The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-06-18
SATURDAY, JUNE Is, 1870.
THE SAN DOMINGO !sWINDLE

The latest revelation in the San Domingo
business indicates that the whole scheme for
the purchase of the island by the United
States is swindle of the most gigantic dimen-
sions. The scheme of annexation was, almost
undoubtedly, arranged between certain poll
ticians and lobbyists in the United States and
certain birds of similar feather in San Do
mingo, solely for the individual profit of those
who are in the ring. A despatch from
WASHINGTON gives us the information that
it has been proved before the Senate
committee appointed to investigate the case
that David Hatch was held prisoner by the
Dominican Government because it was feared
that if at liberty he would damage the pros
poets of annexation. 1t is impossible to
characterize this gross outrage on an Ameri-
can citizen as it deserves, and while satisfac-
tioa should be demanded of the Dominican
authorities, it ought to cause the closest pos
sible scrutiny into all the details of the
scheme for the purchase and sale of the
island. Whether the investigation now
going on will be as full and COM
plete as the very suspicious facts
that have come to light will warrant, is open
to good many doubts, as from all appear
ances the committee having the matter in
charge does not appear to be altogether i'm
maculate. On Thursday Consul Perry
was on the stand, and in reply to a
question as to whether he had been
approached by any one to influence his
action in making his report to the State De-
partment on the imprisonment of Hatch re-
piled that he had been approached by Senator
Howard. who came to his room at
Willard's Hotel and told him not
to write the report, as he (How-
ard would see the President and make
it all right. Mr.. Howard who was present
as a member of the committee when Perry
made this statement, denied it; but Perry
insisted that it was true, and showed three
of Howard's visiting cards, on one of which
was a memorandum asking him to call on the
Senator at his room. This may not be con-
elusive proof as to Senator Howard's COM
plicity with the San Domingo ''ring," but it
certainly imposes on him the onus of dis
proof.
The President, in urging the ratification of
the San Domingo treaty, is undoubtedly in
fuenced by the purest and best motives. He
knows, as every man in the country knows
who has given the subject a moments
thought, that it is a matter of very great i'm
portance we should have at as early day as
possible a station in the West Indies and
sufficient territory to give us firm foothold.
San Domingo is in very many respects ad-
mirably suited for our purposes, and the evil
dent anxiety of the President to get it at
what he considers bargain has stimulated
both the American and Dominican adven-
turers to invest heavily in annexation stock
We certainly want San Domingo if we can
get it on proper terms; but with the Alaska
swindle before our eyes, it will scarcely be
creditable to the proverbial Yankee shrewd-
ness if we allow ourselves to be bamboozled
a second time. 1t is almost certain that if
San Domingo is annexed under the treaty
now before the Senate, it will be found that
we have been swindled even worse than in
the case of Alaska; and as West Indian sta
ton is not an imperative necessity at the
present moment, it would be wise policy for
the Senate to refuse to ratify bargain con-
summated under so many suspicious circum-
stances.