The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-07-29
Murder OF President Hcurcaux.

Murder Of President HcurcnuG'
While the assassination of the presl-
dent Of San Domingo was cowardly
anair, as such murders always are, it
Il plainly apparent. from a review Of
his career since 1852, that he brought
his fate upon himself. During this
period of seventeen years he has been a
president Of the republic only in name
despotic, adventurous and ambitious,
and no one dared to oppose him. Con-
trary to the spirit of republican form
Of government, he was elected Presi-
dent four times. During that long
period, and following out the prevail
ing tendency in some of the southern
republics, the history Of San Domingo
has been one fraught with internal dis
turbances and instructions due to his
dsspotic rule. 1t is remarkable that
Heureaux did not long ago suffer the
consequences of his misdolngs.
President Heureaux was born con-
querer, and always used force, using
the means OF assassination when oppo-
nents became troublesome. The Wash
ington Star, in commenting on the trag-
edy, notes an incident which fully IndI-
Gates the real nature OF the victim o:
the murderer, as follows:
On one occasion. when Castillo. a minis
Ter Of war, showed signs OF organizing a
rebellion, HeureauX sent word to Jose Es-
tay, governor Of the province In which the
Wn9aH NHHFH NHmH
20 kill Castillo. Estay hnulted at this or.
der, but his son shot Mt the minister and
missed him, though killing CastilloS son.
Heureaux later contrived to persuade the
minister TO return to the capital with rs
tGy Is q prisoner. charged with having
sought to murder Castillo. This ruse sue
ceeded. The minister was forthwith exc
cuted for treason and the governor was
quietly disposed Of as warning to all
other governors to obey the presidential
fully.
The policy pursued by President Heu-
reaux prevented the Industrial develop
ment Of San Domingo, which is netur-
ally rich and fertile island. almost as
much SO as Cuba and Porto Rico. be-
tween which islands it lies. Foreign
capital. which he sought to entice by
the building Of railroads and other In
ternai Improvements, declined to invest
in a country which was continually in
the throes of rebellion. and the "repub-
lie" has never. since Heureaux has had
sway advanced a material step.
II may be that, Notwithstanding the
cowardly method taken to remove him.
the death OF the president will prove
q blessing to San Domingo-and 1t may
not be. 1t depends upon whether or not
n more peaceable and conservative
president succeeds him. It is a serious
situation, however, When the time
comes for the choice there will be a rush
among the ambitious ones whom the
dead president has industrIously kept
under surveillance. and 1t need not be
surprising II a state of anarchy should
develop.
It may be recalled in this connection
that President U. s. Grant, excited
much opposition to him in Congress by
recommending the annexation of San
Domingo. and went so far during his
hrst term as to send a commission
there to make a treaty to that end.
which was rejected by the senate. Mr..
Sumner and others leading the opposI-
tion, Grant, in several of his mes
sages. urged the project, and showed
how It would greatly benefit this coun-
Try. but the opponents were firm. and
some Of the debates were bitter Out
of the incident, grew the GOODNESS that
afterward existed between General
Grant and Mr.. Summer. In the las,
message President Grant sent to Con-
gress in 1876 he reiterated his argu-
Taents and defended himself from GER
tain attacks that had been made upon
him iE connection with the matter.
Considering the history Of the past year,
It mny be suggested that had General
Grants idea been carried out in 1865.
the United States might now be in pos
session Of San Domingo In connection
With Porto Rico. and the possibility OK
Cuba, and the events OF the past seven
teen years enling in the present crisis,
due to the tragedy. would not have
been possible. The San Domingo peo-
pie asked FOR annexation. Were Grant
now living. he might regard his judg-
ment as INDICATED.