ents that
the title to the island should be left to future adjustment by
treaty.

Cuba granted to the United States two very valuable coaling stations,
and the United States on its part agreed to enter into a treaty by
which we should relinquish whatever title we might have to the
Island of Pines in favor of Cuba.

A rather interesting incident occurred in connection with this
treaty which I believe I violate no confidence in now detailing,
as both Presidents have retired from office. President Roosevelt
was very anxious that the treaty be ratified; he was also most
solicitous that we should retain friendly relations with the Republic
of Cuba, and felt that the island was not of the slightest importance
to the United States from any standpoint, declaring that he would
not accept it. I was at the White House one day when the treaty
was before the committee, and he showed me a letter written to him
by President Palma, of Cuba, and my recollection is that he gave
me a copy of it for such use as I might desire to make. Mr. Palma
urged in that letter that the Senate act favorably on the treaty,
because if it did not his re-election as President of the Cuban
Republic would thereby be endangered.

So much opposition to the treaty developed in the Senate that I
deemed it useless to endeavor to bring it to a vote; and really,
as I look at it now, there is very little use for the treaty at
all, as Cuba is and has been exercising jurisdiction over the Isle
of Pines. Cuba must be giving the island a good government for
the American residents, as I have heard nothing from the island
for several years.

It was during the Fifty-seventh Congress that the treaty with
Denmark, providing for the purchase by the United States of the
Danish West Indies, consisting of the Islands of St. Thomas, St.
John, and St. Croix, came before the committee. I reported the
treaty to the Senate and urged, and finally secured, its
ratification.

The United States by this treaty agreed to pay five million dollars
to Denmark for the islands.

We first attempted to purchase the islands in 1865, during the
administration of President Lincoln. Secretary Seward was particularly
anxious that the United States should acquire them, and a treaty
was negotiated and agreed to by Denmark. The treaty was not acted
upon during the administration of President Johnson, and because
President Grant was particularly anxious for its ratification,
Charles Sumn