The record-union., 1898-05-06
THE FAILURE TO BUY AN ISLAND

We failed to get ST. Thomas, Danish
West Indies, says William Jones in
the Review of Reviews in his his
tory of the proposed purchase of the
island, because the Senate Of the
United States at the close of the war
of the rebellion refused to ratify the
treaty for its acquisition. He adds:
That act marks one Of the saddest
pages in the entire record of American
diplomacy. The story of that trans
action, though told for a thousand
years to come, will never fail to bring
the blush of shame and remorse to the
cheek of any true American. Den
mark did not come pounding at the
gates of the American nation and offer
for sale two beautiful virgin islands.
1T was the America nation that sought
out the owner of the little group and
then offered $5,000000 for the three
1t was the American nation that sent
the De Soto, with it's great Secretary
of State, to view the land and after
ward sent the same little war vessel
from st. Thomas to Washington to
bear the special Commissioner of Den
mark, Governor Edward Christensen,
to the American Capital, where he
could gain authentic advices as to the
probability Of the treaty's ratification
before submitting the matter to a vote
of the inhabitants of the islands. And
it was the American Senate that final
ly ignored the whole proceeding, never
taking any action whatever on the
treaty submitted to it, and thereby Of
fering a gratuitous, a wicked, and an
unwarranted insult to a friendly ma
ton
This is putting it too strong, we
think Mr.. Seward was wise in his
desire to purchase the footing, but that
the failure to do so should cause
Americans to blush for shame is too
hystericaI a way of putting it. We
did not then perceive the need for a
harbor of refuge and a coaling station
in the West Indies We were content
with the policy of non-acquisition, fear
ing to depart even under new condi-
tions from the policy of our forefa-
thers
We realized the advantage enjoyed
by England, France, Spain and Ger
many in their possessions in and about
the caribbean Sea, but our people did
not then entertain the fear that at any
time we would bear relations to the
Powers of earth which would make it
necessary for US to defend our interests
at arms length.
With the outbreak Of the rebellion
Mr.. Seward did perceive the value Of
island possessions to our navy, but
that he was unable to convince his
feIlow-citizens of that which to him
was a conviction of truth simply proved
that he was more far-seeing, and that
the people were over-cautious. But
there was no shame in that We may
feel regret now that his policy was not
adopted, but assuredly Americans
need not blush for their attitude at that
tine.
We are now probably convinced Of
the great advantage such a possession
as st. Thomas would be to US. If we
he a far less serious one, and the ap-
proach of a hostile fleet in southern wa
tiers would occasion us small concern.
But when we were offered st. Thomas
in Mr. Stewards time, the nation at the
close of the greatest of all wars was
plunged into an enormous debt la
bility that many feared would never
be discharged, and it seemed to the
people Of that day to be invitation for
disaster to add to 1t by from five to
xax-aY, ,,,iIliopc of dollars
With Spain holding one Of the group,
Great Britain another and Denmark
the central island, we are at decided
disadvantage, and we ought now to
renew the proposal to the Danish Gov
ernment, which really has no need for
the island. That this should be done
we are convinced is now the judgment
of the great mass of the American
people.