Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-29

The government has acted with commend
able prompt-eass in sending warships to San
Domingo - safeguard American interests
there in the event of disorder resulting
from the assassination of President
Hsureaux This is what should be done in
any event. without regard to the possible
DEVELOPMENTS of the case toward annexa-
ton or toward the growth of anarchicaI
conditions calling for outside interference.
Therefore this action is not to be confused
in the public mind with any policies which
may later be formulated to cope with the
situation to which Heureaux's death may
give rise
The fact that San Domingo once asked
for annexation and that the petition was
rejected by the Senate naturally creates a
marked interest now in the possibility of a
renewal of the offer of sovereignty. The
situation of the United States is not at all
the same today as it was in November
1859. when the treaty of annexation was
concluded, or in June. 1870 when it was re-
jected. or in April. ISL. when President
Grant abandoned the project The United
States then held no territory beyond the
Florida keys. was without foothoid in the
Caribbean sea. without a naval base from
which to defend the approaches to the
projected Nicaragua canal Today, after a
war with the owner of two of the principal
islands of the West Indies the United
States owns one of those islands and occu-
pies the other a trustee for the people
1t is interesting to ask ourselves now
whether we should accord the same treat
ment to an offer of sovereignty from the
people of San Domingo that which the
offer of 1859 received. We have broken
he md 5a3
our sovereignty eastward into the ocean.
We have acquired possessions there which
might now demand further cessions to safe
guard those We nod. We have at the same
time somewhat diminished our necessities
for an island naval base to command the
eastern gate Of the canal. which is today
much nearer actuality than it was in 1871.
But such speculation depends solely for
Its force upon the. assumption that the
people of San Domingo Will be moved to ap-
peal again to the United States for the
privilege of it's protection. Heureaux was
a despot- perhaps the strongest man of the
republic Through constant readiness to
strike he kept the nation in a comparative
state of peace but it did not advance ma
terially in culture. wealth or prospects The
present question IS whether the withdrawal
of his strong will and arm will cause co.
lapse of the republic through factional dis
sensiOns. 1t is natural for the people of
this country to anticipate the time when
these smaller organizations shall turn this
way for hep 1t may be asked how far
the annexation of Porto Rico and the
guardianship OF Cuba by the United States
will influence the Dominfcans to lay another
petition at the feet of Uncle Sam.
The case calls for immediate watchfulness
" g tt,
terests vested in the island. The United
States will not deliberately seek to wrest
any supposed advantage from the chaotic
conditions in the island Whatever may
result from the new turn in Dominican af-
fairs in the direction of closer relations with
the United States must come as result of
the initiative of the people of the islands.