The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-04-08
THE DANISH WEST INDIES.
DFYM tRk DIyIDED OyER THE sur
or BFR COLONIES.

mark Danish Cabinet Crisis Likely.
COPENHAGEN. March l5-War itself could
produce no groater agitation IN Denmark than
has been excited 10y the m that 'he Gov
eminent Is about 10 dispose ~ the colonies In
the West Indies to the United States, The
Danish West Indies, while they are an cxp"n-
siye matter 10 ia" home Government. never
thclecs appeal Ia tho Danes ns something
which carr distinction. The opposition which
the Co eminent has met has resulted IN mass
meetings and speeches which show that the
uasv ~ rransTer will not be an easy one,
That the United States are the favored pur-
chaser. as far as the Government IL concerned,
there can be no doubt. But on the other hand,
the negotiations which came TO an unsatlstac-
tory end thirty-odd years ago will always re-
mind the Danes that politics arc factors which
a. any time may step In and upset arrange
menls between nation and nation.
One Of the latest suppositlpn. here Il that
only 81. Thomas is wanted by the United states.
A. q strategic point the hartor OF this island Is
unsurpassed and the completion o. the Mica.
ragua Canal will enhance It's value many
times. That Other nations would be only too
glad TO include st. Thomas among their island
possessions Is unquestlonable. But 1t Is now
certain that neither France nor Germany will
be permitted by the United States to take over
the three islands. The Danish people realize
that trouble would be imminent should the
islands pass from Denmark to any other nation.
The leader OF the radical element in Dem
mark. DR.. Georg Brandes. the author. stands
preeminent among tho opponents OF the sale
OF the West India islands, st. Thomas. ~.
Croix and St. John. In IN nd ircss delivered
here a few days ago Or. Brandes took the
stand that there was no occasion for dispos-
ing OF the colonies.
Al q period Ia tho history Of the nations"
he said. when oil the progressive powers Of
the earth endeavor TO gain colonies, and get
the most ont Of the colonies already theirs. the
Danish Government brings before the Rigs
dag the proposition regarding the sale Of our
West India islands. The price which has been
offered Il certainly not large. Especially nd-
vantaReous to Denmark the transfer cannot be
said to be. But even were tho conditions a
hundredfold moro satisfactory tho national
humiliation would remain the same. 1t does
not seem TO me that u civilized country can
we'll afford 20 sell a group OF its subjects and a
portion OF its territory. and II any excuse Ia 10
be advanced It could only come because that
country stands on the brink OF bankruptcy and
NV - huIW INV Z sow lAF'Al oiih'A W ~
such might be the method employed by an
Individual who feels com PEELED to dispose Of
his household goods rather than have his
creditors take possession. But It il rather
hard TO com pare human beings with furniture.
&c. That the Dams nation Is not confronted
BY bankruptcy is hardly necessary to mention.
1T is said that the inhabitants OF the islands
have SUM into conditions OF misery under our
v,rn all that 70 r,N,,lI 4, h. Vn,r1a kn-t
to come under the protecting wing Of some
larger and more Influential power. What
guarantee have we that the purchaser-to-bs
will take care Of the people Of the islands? But
granting this. the small. continually diminish
ing Denmark could not in n better way cry out
to the world that the kingdom is degenerating
than by telling the Powers in plain language
that she is unable any longer to maintain her
only small colony: aud unable. likewise. so to
manage the islands as to prevent a loss oi
revenue. This. in reality. would be a direct
declaration of bankruptcy OF the most humlli-
1T is not so very long ago that We drew upon
ourselves a humiliation Of n very effective
kind. That was when Denmark. as the result
Of ,he heavy Io'se, enta,iei during the war;
during the years lsj7.6S. through Raasloeff al
tempted TO dispose OF the islands. At that
tins ,o there vas offered for Two OF them
gtsNCVsVof' liA'' NV " NJ hhI''N uNlA' ~
81. Croix. to the right OF which France has the
first privilege OF purchase) is offered only
THE Danish Government ut that time had
the people OF the islands vote In the matter.
and the sentiment was in favor of their betong-
ing to the United states. The, lnhabitants for
or sold. until the senate refused To- sanction
the affair, Then We had TO send high Officials
TO the islands in order to have the people
swear allegiance TO Denmark once more.
While such treatment by the mother country
may not seem conducive to confidence. yet. IL
10 declared by men who know the present stu
mark and that the only regret II that the home
country insists considering the c~olonists AZ
Foreigners. An energetic, awakening hero at
home "a to the value OF the islands and q de-
cided change In the entire administrative
body would work a revolution in the pOssibili-
ties OF the colonies. The development Of the
sun lends to everything grown under ito mag.
netic influence, would make the ISLANDERS feel
more 10 touch with the. moth"r, country II
everything possible were done for the further
ance of the Danish possessions.
Informing The world now and then that
the islands are for sale certainly does not i'm.
81. Thomas. st. Croix and ". John. To sum
up this end Of the matter, II IL Tor tho sake OF
the Danish treasury, that n" sale - recon-
are administered at the present. time. cost. a
deal OF money annually. Where Is the
moral which will rermlt ~ the sal"H Is II thu
ulSttUc' ITbW Int tdIltlil u btlmhIN Wlll'l
clInches tho argument Of those VINO want tho
islands sold? II such is the case then the next
step on tho programme is that we sell Iceland.
for Iceland. no less than the West indies. costs
the Governm ent n handsome sum yearly. Go
ing one step furthur VIZ might AZ well dispose
OF Bornholm. for Bornholm would undoubtedly
he OF such q value To Germany thar our south
ern neightors would paw us a far greater sum
than this island nov. brings in. At last We will
reach Zealand and OF course Fuen.
Many great countries have provinces. that
fail 70 add MATERIALLY to the wealth OF the
nation. Take Austria for an instance, and
while Bohemia is a remarkably rich country.
IL not infrenuently heard that the Bohemiani
deplore that their handsome incomes are used
for the purpos" Of covering Gnllc.a'S deficit.
az yet no on" has had the audacity to suE-
All the 90 Onio- owned BIZ France cost
that countrv. money But IL Ia not even init
the Republic 20 dispose Of them. No one knows
what after tho O~pening " tho Nicaragua
CANAL the position. o' the Danish West Indies
", thu "oi present Is %a '" II by that time tho Stands
have been sold Dcnmark may realize to
sorrow that IN" transfer was not only un;
sailed for. bu' detrimental 70 the national and
mora standing Of tho nation"
DR., Brandc- takes n rather optimistic view of
the situation, providing DeDmark refuses 10
colonies In tho Antilles. lie has found many
eminent men arrayel against him.
The most radical news paper Of Denmark Is
IOittlhrh, WnpNs policy mas De"n 10 oppose tDe
Government In its forclgn dealings as well "a
home. matters. Usually the champion OF DR..
Brandes. Ibiitiken for once taxes issue with the
noted writer aud dis cts his argument. Tho
editor-in-chipi OF the paper says:
1T the attem pt should prove successful this
time the transfer of IN" three islands. which
contain few other Danes than the of1cials.
should cause us no uneasineSs, We ought to
h anlr 20 part With our rountrymen there
~.thout experiencing any special pangS ~ IRE
gret There need be- no Fear that ,hs aTrir
would eventually incIu ie the selling of Ice
land. NornhOLn. Nc. Whtrn The cOndltlOns In