The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-11
INVOLVED
"a Sorensen Discusses Proposed Sale
Of Danish West Indies.
HOW DANES AT HOME FEEL
They Say Inhabitants of the Islands
Should Have Voice In the
Matter.

A. Sorensen, a native Of Denmark, and
editor OF the Ugebladet, newspaper OF
Minneapolis, says that there IS great
principal involved in the sale OF the
Danish islands in the West Indies which
is OF vital Importance to the common
people OF Denmark, and for winch they
will fight long and hard. The people in
Denmark have been opposed to the ar
bltrary sale of the islands since the, ne
gotiations with the United States were
first opened. This is not because of close
commercial and personal relations OF the
Islanders and their countrymen IN the
home land, says Mr.. Sorenson, but because
tne Danes desire that the people OF the
West Indies shall have their own wishes
consulted Said Mr.. Sorensen this morn
ing:
The new administration inaugurated last
summer, supplanting the old and conserva-
tive administration, is disposed to be lib
eral. 1t favors the immediate sale OF the
Danish West Indies, but the party that placed
the administration in power is opposed to
the sale of the islands without first ascer-
tanning the wishes of the Inhabitants. The
personal interest of the Danes at home in
the insular possessions in American waters
is not great-perhaps not greater than that
OF the people Of the United States IN Hawaii.
large majority Of the population Of the
islands is foreign, consisting mostly of Eng
lish speaking peoples, but including large
numbers of Spaniards, Italians and Mexicans.
In this I refer to the planters and people
of position. The laborers are negroes almost
without exception. The trade Of the islands
is carried on almost wholly with the United
States and very little of 1t is with Denmark
Because of these facts there can be but little
personal interest In the disposition of the
islands, other than that felt in the principle
involved. The Danes in Denmark believe
that the islands a part Of their country,
and that the citizens thereof should have
their wishes consulted before their lands are
placed under the control of another nation
If islands in foreign waters, the property
of Denmark can be sold by the powers that
be without needing the voice of the people,
why should not an administration, following
the precedent, detach any part OF the home
land and surrender it for money considera-
ton to any other country? That is the ques-
ton the common people are considering, and
they will insist that the inhabitants of the
islands be heard and that their requests be
granted.
After twenty years of negotiating, Denmark
knows little more as to what she wants to
do In the matter of this sale than she did
at first The islands are costing the home
government much more than they are pay
ing it, and Denmark now has debt of sew
eral million dollars due to the islands. Ths
sale at any of the prices mentioned would
not pay one-third of this debt, and in the
event of the building Of the isthmian canal
the islands will be valuable and wealth.
producing possessions. In the expectation that
the canal will become realty in a few years.
Denmark may hold the islands, and, again,
it is just reasonable to believe that she may
decide at any moment that the investment is
costing her too much and sell out.