The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-05-01

New York, May 1.-The Times today
prints long article in which 1t pro-
fesses TO have found the motive which
urged Secretary OF War Root at the
Grant dinner OF last week TO discuss
the possibility OF the United STAKES be-
fng forced TO go to war to maintain the
Monroe doctrine.
1t is said the facts which led up to
OR. Roots remarks are contained In
an official report just submitted to the
Danish government by Captain w. Won
Christmas Dirckinck-Holfeld. The cap
tain was the special envoy of his gov
ernment to negotiate the sale of the
islands to the United States and his
report which has been put in the hands
of Mr.. Hoerring. the prime minister
and minister of finance. states that the
failure of the negotiations is due TO the
interference Of Henry III. Rogers, one OF
the directors OF the Standard Oil COM
pany
According to the Times the first ap-
pearance OF Mr. Rogers in the Danish
West Indian Islands matter was ABOUT
three years ago, just prior TO the
breaking out of the war with Spain.
Mr. Rogers. by letter and through the
agents of the Standard Oil company IN
Denmark. among them Niels Gron,
made proposition 10 the Danish gov
~rnment that for a commission OF ten
per cent. on the purchase price he
would undertake the sale of the Danish
West Indian Islands. ST. John. St
Croix. and st. Thomas. TO the United
States. Mr.. Rogers stated TO the DAN
5sh government that he was In posi-
tion TO do what he proposed on account
of his influence and the influence or
his company with United States' sena-
TORS. Mr. Gron. who had been sent TO
Denmark went with this proposition OF
Mr. Rogers 10 Mr. Hoerring. The Dan
1sh minister OF finance was skeptical
and al first declined to act unless some
more valid evidence OF Mr.. Rogers
power was shown.
After an investigation Mr.. Hoer-
ring called together a council OF some
of the most prominent members OF the
Danish parliament and member OF
the prominent business men OF Copen-
hagen. Among the latter was c. w.
Haeerman. a former residenit or the
United States and an old friend or
Mr.. Rogers. Hagerman impressed up
ON the council the strength or MT.
Rogers claim. and II was accordingly
decided to give Rogers permission 10
tive of the Danish government, Dut
without any billet to that effect.
Then Mr. Rogers. II is asserted. went
Rhead with the negotiations till the
breaking out OF the Spanish war
stopped them. But in the early part
OF 1899, Capt Christmas being In Ger
many. was approached by syndicate
Of Germans who asked him to use his
influence in Copenhagen to obtain from
khe Danish government a contract with
Germany by which the latter" could
purchase the island of st. John. Capt.
Christmas was not slow in asserting
9fat this would be next 10 Impossible
Tor the reason that the United States
would neither allow Denmark 10 sell
the islands TO a fore gn mower nor
would II allow Germany 20 purchase
st because Of the Monroe doctrine. He
then laid the matter before his govern
ment. the outcome being that the pro-
posftioD was denied on diplomatic
grounds. This led TO CAPTAIN Christina $
coming TO America as the authorized
agent OF the Danish government for
the sale OF the islands
Meantime Secretary White at Lon
don. was sent TO Denmark aud found
the islands could be bought for $4,000
900 and so reported to the secretary at
Washington.
Continuing the story the Times says:
ION Captain Christmas arrival In
New York he ar once mailed his lettel
OF Introduction 10 Mr. Rogers and was