The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-09-05


CITY HALL. SANTIAGO. ANT DoM1TGo.
fare Of the rest. OF commercial prog
ness. even of normal trade relations with
the natural commercial friend and ally.
the United States, there can be no cues
ton.
The United States, on account OF it's
new relation to-Cuba and Porto Rico, is
specially concerned in the peace and tran
guilty of Santo Domingo, and this ire
spective OF the investment Of American
capital on the island and the large inter-
ests of Americans in the republic of Sam
to Domingo. Other countries are inter
ested financially in the island and have
citizens and property to protect there.
In case Of internal trouble any and all
of the governments so interested are war
ranted in sending warships to Santo Do
mingo ports for the purpose of protection
and defense. But the United States has
a peculiar and paramount claim to what
Mr.. Olney would call moral sovereignty.
1t would, however, be a most serious
crisis indeed which would lead our gov
eminent to interfere in the domestic af-
fairs of either republic, although long
continued civil disorder, such as may pos
sibly result from the ambitious efforts Of
General Jiminez, might render the exer-
else of some influence a necessity.
Santo Domingo is usually called a mu-
latto republic. Its political history has
been varied almost beyond parallel. An
u~ninhabited, wild region separates it from
the negro republic of Haiti, and the po-
litical hostility between the two govern
ments is fixed and ineradicable. Hal
ii has been growing and ascending, while
Santo Domingo has been declining and
lapsing into poverty and inferiority.
Within less than a century Santo Do
mingo has been successfully under Span
ish, French, Haitian, independent, Span
ish and again independent flags. In 1865
Spain withdrew its authority for the last
time. and Santo Domingo has been indie
pendent ever since.
The present republic was founded
earlier, however, in 1914, and its consti-
tuition is modelled to a considerable extent
upon that of the United States. There
is a congress CT % deputies, chosen under
a restricted suffrage, while the executive
is chosen by IN electoralcollege for a term
of four years. The country is divided in
to ten districts, each being administered
by a governor appointed by the president.
Under the late President Heureaux
| there were comparative quiet and a re-
~ RAOSpCLllys 4Ac 4uSuEIcCIlOu III
| Cuba led to emigration, and Santo Do
mingo was glad to welcome a portion Of
the Cuban emigrants.
1t will be recalled that in 1869 there
was a movement in Santo Domingo in
favor of annexation to the United States.
The people then saw no prospect of peace
and internal concord, nor security from
foreign encroachment, and voted for alb
SorDtion nv this country.
The government of the United States
viewed the porposal with some favor. A
commission was appointed to visit the is
lind and investigate the condition of the
eastern republic. In 1871 a report was
submitted recommending acceptance of
Santo Domingo's offer. but the senate
defeated the scheme. The offer has not
been repeated since, but if it should be IL
is quite probable that a different answer
would be given.
The conditions are different today.
Few would deliberately advise the Unit
ed States to add to its burdens and re-
sponsibilities, but the f~arsighted may
be pardoned for believing that sooner or
later annexation is bound to come. 1t
is to be hoped that the latest difficulty will
not usher in a period OF revolution, war
. fare and complications with foreign coun-
tries.