Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-02-20
DANISH west indies Purehased.

Danish West Indies Purchased.
The United States Senate, Monday,
after little more than an hours con-
Iteration ratified the treaty with
Denmark ceding to the United States
for n consideration Of $4,000 600 the
islands OF St. Thomas, st. John and
St CrciS, composing the group of the
Antilles known MS the Danish West |
Indies, and lying just east of Porto |
Rico. Thus, so far as this country is |
concerned, was consummated transac.
tion which has been under conSidcra !
ton intermittently since the admins
tration Of President Lincoln.
The treaty and the report on it we're
read a length, and more or less dis
cussion of the proposition was INDUCED
in. Senator Cullom, as chairman of
the committee on foreign relations,
made speech explaining the advant
ages of the acquisition of the islands,
and Senators Bacon and McLaurin
made brief remarks, saying that while
they could not indorse all the pro-
visions OF the agreement they would
place no obstacle in the way of ratih-
cation,
| Senator Bacon moved to amend the
treaty by striking out the second para
graph of article 5 of the treaty, read
! ing as follows: "The civil rights and
! the political status of the inhabitants
! &c bn t,ln 10, ehn11 I,o Iatnr,,,i inc l,tr
the Congress, subject to the stipula-
tions contained in the present conven-
ton. -
(! He based his opposition to this pro-
vision on the general ground that the
Constitution should extend to the
islands when they became a part of
the United States. He said, however,
that the failure to accept the amend
ment would not prevent his voting for
the treaty, for he believed in the Mon
roe doctrine Under that doctrine this
country could not permit any European
power to acquire the islands, and we
could not in fairness take this position
and then ourselves refuse to buy them
when they are for sale. The amend
ment was rejected.
Senator Cullom explained all the
provisions of the treaty and gave de-
tailed account of the resources of the
islands and of their trade value to the
United States. He said the provision
affecting the civil rights of the inhabi-
tants was similar to the provision on
the same subject in the Spanish treaty
, concerning Porto RICO. In taking the
islands, he said, the United States
would assume no burden of debt, as by
+ the terms of the agreement all claims
held by Denmark against the insulal
. Treasury would be cancelled. He placac
the total OF these claims at 81, COO, 0G0
He also explained the nature of tbs
a obligations the United States wculc
assume with reference to the st
I Thomas Floating Dock Company ant
a the West India and Panama Company
A saying that on the telegraph franchise
. it would be necessary to pay a subsid.
4 of s, 1000 pcr'year for three or four years
and that in both cases there was al
- agreement to protect the charters 70
n the time granted by Denmark. He ais
4 gave detailed history of the st
n Croix Sugar Company, explaining tina
the government Of Denmark had as
II sumed debts amounting to 800, OO0 fo
=, that concern, but had agreed to win
up the affairs OF the company as 500
20 as practicable, thus relieving the Unite
~ States of all complications on accour
N of that company.
10 Senator Cullom explained that undo
A. the terms Of the treaty the Unite
10 States would take possession of Ii
,s islands as soon as notifications coul
= be exchanged and said that it woul
20 not be necessary to delay that act unit
N the appropriation of money to pay /,
a them could be made. The harbor
of ST Thomas Island was described rs or
OF the safest and best in the We
re Indies, and the Importance of its po
&C. session from strategic point of vie
lv was enlarged upon. He said that u
a. control of that harbor commands IL
of military situation as far as neccssa
~ in Cuba, and that if we are to build
IL canal across the Isthmus of Panam
"a the ownership of the harbor by Il
va United States is essential, as it guar
N. the approach to the canal. Senat
hi Cullom's motion to ratify then ~
no adopted by viva voce vote.
~ In all tho discussion that has q
~ tended the matter of the purchase
sts these islands, nothing has neen Il
NO vanced to show the benefit that II
in country will derive from the trHnsg
III tion, beyond the opportunity of csta
a fishing a coaling station at st. Thorn;
nv. The language chiefly used in San
dir Cruz, the largest Of the islands,
liz principally English, which will pro
10 of advantage in reconciling the peoI
DO there to the change. They will not +
so much like strangers and aliens, n
that they are allied with coun
whose language is theirs.