Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/88

 28 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST : ssorRi tent with the narrow strip which they held and made no efforts to secure the territory to the west. It was a case of short-sightedness in both the colonizing nations, and yet not a surprising ease by any means. The continent was so vast, the distances so great, the forest so unconquerable, the dangers from Indians so real that it was natural for both French and English to hesitate before attempting the conquest of the interior of the continent. To them the attempt seemed almost useless as well. The colonies grew slowly. New France seemed large enough for all the French who would ever live there. The problem as the men of that time saw it. was. not to secure and hold new lands, but to people and sub- due those they already held. The English were similarly situated. The Atlantic sea- board seemed ample for all the English there, or that were likely to come. Such were the generally accepted opinions of the times. It was, of course, the policy of short-sighedness, but then most men are short-sighted. Now, however, there had come to America and interested himself its future, a man who was not short-sighted, but on the contrary gifted with remarkable powers to see into the future. La Salle rejected the idea that Canada was large enough for the French. He saw clearly the expansion that must come, and he believed that the Ohio valley which he had discovered and explored, offered, by far. the best field for that inevitable expansion. The soil in that valley was rich, the climate very favorable for agriculture, the opportu- nities for trade with the Indians were tempt- ing. It must be remembered that at that time trade with the Indians was almost indispens- able in the opening up of a new section of the country. It was largely to this trade that settlers looked for support while thej^ cleared away the forests and made the coun- trj' ready for the practice of agriculture. Xo part of the country offered any better oppor- tunities for trade than the Ohio valley, and no part of the country was more fertile or bet- ter adapted to agrieultui'e. Here, then La Salle believed he saw the seat of a New France more glorious than would ever be possible in Canada. He believed, too, that soon the Eng- lish would be forced to expand ; that the At- lantic seaboard must soon be too contracted for them. Their natural expansion would be to the westward. This movement, when it came, would bring the English across the Al- leghanies and into the valley of the Ohio. To forestall this movement, to explore the country, to claim it for the king of France, to open it for settlers, plant chains of forts and fortified posts, secure the friendship of the Indians and develop trade with them, to make the power of France supreme in the new lands which he had discovered and render them forever outside the power of the English to possess — this was the dream of La Salle. It was not the dream of a visionary. La Salle could dream the most splendid visions, but he was no mere dreamer. On the con- trary he was one of the most active, tireless, and practical of men. His plan once formed he proceeded to put it into execution. He determined to organize an expedition, explore the great river to its mouth, found on its banks trading posts, and with the proceeds of this trade to open the country for settlement. He had a wonderful power of persuasion, and was able to make Frontenac see the greatness of his plans and secure his help in his under- takings. This help of the governor was al- most indispensable to him, for Frontenac was a powerful and energetic man, fond of bold and daring schemes and desirous himself of achieving riches and distinction in the work