New-York tribune., 1902-04-02
MR. RICHARDSON'S CREDULTTY.

The inquiry into the Christmas scandal has
only just begun. but it has gone far enough 10
show what we suspected when Mr. Richardson
with his shocked honor sprung the affair on
the House. Niels Gron. who brought TO Mr..
Richardson's attention the begging appeal of
Christmas 10 the Danish Government. which
that honorable gentleman Characterisiically rep
resented 10 be secret and confidential report"
Of an agent 10 his principal the stand
before the investigating committee yesterday.
He confessed that he was the agent Of the anti
sale party in Denmark, and had been sent by
the leaders of that party TO Washington 10
bring out the bribery story. evidently in the
hope of creating a prejudice against the treaty
in Copenhagen. After making several unsuc
cesSful attempts to explode his sensation he
finally got Mr. Richardson to lend his aid TO
this indirect warfare upon the Danish Ministry.
We assume that Mr.. Richardson was not fully
conscious of the intrigue in which he was being
made 10 take part. That he ought 10 have seen
ii is clear. He knew that the treaty had been
ratified by the United States, and that nothing
remained to cOrcude the business but the
action of the Danish upper house. Here was
story which was not new. The operations OF
Christmas and Gron had been recOunted In the
newspapers, and it might readily have occurred
all the way from Denmark AT this particular
time merely to have the good names Of America
and Denmark cleared as Mr. Gron was at first
declared to have done. Either he did not take
any pains TO find out Mr.. Gron's true mission,
which the latter admits. else, knowing,
he lent himself to the exploiting of a scheme
which could have no object but 10 affect the
action OF another government and defeat the
plans and wishes Of this government The
United States has ratified the Danish treaty,
and is anxious that Denmark should do like
wise. We are rot ready TO believe that n Rep
resentative in Congress. even though dSappr0v-
ing of that treaty would intrigue to bring about
its failure after his cOuntry'S adhesion TO it
had been officially determined. That is too
much like giving aid and comfort TO enemy.
So we must believe Mr.. Richardson was inno-
Gently credulous. Yet he extremely credu-
lous The secret and confidential report was
ON its face an impudent begging letter full OF
the most ridiculous statements. Mr. Richard
son swallowed them whole and instead OF
making any inquiry at the State Department
or elsewhere TO learn the true inwardness of
the affair and find If unscrupulous for
eigners were not trying 10 use him against Lis
own country. he rushed forth in partisan zeal
10 spring his sensation and abuse the State De
partment for not having treated these stories
when referred 10 in the American and Danish
press as seriously as he in his ignorance WAS
treating them.
The fact apparently is that the State Depart
ment and the present Danish Ministry both
understood Mr. Christmas and Mr.. GrOn. and
the Danes had no intention of submitting TO
tortion Mr. Richardson could doubtless have
learned as much if he had not been eager to
make scandal. OF course, he thought the
charges Of corruption true, that Senators and
Representatives and diplomats were corrupt.
He wanted 10 think so. 1t would be good poll
tics TO prove it. IL he could. There might be
good politics in the suspicion, for lie well
stuck 10 is often as good the truth in poll
tics and popular impression Of something
discreditable about the Danish treaty might be
useful. So Mr. Richardson rushed In with his
sensation And now his informant and hacker
reveals the plot made in Denmark" and Mr..
Richardson finds himself the instrument OF for
eign schemers who weretrytng to prevent the
United States from securing what the United