Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-19
DANISH WEST INDIES
QUESTION OF THEIR PURCHASE
BY UNCLE SAM DISCUSSED.
Reported From Porto Rico That Mat
ter is to be Brought Before
Next Congress.
Special Correspondence of The Star.

1nere are numerous indications In St
Thomas that the question of the purchase
of the Danish West Indies by the United
States for the original price proposed
i,UoooO-may be brought before the next
Congress at Washington. Efforts are now
being made In St. Thomas to send to Den
mark a commission to urge the mother
country to no longer refuse to permit st.
Thomas, st. John and ST. Croix to cast
their lot under the stars and stripes, and It
is not improbable that Denmark will this
time lend favorable ear to the petition.
The principal reason for this renewal Of
an oft-considered project is the present alb
ject poverty Of the little group of islands to
the east of Porto Rico through their arri-
cultural and commercial decline Shipping
has practically ceased, bay rum being now
about the only export. Coaling, formerly
important imp mas 1aien to next to nothing,
ported, are about to cut st. Thomas from
their list of ports of call. For the past two
years business has been stagnant and the
Canadian branch bank 1t is rumored will
before long withdraw from the field. Sew
eral thousand negroes are on the verge Of
starvation through inability to obtain work
and the financial situation Is growing des-
perate.
Tourist Money Helped Populace.
The little money spent by tourists last
winter was gratefully received, and three
weeks ago, when the United States gunboat
Dixie left between $4,000 and $4,000 in
st. Thomas, the cash was welcomed as a
godsend. Seven hundred men were given
a shore leave denied to them in San Juan
through recent orders from Washington
Naturally, San Juan merchants hoWled. but
their loss was much needed gain to-. st.
Thomas
The three islands. which are among the
In hn NnrtI v,1sa
an area OF 115 square miles and have about
SO. 600 population. ST. Thomas is an ideal
winter resort English and Danish are gen
orally spoken. though che hears many of
the leading languages from time to time.
The percentage of iliteracy is very small
and cleanliness is a characteristic of the
people, their homes and their streets Sew
eral fine roads exist and the rugged scenery
is diversified and beautiful History, ma
ture and romance in short. have combined
to give the group rare attractions.
Benefits in Ownership.
Had the United States acquired possess
sion two years ago the island would have
been under the Jurisdiction of the governor
of Porto Rico, with bureau chiefs in ST.
Thomas who would report to their various
heads in San Juan. By this plan the gov
ernmental problem would have been sim
pliiied and a minimum of expenditure would
have resulted.
Roosevelt and Governor Hunt, and was
practically agreed upon, the proximity of
the islands to Porto Rico and the success
of Porto Rco's civil government being
taken into consideration. The methods
proved to be the best in Porto Rico could
have been Immediately applied, thus elimi-
mating the experimental feature to a con-
siderable degree. If Mr.. Roosevelt's views
have not changed and the group is to be
added to our insular possessions during the
next year the transfer would have many
knotty questions.
Denmark has made every possible effort
to reduce expenses in her West Indian pos
sessions. Her little force of soldiers has
been lessened, numerous government en-
ployes have been discharged and other
economies practiced. Despite this pairing
there is still an annual deficit of $4,000.
This seems picayune sum in national
finances. but it is nevertheless a burden
to Denmark. and the difference between a
deficit and liberal cash sale price means
much to the Danish treasury. Besides
Denmark really has no use for the Islands
SO far away from home.
Favored Annexation,
Two years ago, 1t will be remembered, a
plebiscite showed that a large majority of
the inhabitants of the islands favored an
nexation to the United States. but the
proposition was defeated by one vote In
the Danish rigsdag, or parliament. spas
mOdic effort was then made to better con-
OltlOnS IN the little Island, but no perma-
nent good resulted. and there now seems
to be a mutual realization In st. Thomas
and Copenhagen that the islands are worth
more to Uncle Sam than they are to Dem
mark.
Germany Of course, still keeps an eye
upon the Danish West Indies as affording
tho only opportunity for her to gain her
long-desired foothold and naval base in
these waters. A warship of the kaiser puts
in at st. Thomas at frequent intervals, and
the islands and harbor are well known to
Germany. The possibility that she will ever
acquire Santo Domingo seems now out of
the question, hence st. Thomas continues to
assume Importance strategic point.
As naval base, St. Thomas would be
Of even greater value to the United States
than Porto Rico, and infinitely superior to
Culebra, because of superior harbor value.
San Juan harbor remains undredged, and
only light-draught steamers enter it. Lit
tie has been done to 1t since American occu-
patton and roseate promises from Wash
ington could have not been fulfilled In
time Of war San Juan harbor could only
shelter the smaller naval vessels, and in
time of peace the city suffers commercially,
because big ships never round FL Morfo
Even If ultimately the harbor is improved
as it should be speedily. the United States
could well afford to own also the Danish
West Indies.