The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-03-05
DANISH TREATY RATIFIED
Purchase Of the West Indian Islands
Approved by the Senate.
PRICE TO Be PAID $5,O0o,oCO
a Transaction Which Has Rcen Under
Consideration Since LincolI 3 Admin
istration Consnmnated - Treaty Ap.
proved BY Viva voce Vote - Must
Receive Sanction OF Danish Rissdad.


proved BY Q viva voce Vote - Must
Receive Sanction OF Danish Rissdad.
Washington, D. C.-The Senate. af-
ter a little more than an hours consid-
Grafton. ratified the treaty with Den.
mark ceding to the United States for
u consideration Of S5.0O0.00o the ISL
ands OF st. Thomas. st. John and st.
Crolx. composing the group Of the An
titles known as the Danish West In.
dies. and lying just east OF Porto
Rico. Thus. so far as this country Is
concerned. was consummated trans.
action which has been under consld-
GRAFTON intermittently since the Ad.
ministration Of President Lincoln.
The treaty and the report on 1t were
read ut length. arj more or less dis
cussion Of the proposition was in
dulged in. Senator Cullon. 2s Chair.
man OF the Committee on Foreign Re-
lations. made a speech explaining the
advantages o. the acquisition Of the
islands. and Senators Bacon and Nc
Lau-ln made brief remarks. saying
that while they could not indorse al
the provisions Of the agreement. they
would place no obstacle IN the way OF
ratification.
Senator Bacon moved to amend the
treaty by striking out the second par.
agraph OF Article 5 OF the treaty. read.
Ing rs follows:
The civil rights and the political
status Of the inhabitants OF the Islands
shall tc determined by the Congress.
subject to the stipulations contained
in the present convention"
He based his opposition to this pro-
vision on the general ground that the
CONSTITUTION Should extend to the Isl.
ands when they became 4 part OF the
United States. He said. however. tIai
the failure to accept the arlendment
would not c:cvent his voting for the
treaty. for h believed In the Monroe
doctrine. Under that doctrine this
country could not permit an Elrc.
peaa power to :couire the islands. and
we could not In fairness take this po-
sltion and then ourselves refuse to
buy them when they arc for sale. The
amendment was rejected.
Senator Cullom explained all tn.
provisions Of the treaty and gave n 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 inhab.
ifants was similar to the provision on
the same subject in the Spanish Treaty
concerning Porto Rico. In taking the
islands. lie said. the United States
would assume no burIeD Ut debt. as
by the terms of the agreement all
claims held by Denmark against the
insular Treasury would be Cancelled.
He placed the total Of these claims at
$2OOo.OOO.
Senator Culfom explained that under
the terms Of the treaty the raited
States would take possession OF the
islands as soon as ratification could
be exchanged. and said that IL would
not be necessary to delaJ that act III.
til the appropriation Of money 10 p:y
for them could be made. The ha:b"r
at st. Thomas Island vas described as
one Of the safest ard best in the West
Indies. and the Importance OF its pos.
session from strategic point OF view
was enlarged upon. He said that the
control OF that hasbor commands the
military situation as far as necessary
In Cuba. and that II We are tc build =
canal across the Isthmus OF Panama
the ownership of the harbor by the
United States Is essential. as Il gard:
the approach to the canal. Senator
Culloni's motion 10 ratify then We"
nfionted nv n viva vOce vote