Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-15
LOOK TO UNITED STATES
PROFESSOR HOLLANDER TELLS
OF ST. THOMAS ISLANDERS.

BALTIMORE. Nd, December 15-The
principal paper presented at the meeting of
the Historical and Political Science Asso-
citation of the Johns Hopkins University in
Mckoy Hall last night was read by Prof.
Jacob H. Hollander of the department Of
political economy, who selected as his topic
THE Island of st. Thomas" Apropos to
his work in the reorganization Of the
finances of the island of Santo Domingo
last spring and summer, Prof. Hollander
visited the islands Of st. Thomas, HAITI An
tigua, Barbados. Trinidad and Guadeloupe
in the interests of the United States govern
ment to study economic conditions there
and their analogy to those of Santo Do
mingo.
Prof. Hollander said in his paper:
Within forty miles of the eastern coast Of
Porto Rico, its outlines. even said to be vfs-
ible on clear days from the Culebra hills,
lies the only Danish colony in the West
Indies, St. Thomas and her sister islands.
The magnificent crescent-shaped harbor,
capable of receiving any modern navy. the
picturesque town. the tidy, clean-swept
streets-all give distinctive air to st.
Thomas.
Consists of Three Islands.
"As political entity ST. Thomas consists
Of three slands-St. Thomas, st. Croix and
st. john OF them st. Thomas contains an
population of 10000. The population Of the
other two is 10000. with an area of 1913
square miles. The islands are administered
by governor appointed by the King of
Denmark
Economically St Thomas is in a state
OF retrogression In the f1ourishing fifties,
before the era of steam navigation, it was
the most important port of call in the West
Indies Here came the sailing vessels of the
world laden with merchandise, in return for
which they received rum, molasses and SUI
gar. st. Thomas was the clearing house of
the Caribbean. Money was freely spent,
warehouses were full to OVERCOMING and
local merchants prospered. The coming of
steam vessels inaugurated a radical change
Direct lines of communication were estab-
Ashed between European ports and the
more important islands and ST. Thomas was
LETT to decline, cheered only by the memory
or the past and what might be in the fu-
ture.
Panacea for Evils.
"Of the two countries to which the native
sentiment of the island turns, Germany ap-
peals by virtue of racial and social SYM
patty; the United States because of its
commercial advantage and physical proxim-
ity. Annexation to this country in some
reasonable form is regarded in st. Thomas
as a certain panacea for. all existing evils
Ihe prosperity of Porto Rico under Amer
lean rule Is understood and appreciated and
st. Thomas. Native sentiment believes that
1t would mean the revival of trade and COM
merce, profitable market for the strug-
cling sugar industry of St. Croix, a selec-
tlon or ST. Thomas as a secondary, if not
primary, naval base and restoration Of the
port to its old standing as center of dis
tribution for the West Indies.
Has Germany Designs.
THE. air in St. Thomas Is charged with
reports Of the designs and intentions of
Germany. They have been emphasized by
the frequent visits of German naval vessels.
by the intimate fraternizing Of the officers
and sailors with the natives and more en-
phatically by the acquisition by lease of one
OF the islets in the harbor-Water Island
by the neutrality-suspicious. Steamship Com
pany.
Among the most intelligent and conserv-
alive residents the feeling is pronounced
that eventually the islands must pass un-
der the sovereignty of the United States,
me islands are an increasing expense to
Denmark, and it is only the obstinate pride
of few distractions in the mother country
that has prevented and still prevents the
readJustment of sovereignty which would
bring betterment and even prosperity to the
group.
Should the islands ever pass under the
sovereignty of the United States it is clear
that their efficient administration will pre-
sent serious problems. The political rela-
lions of the island at best should be such
as to permit St Thomas to remain a free
port. Upon this the prosperity of the is
land is absolutely dependent. Moreover, no
visitor can pass through the town, visit its
public institutions and examine its actual
without realizing that these
constitute model of very high degree to
the American administrator"