Minister Swenson to the Secretary of State
Copenhagen, April 14, 1902.
Sir: I have the honor to enclose herewith, for your information, a copy of a communication addressed to me by Walter Christmas, under date of the 8th instant. In acknowledging the receipt of the same, I respectfully declined to cable the contents thereof to the Secretary of State. In view of Mr. Christmas’s character and his absurd and contradictory statements regarding his alleged connection [Page 524] with the negotiations for the cession of the Danish West Indies to the United States, I attached no importance to the representations set forth in the enclosed letter. It is quite generally understood here that Mr. Christmas and Mr. Gron are engaged in a purely personal controversy; and that their attempts to paint each other as black as possible are actuated by motives of revenge. Statements emanating from these two persons are viewed with suspicion.
In my No. 246, of the 5th ultimo, I reported that the opponents of the treaty were airing the Gron-Christmas scandal, hoping thereby to arouse popular indignation and to influence the Rigsdag against ratification.
The newspapers have kept the subject before the public; and crimination and recrimination have been the order of the day. No opportunity has been lost to give the scandal a serious aspect. The bribery investigation recently ordered by the lower house of Congress has been sedulously made use of for that purpose.11
Few persons believe that the negotiations were in any way influenced by unofficial agents or that suggestions of corrupt means were ever made or countenanced by either of the two Governments.
The Danish Prime Minister, Mr. Horring, is thought to have been indiscreet in his dealings with Mr. Christmas, but beyond that the matter is not taken seriously. Nevertheless, the fact that such wide publicity has been given to the scandal causes a feeling of humiliation among the Danes, and rather strengthens the opposition to the cession.
The Landsthing held its first secret session for consideration of the treaty on Tuesday, March 25th. Subsequent meetings have been held on the following dates: April 3, 4, 5, 7 and 9. I have been kept well informed of what has transpired in these sessions. The question of ratification has become a political one; and the Right is making desperate efferts to hold its members in line on all votes respecting the matter. In the secret session of Monday, the 7th instant, a motion to reject the treaty was defeated by a vote of 35 to 28. The Landsthing is composed of 66 members, of which 35 belong to the Right (Opposition).
The next move by the antisale people came on Wednesday, the 9th instant, when they decided, by 35 votes, to report in favor of deferring ratification till after the question of the proposed cession shall have been submitted to a restricted vote in the islands. Two minority reports will be made. The Left, or Government party, will favor ratification of the treaty as consented to by the Folkething, that is, without any conditions attached. The independent group of 8 will recommend ratification dependent upon a subsequent plebiscite, or general vote, in the islands.
The reports are now being prepared, and will be laid before the Landsthing in a secret session next Thursday, the 17th instant, for formal adoption by the committee of the whole.
The matter will then be brought to a vote in open session—probably in two or three days.
The result will show a disagreement between the two houses; and after the usual procedure has been observed, a conference committee will likely be appointed.
[Page 525]It seems likely that an agreement will be reached on the basis proposed in the report of the independent group referred to above; though many leading members of the Folkething are strongly inclined to advise nonconcurrence in a compromise report.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs thinks that an uncomprising attitude on the part of the Folkething would result in the rejection of the treaty by the Landsthing. There is much difference of opinion as to this. I have talked with prominent Landsthing members of the Right, — on this point; and my impression is that if unconditional ratification is insisted on by the lower house, the upper house will yield by a very small majority. The opposition in the Landsthing is being lead by Professor Matzen, the President of the thing; Mr. Estrup, the leader of the Right and formerly Premier of Denmark; and Mr. Holger Pedersen, a weal thy manufacturer. The last named has become fanatic on the subject of the transfer. In one of his speeches in secret session, he declared with intense feeling that he was ready to sacrifice his whole fortune to prevent the sale. Vort Land and Nationaltidende, dailies published in Copenhagen, have for some time been making a regular crusade against the sale.
The arguments advanced are the same as indicated in my previous despatches on this subject. The Brussels conference for the abolition of bounties on beet sugar has furnished the opposition with a new argument in favor of retaining the islands. It is pointed out that the cane sugar producing West Indies will profit by the proposed agreement; and that the main reason for selling the islands will thereby be eliminated.
I have [etc.]
- House Report No. 2749, 57th Cong., 1st sess.↩