The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-30
DANISH WEST INDIES.
How Question OF Their Sale to the
United States Is Regarded.

The Great Round World.
In our issue of November /, 1900 in the
course Of an item regarding the project
ed sale of the Danish West Indies to the
United States, we said:
A curious feature Of the affair is the at
tltude of the Danish coIonialS themselves
A meeting of the colonial council has
been called at St. Croix to protest form
ally to the Danish government against
the sale of the islands to the United
states. The colonial newspapers are
printing the words, We do not wish to
This account was based on cable dis
patches. Through private sources OF in
formation we are now able to add num-
Der OF details which throw further light
on the attitude of the people of the ISL
ands toward the proposed transfer to the
flag of the United States
The colonial council of ST. Croix is
made up of eighteen members, OF whom
five are appointed by the crown and thir-
teen are elected by the vote of the peo-
pie. The chairman is Mr.. A. J. Black
wood an American. During the recent
attempt to put through the council pro-
test against the sale of the islands he
was absent from the islands, being on
visit to the United States His authority,
therefore, was temporarily vested in the
vice chairman, the Rev. H. LawaetZ,
Lutheran clergyman at Christiansted and
member Of the council by the appoint
ment Of the crown. Mr.. IIaWattz is
strongly opposed to any transfer of the
islands His temporary succession to the
Craftsmanship enabled him to call for the
purpose of protest a nesting of the coun-
ell, which doubtless would not have been
called had Mr.. Blackwood been In au-
thority.
The council met, then, on Oct %. By
the rules Which govern its proceedings
one-half of the members on the Islands
constitute a quorum. At the time of this
meeting three of the eighteen members
We're abroad, SO that the quorum con-
sisted of eight members Twelve were
present when Mr.. Lawaetz called the
meeting to order. OF these, seven were
well understood to be opposed to the
sale, and~f1ve were in favor of 1t. The
five pro-saIe members were the editor
of tho st. CroiX Avis, who is also In
spector Of schools for the island; three
irish planters, who have lived in the ISL
ST. Croix, of Irish parentage. The anti
sale members were the chairman, two
native born Danes and four colOred men.
The following resolution was offered:
1.-The Colonial Council Of ST. CroiX begS
most subn1issively to express to your
majesty (the king of Denmark the wish
that the Islands may continue to remain
under the Danish crown We believe that
we know that the alienation to the United
States is against the wishes of the ma
jorfty of the inhabitants" The five pro-
sale members protested that the meeting
was not qualified to express the wishes
OF all the inhabitants. Then they left
the meeting, breaking the quorum The
chairman, however, refused to recognize
-IHe hDSeHce OF the HVe, ana passed the
resolution with seven votes. The pro-
sale members thereupon entered a formal
protest, which the local government for
Warded to Denmark at the same time
with the resolution. The Danish min
istry is unlikely to place any faith in the
resolution, accompanied, as it is, by a
strong minority objection.
The colonial newspapers which printed
the words: 1--WE do not wish to be sold 5"
is edited by a colored man, backed by
a Dane, who at present enjoys Iucra-
tive business monopoly.
The local government at st. Croix an