Minister Swenson to the Secretary of State
Copenhagen, October 28, 1902.
Sir: I have the honor to confirm my cablegram of the 22d instant, as follows: [Printed ante]
As reported in my Nos. 270 and 274, dated Aug. 18 and Sept. 6 last, respectively, the autumn elections to the Landsthing resulted in a victory for the Government, in conjunction with the Independent Group. When the Rigsdag convened on the 6th instant, the fusion, or Government forces organized the Landsthing by electing as President of that body one of the Independents who was opposed to the sale of the Danish West Indies. Mr. Hansen, the successful candidate received 33 votes; Prof. Matzen, the former President, 26; and three votes were blank. The presiding officer having no vote, the numerical strength of the friends and the enemies of the treaty was not affected by this election. Immediately after the September elections, ratification of the treaty of cession seemed to be assured. Such, at least, appeared to be the prevailing opinion, shared even by the opposition press, judging from its silence or the changed tone of its comments on the subject.
The Ministry realized that there was a possibility of defeat; but the reports they received inclined them to take a hopeful view of the situation. The Upper House of the Rigsdag is composed of 66 members. In case all were present, 33 votes would be necessary for securing the required constitutional consent to the treaty. The Government had 32 votes pledged; the Opposition was supposed to have 29. The remaining four were new members, who had been elected as Independents. Three of these were known to be friendly to the Ministry and are expected to cooperate with it in important [Page 542] matters of legislation. One of them had up to the time of his election favored the sale of the Danish West Indies, and owed his success at the polls to that fact—so it is claimed. After he had been chosen by the electors, he stated publicly that he had favored ceding the islands to the United States, but now that he was to have a voice in passing upon the question in the Rigsdag, he would defer his decision until he had investigated the matter more closely. A few days before the vote was taken, he declared privately that he would oppose ratification, and he so voted. Nothing could influence him to do otherwise. It transpired that another of the four who personally favors the sale had pledged his vote against the treaty in order to secure the necessary number of electors from the Right to obtain a seat in the Rigsdag. Still another, who represents a district in southern Jutland, was subjected to such pressure from his constituents, who sympathize strongly with Schleswig, and with whom he declared himself in accord, that he was inclined to vote against the treaty. He was, however, with considerable difficulty, prevailed upon to abstain from voting. The fourth one stated in the course of the debate on the first reading of the treaty that he had heretofore favored the sale, but had been won over to the view that the islands ought to be retained by Denmark for patriotic as well as commercial reasons. The treaty was submitted to the Landsthing by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Oct. 8. He recommended ratification dependent upon a subsequent plebiscite in the islands. The matter was made a special order for Oct. 15 and 22, on which latter date the final vote was taken, with the result given above. The Right won its victory over the Government principally by superior organization and party discipline. They took special delight in embarrassing the Left which had forced their Ministry to resign a year ago last July. Four of the negative votes were cast by members of former Ministries that had committed themselves to a transfer of the islands to the United States, one of them being Mr. Schested who as Minister of Foreign Affairs neglected no opportunity to further the negotiations for the sale. Another member who yielded all other considerations to party loyalty had been a member of the committee that was formed a few years ago for the purpose of creating sentiment in America favorable to acquisition. Two adherents of the party, Thygesen and Raben—respectively 96 and 87 years of age—had been seriously ill for some time and were not expected to appear in the Rigsdag during the present session. They were, however, brought to the capital from their distant homes in Jutland,—and by careful nursing and medical attendance mustered sufficient strength to attend and answer the roll call on this occasion. It is doubtful if they will be seen in their seats again.
By means of public agitation, work on the part of influential private and official persons, tenders of financial support for improving economic conditions in the islands, etc., the patriotic feelings of many of the good Danes were aroused to a high pitch, especially in Copenhagen; and the fact that the King and other members of the Court were at heart opposed to the sale did not help to smooth en the path for the treaty.
The Ministry worked most energetically to secure the sanction of the Rigsdag; and was greatly disappointed at its failure to do so. [Page 543] Not till Oct. 17 did the last one of the newly elected Independents declare his intention to vote with the Opposition. And even then it was thought that a majority for ratification would be obtained by the inability of one of the sick members mentioned above to attend, or by some member of the Right abstaining from casting his vote * * *.
Immediately after the adjournment of the Landsthing on the 22d, a Cabinet council was held, at which a statement was agreed upon to be given out to the public, to the effect that the Ministry had no intention of resigning on account of the action of the Upper Branch of the Rigsdag, and that it purposed appointing a commission to investigate into conditions in the islands, with a view to embodying into law such measures of reform as may be found advisable and practicable. Those who had made tenders of financial support for a new steamship line between Copenhagen and St. Thomas and for organizing a plantation company in the islands were asked to submit definite plans to the Minister of Finance and to take early steps towards redeeming their money pledges.
The day following the rejection of the treaty, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the leader of the Government party in the Folkething delivered speeches in that body, upbraiding the Opposition in the Landsthing for having defeated a convention concluded in good faith with a friendly Power, and throwing the responsibility for such action, with all that it implies, on the party of the Right. They wished it clearly understood that no one had any right to expect that the Government would assume additional burdens in connection with the administration of the islands. Such official utterances were demanded by the Folkething, which was practically unanimous for ratification, and whose members expressed their indignation freely over the turn matters had taken in the Landsthing. On the 27th instant, a committee of the gentlemen interested in establishing a steamship line between Copenhagen and St. Thomas sent out a circular stating that a company for that purpose would be organized, with H. R. H. Prince Valdemar as Honorary President, and inviting the public to subscribe for stock, four million Kroner of which was to be issued.
A plantation company is also to be formed, for the purpose of improving the agricultural conditions in the islands. The Ministry is skeptical as to the beneficial results expected from these ventures.
Mr. Deuntzer has said to me that in his opinion the United States will eventually acquire the Danish West Indies. He thinks that the reaction in favor of a sale will be so strong that after a few years Denmark will be compelled to ask us to relieve her of these possessions.
He requests me to say to my Government that he regrets very deeply his inability to secure the sanction of the Rigsdag to a treaty that he had concluded, in full confidence that it would receive the approval of the legislative branch of the Government.
You will find enclosed herewith clippings from various newspapers bearing on the subject of this dispatch.13 I have translated such parts of the Danish comments as I think will be of interest to you.
[Page 544]I forward, under separate cover, copies of the Rigsdagstidende containing full reports of the proceedings in the Landsthing on the treaty, together with the speeches in the Folkething mentioned above.
I have [etc.]
- From the Paris editor of the New York Herald, October 23, 1902, from The Times (London), October 22, 1902, and two articles from Dannebrog, October 23, 1902.↩