Alaska, for instance, was acquired by mere diplomacy.

No American settlers were thronging into Alaska.

The desire to acquire it among the people at large was vague, and was fanned into sluggish activity only by the genius of the far-seeing statesmen who purchased it.

The credit of such an acquisition really does belong to the men who secured the adoption of the treaty by which it was acquired.

The honor of adding Alaska to the national domain belongs to the statesmen who at the time controlled the Washington Government.