The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-12-13

That is Said to Be Seeking Protection
Under the Eagles Wing.

| ~ 1NN'NN
Under the Eagles Wing.
Will Santo Domingo soon become
UNITED States territory? This is the
question which is agitating the minds
of some of the foremost men of the is
Hand, as well as the subject of much
Speculation in government circles il
Washington, There Is in this country
at the present time, a representative of
the president, Don Juan Isidro Jiminez
1t is understood that he is under orders
to accomplish one of two things-the
formation of a large syndicate, which is
to buy uD the bonds Of the island and
assume control under United States
protectory, or, in event of that falling,
to ask the government of the United
Safes for such relief as shall place San
to Domingo under our flag. as was the
wish of General Grant in 1871-a meas
ure for which the late president worked
so faithfully, seeing, as he did, the Inn
mense advantage to the United States
not only as a fruitful territory, but as
q stategic point for army and navy.
After eighteen years of missrule I'M
der the late President Hereaux, who
was assasinated at Moca in the autumn
of 1899, Presiden Jiminez assumed con-
troll. But with the finances of the coun-
try in a state of chaos the new presi-
dent while doing all in his power to re-
store confidence, order and prosperity,
finds the task of bringing the island
back to its normal condition beyond his
power.
| There is something truly medieval in
the political and social history of Santo
Domingo. Internal strife and foreign
intrigue. princely extravaganza of a
half-bred president and a pauper peas
antry, brilliant financial ledgermain
and farcial elections, the ''mysterious
removal of hundreds of prominent is
landers and the exile of thousands of
the best blood and breed for eighteen
| years a virtual monarchy while wear
ing the guise of a republican form
these events, ending with the notorious
flllbustering fiasco, the assassination of
the chief executive and the triumphant
entry of the ilibuster and his election
to the presidency, give to the vicigsi-
SNN'N' IN tA4C iSlIIlu picturesque 1eU-
dality and offer to the opera bouffe lib
rettlst as much material as to the
great historian who takes these seven
teenth century events with a twentieth
century seriousness.
1t was on May "a, 1898, soon after the
declaration of war with Spain. that tbe
steamship Fantia sailed from Mobile.
Alabama, in command of the present
president Of Santo Domingo, General
Don Juan Isidro Jimenez (under the
name of Rodriguez, and some of his
adherents. The vessel had been chart
cred by the United States from the
Clyde line, flying the Stars and Stripes,
and carried as cargo some 5000 rifles a
million rounds of ammunition and ac-
courements of war. 1t was supposed
that the Fanta was going to the relief
of General Gomez in Cuba, personal
friend of General Jimenez, and fellow
Santo Dominican by birth. Jiminez
sailed straight by Cuba, and at his own
peril, ordered an attack on Santo Do
mingo, stopping at a small British pos
session long enough to take pilot
aboard, proceeding thence to make war
upon a public with which the United
States was at peace.
Upon what representation and guar
antee the war and navy departments at
Washington placed without reserve this
formidable instrument of invasion in
the hands of the hidalgo will perhaps
never be known. Both departments
say there are no records bearing on the
event, and when General Jimenez him
self was presser to explain he refused |
to say anything more than that he did !
not betray the United States. 1t Is
considered probable that the Fanita |
was chartered and fitted out at the in |
stance of General Gomez, acting |
through the Cuban junta, and that once |
the vessel was in the hands of Jiminez |
ON the high seas the latter could not |
resist the temptation to revenge him
self upon his old enemy, the autocrat |
of Santo Domingo, wrestling the coun-
try from his power.
For a small island Santo Domingo
has borne up under more vicissitudes
than any country of equal size in the
western hemisphere. For eighteen
years previous to the assassination of
President Hereaux it suffered from pit
Hess despotisn, and was also the prey
of successive bands of bond brokers',
the last of which consolidation to-day
covers the entire island with blanket
to the extent of more than
$25, 900 600, not more than one-tenth of
which loan according to Jiminez ennis
sary now in this country, ever found
it's way into the public treasury and
was used for legitimate public benefits.
Yet this corporation holds the Gus
toms of the island, owns the principal
bank of the nation, concessions" which
are virtual monopoles without num-
her, and dictates absolutely what shall
and what shall not be the financial and
policy of the govern
ment.
For these eighteen years Hereaux
elected himself president successfully,
the constitution of the island
provided two terms as the limit Her.
aaux was the president, the constitu-
ton the court of laws, congress and all
IN one. Any measure which he wished
passed by the peoples farcially elected |
was placed in the lat
ters hands, together with a certain
sum of money, with the alternative of
l. \