New-York tribune., 1900-05-02
STORY OF PLOT DENIED.
THE STATE DEPARTMENTS DECLARA-
TION REGARDING PROPOSED ACQUI-
SITION OF DANISH WEST INDIES

Washington. May 1.-The State Department au-
thorizes the declaration that 1t has never recog-
nized any individual In connection with the pro-
posed acquisition by the United States of the ISL
ands of the Danish West Indies that it has no
knowledge that any private person has ever in
terposed in the negotiations that subject, and
finally that the negotiations have never been in
fuenced, directly indirectly. by unofficial per-
sons. This statement is called forth by the pub
lication of the details of what is represented TO
be attempt the part of persons connected
with the Standard Oil Company TO force the
Danish Government to pay them commission
on the sale of the Islands the United States
The Department officials say that of they
are not competent TO affirm deny the truth of
the allegation as TO what passed between any
such persons and the Danish Government officials
but for themselves they able to make the
broadest denial of any connection with knowl-
edge cf such intervention. The Secretary of state
ooes not know Rogers, one of the persons named
and represented 10 be connected with the Standard
Oil Company. who is said to have initiated the
attempt to intervene for the Commission
The facts of the case. so far the State Depart
ment is concerned and is aware follows:
Close upon the publication of rumors to the
effect that the Danish Government was about to
sell the islands TO the United States last fall a
Danish army officer, named Captain Christmas
Dirkfeld' appeared In Washington and sought
interview with the Secretary of State. Secretary
Hay had heard through the press of his coming
to Washington and that he was charged with a
mission relative To the sale of the Danish West
Indian Islands. Captain Christmas. however. told
different story when he the Secretary. He
said that while he officer of the Danish
Government. he had absolutely no authority to deal
with the United States Government respecting
these islands. But he had for years been of the
opinion that it would be for the benefit of the
islands and of Denmark to make the transfer TO
the United States and had come Washington not
to make any proposition but to offer the State
Department the benefit of his personal knowledge
ana experience, having made the conditions in the
islands the subject of many years special study
Secretary Hay listened with interest to Captain
Chrlstmass representa- lions and thanking him
for his tender, promised call on him whenever
there should be need for his services
Then the Secretary, acting the intmation that
the Danish Government might be thinking of sell
ing, sent instructions to Mr.. White the United
States Secretary of Embassy at London to go to
Copenhagen and investigate Mr. White performed
his task with ability and his report to the State
Department is ali that there is on file respecting
the Danish islands of recent date or in fact ,i,bi,,
the last five years.
Regarding the conclusions reached bv Mr. White
the state Department officials say nothing The
report was communicated in substance TO the mem
pers or the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
as well az to leading members of the Adminfstra-
ton party in the House of Representatives and il
Is supposed that it contained a statement of the
terms on which the Danish Government was will
ing TO make the sale. But in any event it makes
plain the fact that the negotiations were conducted
exclusively between Mr. White and the Danish
government officials. and that no unofficial person
or thrd party entered into them, and the State
Department has no objection to that fact appear
ing at this stage Mr.. Whites appearance in the
United States at this time has no connection with
the Island project whatever. according the State
department oh1cials. The Secretary of Embassy
Is mere on leave of absence. having been two years
at his post without vacatior. lie has not been
In Washington since his return to the United
states, but has spent his time in New-York though
ne is expected to pay visit to the State Depart
ment before he returns London.
The officials are a loss perceive any reason
dple connection between Mr.. Whites negotia tions
and the reference 10 the Monroe Doctrine made
by Secretary Root in his New-York speech What
ever the nature of Mr. Whites report, IL is said
that it does not disclose purpose on the part of
the Danish Government to sell the islands to any
other Power than the United States so that an
objection 10 such sale would be purely hypothet-
ical at this time. Secretary Root could not be
seen to-day being confined to his home by an at
tack of the grip