Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-08-03
DENMARK WILL NOT. SELL
LITTLE SHOW FOR ST. THOMAS BE.
LONGING To Us.
The King of Denmark Bound to Keep
His Country Intact-ERorts
of . Syndicate.

w. T. Curtis In the Chicago ecord-Herald.
COPENHAGEN. June 27.-There does not
seem to be any public interest in Denmark
on the subject of selling the Island of st.
Thomas to the United States. The two
West India colonies. st. Thomas and st.
John. are, however, burden to the Danish
government, involving an expense OF many
thousands of dollars every year, and yield
nothing Nor are they of any use. Dem
mark does not need a naval station In the
new world. The islands are unproductive
in an agricultural sense and furnish only
q limited market for the products OF the
mother country. The loss Of them would
therefore be gain and the proposition to
sell them to the United States Is SO regard
ed generally, although, as I have said,
| there is very little public sentiment on the
subject.
The radical and liberal parties favor the
sale. But even II a law was passed au-
thorizing the king to dispose of the two
islands for a stated sum Of money. 1t Is
doubtful whether he would obey. He Is
very Independent old gentleman and deies
his parliament as no other ruler in the
universe would dare to do. The king mas
said to persons whom he expected to re-
peat his remarks that he wishes to hand
down to his successor on the throne the
same territory he has governed through his
life, and that, while Denmark may not need
a base Of supplies in the American hemis-
phere at present, no one can tell when sucn
an advantage might be valuable. There
fore as long as he lives 1t Is not probable
that the sale will be accomplished. and the
crown prince is usually of the same opinion
as his father. Their ideas have been IN
unison on every important point of public
importance for many years. and 1t is De-
lieved that when Frederick ascends the
throne he will continue the same policy
that Christian has pursued.
No Show for Germany.
There is not the slightest possibility of the
sale Of St. Thomas to Germany. as Mr..
Lodge and some Of our other politicians In
the United States have suggested. Den
mark will sell nothing to Germany. The
Danes hate the Germans as bitterly as they
are hated by the French, and for similar
reasons Within the lifetime of many OF
the leading men of the country Denmark
has been stripped by Germany of one OF
her most important provinces. and the only
excuse and argument for maintaining an
army and navy In Denmark today Is the
fear of further aggressions from the great
empire on the south. Furthermore, there
Is personal grievance.
The Princess Thyra, third daughter of
the King of Denmark is the wife OF the
Duke of Cumberland, the legitimate ruler
of the German provinces of Hanover and
Brunswick, who was deprived OF his throne
because he did not obey the peremptory or
ders of Prince Bismarck That also embtt-
tiers the Danes against their nearest neigh
bors, and is reason enough why their gov
eminent will not be permitted to do any
thing to increase German power or pres
tige.
Commercial Speculation.
The proposition to sell the Danish West
Indies to the United States is commercial
speculation originating with and promoted
by a syndicate of business men and poll
ticians who expect to realize large COM
mission for their services. Their plan Is to
secure the passage Of an act by the Danish
parliament authorizing the sale at a stated
price, which is to be kept secret, and then
negotiate with the United States on a basis
that will give them a profit OF 81 100000
or more This scheme is well understood
by President Mckinley and Secretary Hay,
who have repeatedly declined to negotiate
with agents sent to Washington by the
syndicate. At least two have appeared
there, and both were told that the United
States government could not consider any
regular diplomatic channels, and no such
propositions have ever been received from
that source.
A Scandal Threatened.
Nor has the subject ever been discussed
officially with authorized representatives Of
the Danish government at Washington. So
far as I can learn, the United States minis
ter at Copenhagen has encouraged the syn
dictate to persevere in Its efforts and a gen.
eral impression prevails that he has held
out hopes Of success. He Is personally init
mate with members Of the syndicate, and II
he is not careful will find himself involved
In scandal which is sure to follow sue
cessful conclusion Of their scheme. Mem
bers Of parliament and influential politi-
clans outside, newspaper editors bankers
and SPECTATORS, number unknown, are all
expecting a large 'rake-off' when st.
Thomas is sold, and 1t is rumored that con-
siderable money has been and will be used
to influence the DrOner A gentle.
man who is well posted concerning the i'll
trigues declared today that Denmark was
threatened with something like the Pan
anna canal scandal in France.