Minister Swenson to the Secretary of State
Copenhagen, March 5, 1902.
Sir: I have the honor to confirm my cablegram of the 3rd instant, and to acknowledge the receipt of the Department’s of the same date, in reply, as follows:8
On the third instant the Director General of the Foreign Office showed me a communication from Mr. Brun, in which he reports that ratification of the treaty had been advised by the Senate; but that some time would likely transpire before the President would take formal action in the matter. I was informed that the Minister for Foreign Affairs did not intend to submit the treaty to the Rigsdag before he had received official notice of the President’s ratification; and that no such notice had yet come from Mr. Brun. I thereupon cabled you as above; and on receipt of your reply immediately communicated the same to the Foreign Office. In a personal interview the Minister for Foreign Affairs expressed his gratification at receiving this information; and told me that he would transmit the treaty to the President of the Folkething the following day—March 5th. He expected that it would come up for discussion in that body on the 7th or 8th instant; and that the necessary consent would be secured without much difficulty. He is still in the dark, however, as to what course will be pursued by the Landsthing. It is rumored that the matter will be referred to a special committee, which will report the treaty back with certain amendments, pertaining to citizenship and customs relations, and recommend that the question of transfer be submitted to a plebiscite in the islands, ratification to be made dependent upon the result. This would defer final action by the Landsthing until after such proposed vote had been taken.
Though it is never safe to prophesy “unless one knows”, I predict that the Rigsdag will ratify the treaty in its present form. It is not by any means certain that the Landsthing will demand a plebiscite. A new petition is being circulated protesting against the sale of the islands on the ground that the treaty does not confer citizenship upon the inhabitants; that free trade with the United States is not guaranteed; and that St. Thomas is not continued as a free port. The petitioners find fault with the manner in which the negotiations have been conducted; saying that improper means were employed in creating a sentiment favorable to the purchase in the United States. This criticism is based on interviews, accounts, and newspaper articles emanating from Walter Christmas and Niils Gron, each one of whom claims the credit for having brought about the sale. Mr. Gron claims that he had practically completed the negotiations when they were suddenly interrupted by the breaking out of the Spanish American war.
Captain Christmas alleges that in the fall of 1899 he was authorized by the Horring Ministry to make new overtures to the United States Government. As a result, the two commissioners, or agents, crossed each other’s paths; and the story of the pot and the kettle was repeated. The repeated assertions of these adventurers that the Danish Government had offered them a commission of 10% [Page 521] in the event of a sale; Captain Christmas’ “official report”11 to the Schested Ministry, in which he gives an account of how he had to bribe every public man in the United States whose influence was needed—except Senator Lodge—; etc., etc.; have been made use of to arouse indignation against the sale.
The signers of the petition referred to above pledge their moral and pecuniary support to any feasible plan for bettering the economical conditions in the islands. Leading business men, they say, have guaranteed that a new steamship line will be established for developing the commerce with the islands if they remain in the possession of Denmark.
You will find enclosed herewith a newspaper clipping containing a copy of the petition.8
The Minister of Foreign Affairs has asked me for certain information that he wishes to use in replying to the questions and arguments of the opponents of the treaty in the Rigsdag.
I have handed him copies of the recent Supreme Court decisions in the so-called insular tariff cases. I have familiarized him with the provisions of the Constitution and the Federal Statutes on the subject of citizenship and naturalization; with our system of state and territorial governments; with our colonial policy; etc.
In pointing out the wide scope given to local legislation under all these different forms of government, I have endeavored to show that the question of United States citizenship for the inhabitants of the Danish West Indies is after all more academic and sentimental than practical. The Minister fully concurs in my views; and hopes that he will be able to bring the Landsthing around to his own view of the matter.
I have [etc.]