The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-07-29
AMERICA HAS LONG
HAD HER EYES UPON
THE DANISH INDIES
Statesmen Have Recognized
Great Strategic ImpOr-
lance Of Islands
FORMER PURCHASES
ALL GOOD BARGAINS
The United State Has Melted Mil
lions From Territory Acquired
by Purchase in Past
Years
nv HOLLAND

New York, July 2S.-(Special) -Freder-
lex w. Seward used to say that ms
father William H. Seward when Sec
retary of state had occasionally in mind
negotiations with Denmark whereby the
United States could obtain one at least
of the Danish West Indian islands. Sec
rotary Seward believed that the United
States could afford to pay any price Def
mark asked for one and, II possible dn
Of the islands. His attention was espe-
cially fixed upon these islands because
thew would have been valuable to the
federal government at the time of the
civil war, furnishing excellent bases lor
naval operations and for the blockadlns
fleet.
Thurlow Weed, who made frequent vis-
its to Santa Cruz and established
friendly relations with some of the au-
thorties there, was also persuaded thas
it would be of great advantage to ths
United States if we could secure Santa
Cruz. and presumably he had several
talks with his friend, Secretary Seward,
3 upon this matter. Seward, however, was
so greatly occupied with negotiations with
the Russian authorities for the purchase
of Russian North American, which, hav-
ing secured. he named Alaska, that he
4 had little opportunity to consider any ne
fgotiation with Denmark based upon pur-
chase of one of the Danish Islands. Sew
ards purpose in securing Alaska, accord
ling to Frederick w. Seward, was chiefly
1.-THE obtaining for the United States oil
of line Great
britain did not possess. He hoped that
4 some day we would also secure Lower
NCalifornia, and James G. Blaine, When
xSecretary of State under Garfield, posst
5lbIy having heard of Stewards wish, began
Anformal negotiations for the purchase
tof Lower California from Mexico. These
Ewere ended after the death OF General
.Garfeld and the accession of Chester A
fArthur to the presidency.
! A few years ago, after the return of
Frederick w. Seward from visit to
ALASKA, he told incidentally of remark
konce made by his father after Alaska
& WAS purchased. Secretary Seward said
that the United States would never ac-
@1uire any territory excepting by pur-
Chase and had in only one instance since
INDEPENDENCE was secured obtained terri
&ory by means of diplomatic action He
Deferred to the northwestern boundary
line and also to the diplomacy at the
Ifame time which established the boun-
%laries of Maine.
y When John Bassett Moore returned to
khe United States from the Paris peace
conference in 1898, he spoke in some de-
Nail although privately and informally.
,sbf our acquisition of the Philippines. Mr..
Moore was secretary of that commission,
Bnd the late Whitelaw Reid, who was a
lNnember of the commission, said a few
kears ago that Mr. Moore did most of
'Ahe work and in fact, drafted the treaty.
MIR. Moore spoke of our payment to
.Bpain of $20,O0O,O00 in gold in accordance
with the terms of the treaty, saying that
'khere was popular nisconception about
iShat payment. 1t was not a payment to
Spain for the purpose of securing sover-
dignity over the Philippine islands, but