The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-03-28
DANISH NEST INDIES
Rumor of forthcoming Sale
to the United States
CIRCULATED AND DENIED
How Cleveland Spurned Them,
Along With Hawaii.

New York, March "a dispatch to the
Herald from Paris says: France takes
more than ordinary interest in the Ques-
ton of the sale of the Danish West In
dies to the United States, for the Chau-
vinists declare that this country has the
right to bid first in case the islands ap-
pear on the market. The reports that
for some time have been circulated 10 the
effect that the United States was soon
to buy the islands have always been
fatty denied, as well by responsible Of
ficials for the Danish government as by
Danish diplomatic agents in Paris and
elsewhere. The Paris papers this morn
ing, however, print a dispatch from Bel
GUM declaring that a bill providing for
the sale to the United States will be in
troduced in the Danish parliament this
week
It. is not generally known that at the
moment of President Harrison's defeat
for reelection negotiations of this sort
were on the point of contamination.
President Cleveland being opposed to the
extension of American territory, the
matter was dropped, considerably to the
irritation of Denmark. Colonel Clark E.
Carr, who is now in Paris, was United
States minister to Denmark at that
time. He confirms this view. II was I'M
officially concerned" he said today, 'in
certain negotiations for the sale of the
Danish Antilles. Denmark then was in
the mood to sell them, and 1 have no
hesitation in saying that at that time
there certainly existed no treaty between
Denmark and France providing that the
latter should have prior rights in case of
such sale. What has happened since my
retirement 1 cannot say, but it is reas-
enable to suppose that Denmark is still
willing to sell her West Indian posses
sions."
Washington, March 27-The state de-
partment has not been advised that the
Danish government intends to introduce
a bill at present in the Danish parlia-
ment providing for the sale TO the United
States of tn eislands of st. Thomas and
st. Croix. The opinion prevails here that
if any such measure is introduced at this
stage, it will be through the INDEPENDENT
action of some persons not directly con-
nected with the government Of Denmark
lie I6dSOH LOT lLiS Dellel - lOullQ III the
fact that the negotiations which have
been in progress by the two governments
in rather indefinite fashion for some time
past, have not yet reached a stage where
legislative action would seem to be neces-
sary. 1t is said that our government
knows of no interest superior to its own
in connection with the transfer of title
to these Danish West Indian islands, and
if some other government has, through
previous negotiations, secured what it re-
garded as an option on the islands, the
same would be Of no avail as against the
pre-eminent rights Of the United States
should our government incline to the
purchase of the islands and the Danish
government be willing to sell at all.
London, March q (4:3o p. ma dis
patch to the Exchange Telegraph COM
pany from Paris says the sale of the
Danish Antilles to the United States has
practically been completed.
Copenhagen. March 27.-N6thing Is
known in competent circles here to con-
firm the Paris report that the sale of the
Danish Antilles to the United States has
been practically completed.