The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-02
OPPOSED BY SENATOR'S.
No Further Effort VIII BE Made to
Purchase the Danish Islands.

Purchase the Danish Islands.
WASHINGTON, April 1.-The Senate
spent almost the entire day i'm the discus
sion of the resolution reported yesterday
from the Senate committee on foreign rela-
tons for the acquisition of the West India
islands owned by Denmark and the session
was closed by the practical withdrawal of
the resolution by Senator Lodge, it's author
He stated that the debate had developed
such wide difference of opinion in the
Senate where there had heretofore been
such unanimity, that he would not further
press the matter at time when the Presi-
dent needed the support of all senators of
all parties. He moved that the Senate pro-
coed to consideration of executive business,
thus voluntarily for the time abandoning
the resolution.
Senator Lodges action was preceded by
an animated debate, in which many sharp
words were exchanged over the policy of
bringing in a proposition liable to divide
the Senate at a time when unanimty was
especially desirable, and when all parties
had shown a disposition to give their utter
most support to the administration in prep
aration for the war which almost all the
speakers considered probable. Many
speeches Were made on this line and some
went so far to intimate that an advan-
tage had been taken of the situation to
press proposition which they considered
questionable, with the hope that the Senate
III Its patriotic desire to support the Presi-
dent at critical time would consider the
matter favorably now, whereas it would not
do so in times of quiet. Senators German
and Pettigrew were among those who took
this position.
Mr. German referred to the recent unani-
nous action of Congress in intrusting the
vast sum of $5O,O00O00 to the President for
ms expenditures in maintaining the dig
nifty Of the country and said that since the
gays OF washington no such confidence had
peen imposed In a chief executive of the
Nation, but that while this was a great
ITusI II carried with 1T vast responsibility
90 Iar the legislative branch Of govern
ment mad been united in support of the ex-
ecutlve; 1t was evidently impossible to pre-
serve this cohesion on the present pronosi
pressed. ~ ~
OPPOSED BY PETTIGREy.
Senator Pettigrew took a similar nositiop
He said he was willing to support the adj
ministrauon in all reasonable and inst
measures in preparation for what appeared
an inevitable war, but that he did not in
tend because of his loyalty in this respect.
10 De induced to give his adherence to a
measure that did not appeal to his own
judgment. The islands were he said. fully
Low miles from our own coast and to at
tempt to acquire them now would be i'm
Nloiatlon OF our policy of not annexing ter
Iitory which is not contiguous He said
there Was no assurance beyond the word of
senators that the President really desired
the purchase of the islands, and intimated
tnat the committee on foreign relations had
e eaiken advantage of the present apparently
Iilehuly spirit of Congress to spring q ques-
ton or policy which at least had had only
very brief consideration from the executive
He said Senator Lodge had q report i'm favor
or the policy now undertaken in his desk
fer year. and that the friends of the meas
ure sought to get it through now under the
stress of war pressure He called attention
TO the fact that Senator Lodge had said
tnat the islands could not De annexed in
time of war, and if this was true and with
war so imminent as ii is ii was evident that
Jnefe would not be time to complete the pur-
chase in time to make them available. If
there was going to be war the United States.
he thought. could secure all the coaling sta
tons necessary on the Island OF Cuba, and
that II there was no war none would be
needed.
Senator Lodge replied briefly to this adj
hitting his long advocacy OF the acquisi-
ton OF the Danish possessions and explain
ing his efforts to secure action at the pres
ent time. He said he had called on the
President with reference 10 the purchase of
the islands, and that not only he. but the
naval officials had concurred in the opinion
that their possession would be of inestimable
value in case of hostiiities in the West
Indies.
Senators Perkins and Elkins. both Repub-
leans attacked the purchase proposition as
unWise in that 1t was liable TO involve us
in extra expense and unnecessary entangle-
ment.
Senator Teller stated that ordinarily he
would favor annexation and that he had
done so for many years, but that he would
not advise an effort to secure action at
critical time like the present. when 1t was
unwise to bring in any proposition call
cuiated to create discord and division He
| therefore criticised the action of the COM
mittee in reporting the resolution at this
time.
| Senator Bacon. of Georgia spoke against
the resolution, saying that for present or