Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1901-04-04
NieIs Groen and the Danish West
Indies.

Below we give recent Inter Ocear
editorial concerning Niels Green's ne
gotiations between Denmark and this
country which will be read with great
interest by many of this county. Mr.
Groen is the able and accomplished
Danish gentleman who was here last
J fall, and who spoke at Kimballtcn in
the last three presidential campaigns
Following is the article:
A Copenhagen dispatch to the Lon.
don Daily News purports to give the
terms on which Denmark is willing to
sell her West Indies to the United
States. These are that the islanders
shall vote for annexation, shall become
American citizens, shall have free entry
of their products to our markets, and
that Denmark shall We paid 81, 900, 900.
The first three of these conditions are
substantially those made in the nego-
tiations of 1867. Denmark's price, how.
ever, is not only $780, 1000 less than
Denmark asked for two islands then,
but 81 ,O00, 900 less than Denmark might
have obtained had her rulers not per-
mitted themselves to be influenced by
European intrigues in 1898.
In this connection the statement of
Niels Groen, recently published in the
New York Times, is illuminating
Groen, who is Harvard graduate and
a naturalized American, was visiting
in Copenhagen in January, 1897. Mr..
Vedel, one of the leading officials of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Groen
that Denmark wished to sell the West
Indies, but would make no official pro-
posal, fearing repetition of the rebuff
of 1867.
Groen offered to ASCERTAIN American
sentiment, and after visit to Wash
ington, went back to Denmark to OBJ
tain authority to effect transfer. An
unofficial committee, composed of sew
eral leading Danish politicians, was
formed and secured the necessary au-
thority, which was in turn delegated to
Groen. 1t was agreed that if the latter
succeeded in effecting sale he should
receive l percent Of the s., 900, 900 then
asked by Denmark.
Soon after his return to the United
States the Maine was blown up and the
need of West Indian naval base in
the impending war with Spain was evil
dent. Groen asserts that his proposals
were favorably considered at Cabinet
meeting on Mar %. He sailed the next
day, and says that at Queenstown he
received message stating that Con-
gress would approve the purchase If
Denmark acted promptly. On April !
Senator Lodge introduced bill appro-
priating S5,000,000. But on reaching
Copenhagen, on April 6. Groen found
the Danish government unwilling togo
ahead The excuse was given that il
would be diplomatic discourtesy"
to Spain to sell the islands then.
To those who observed the conduct
Of certain European powers during the
Spanish war there can be no doubt
that pressure was put upon Denmark
to refuse the American offer. If Den
mark had not yielded to this pressure
the islands would now be American,
the Danish treasury would have been
enriched by 1850, 900, and Groen and
the Danish politicians would have di-
.vided that $4,000 commission. That
the Danes soon realized their error is
shown by the subsequent attempt of
Captain Christmas, of the Danish navy,
to reopen the negotiations, and Dem
marks present offer to take 81 100000
less than her price in 1898.
The United States, however, has now
far less need of the islands than in 1898.
Rrt thav sbould halnp cy N fbis couptry