The suburban citizen., 1900-05-26

Washington, Especial. One Of the most
important results OF the exposure and sup
preston Of the schemes for the purchase Of
the Danish West Indies through private per-
'ons and syndicates is that the United states
Government will shortly make to Denmark
proposition for the purchase oftbe islands,
the negotiations to be solely between Secre'
iary Hay and the Danish Minister OF For
eign Affairs. 1t was ascertained from official
sources that the Uniled States will take the
Initiative on the suggestion OF King Chris
tian OF Denmark, and will endeayor to have
an appropriation at this sion Of Congress
for the purchase.
Another important development OF the re-
cont transactions Is that 1t has been demon
strated to the King of Denmark that he was
the victim OF conspiTators acting in concert
In this country and Denmark desiring TO
utilize the sale for private gain.
Information to this effect, there is every
reason to believe has been transmitted to
the King OF Denmark by this Government as
explanatory Of the failure of Congress to
make an appropriation for the purchase OF
the Islands. which was regarded by the King
as a condition precedent TO official negotia-
tions. The State Department learned some
tine ago that there was a ring in the Danish
Q,tslgn Office which actually gave 20 Sap
tain Christmas aud his assistant manipula-
tors an option on the sale OF the islands.
0hlcials here say that this Is possible with
out the knowledge Of the King, and would
explain why the Danish Minister at Wash.
ington has taken no part In the negotiations.
Any representations Of doubts as to the pro-
Trlety Of tho business methods Of Captain
Christmas and his agents which might be
sent to Denmark by the Minister here would
never get beyond the very Foreign Office
ring which was promoting the scheme
through Captain Christmas.
The Danish Foreign Office off cials In the
deal, for instance, could represent TO the
King that the news from America as to a
prospective sale at SO, $4,000 or "a 1000, 900
was mere newspaper talk, and that. as a
matter of fact, the negotiations were pro-
eeeding on the basis OF the value OF the
islands as determined by the King. This
basis, 1t is learned, was much less than
S35OO,OO0.
officials here say that it is likely that the
King was willing to close oGtthe transaction
for say $4,000, 900 TO SO, 500 900, which would
have left margin Of speculation Of 81 ,50Q-
600 for Che Standard Oil Company's Christ
mas syndicate. 1t Is believed that the King
was always given to understand that the
margin Of profit Of the sale of the islands
would be too small TO permit of any specu
lations OHiclals here now also admit the
probability that the schemes Of Christmas
were largely aided by tho Standard OH In
luence, which is particularly potent on
Denmark and which has establishments
worth millions OF dollars in Denmark and in
the Danish Antilles.
That the King OF Denmark has been made
aware Of the crooked work recently in pro.
gress is conciusiyely demonstrated to the
State Department by the fact that Minister
Stevenson, the American representative at
Copenhagen, has advised the department
that the King Is now willing to renew the
negotiations on the basis OF q concrete prop
osltion from Secretary OF State Hay.
The state Department is in possession ol
the report OF Mr.. White Secretary Of the
London Embassy of the valuation placed on
the Islands by tho King. Mr.. White having
gone 10 Copenhagen for this information at
the request OF the State Department.
The new situation will, therefore, tako
shape in a short time by the Introduction OF
bill In the House appropriating specia
sum for the purchase OF the islands.