of "Lif
Among the Sioux Indians by Col. Setl
Eastman in the room occupied by tn
committee on Indian affairs.