Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-29
WISH FOR ANNEXATION
IT Is STRONG AMONG A CERTAIN
ELE1lENr IN sANTo DOMINGO.
Great Misery Of the Republic-Ameri-
can Market for Sugar Lost-Men
Taken From Production.

SAN JUAN. Porto Rico, December %, 1903.
There Is a strong desire for annexation to
the United States among certain element
in Santo Domingo. and this desire was
strongest in 1893, when the Dominican peo-
pie, through President BaeZ, petitioned
President Grant to annex the republic to
the United States. and their petition was
denied. Since that time the desire for an
nexation has much abated, owing to the
rumors that have reached the Dominican
people of the Ill treatment that men OF
dark complexion are said to receive at the
hands Of Americans. but many liberal
minded Dominicans believe that such con-
ditions only exist among a certain class of
men in the United States and that the
American nation extends equal rights to
all of her citizens, and they are anxious
and willing to become American citizens.
but at present men who hold these opinions
dare not give them publicity, for a cold and
loathsome dungeon followed by platoon
of musketry at 6 o'clock in the morning and
six feet of damp soil as blanket, is a
strong argument for tho enforcement of
silence. However, Santo Domingo needs
aid, and prompt aid at that, and 1t must
come from somewhere. 1t is eagerly ex-
pected, but how soon it will come, and
where 1t will come from, Is left to be seen.
Misery of the Island.
ting each others threats and their consular
agents are pickering over the right of
tenure of Office in foreign countries, the re-
public itself is plunged in the deepest
misery. Owing to the lack of care the to-
bacco crop has been greatly damaged on
account of the lack of laborers most OF
them having been impressed as soldiers;
much Of the cocoa has not been gathered
at the proper time and is useless; the an
nevatiop nf Porto Rico and the DrOductlOn
of sugar in the Hawaiian Islands, which
had so damaged the market for Dominican
sugar in the United States. has now been
followed by the Cuban reciprocity treaty,
try In Santo Domingo.
Now huge machinery will be left to rust
and vast cane fields will lie idle and uncul-
tivated, for the market in the United States,
the only sugar market that was left open to
Dominican sugar, has been closed to the
produce of the now truly poverty-stricken
republic. Much American capital has been
invested in the sugar industry In Santo Do
mingo and due to this among other weigh
tier reasons it was hoped, first by the ad-
ministration Of General Jimenez and next
by that of General Vasquez, that reci-
procity treaty with the United States would
be obtained, but in each instance revolu-
tons came to put an end to the projected
negotiations.
Sugar, cocoa and tobacco are the staple
productions Of Santo Domingo. Dominican
sugar, as we have seen, no longer has an
outlet, the cocoa crop has been greatly cur
tailed and damaged by the constant revolu-
tons OF late, and the tobacco crop, which
at it's best is but a poorly prepared article
and only salable in Hamburg. for this year
has been extremely damaged.
Weighed Down by Debt.
On the other hand the nation is weighed
down by an enormous debt, the interest
upon which is paid with the greatest diff
Guilty, and each revolution increases the debt
a couple Of hundred thousand dollars. There
is no organized system of taxation. The
government supports itself almost exclu-
sively from the import duties laid on goods
coming from foreign countries. and a great
deal of smuggling is carried on. The la
boring classes are made to pay the greater
part of the dues. and the wealthy pay COM
paratively little. A poor man who proba-
bly, earns so cents a day Is obliged to pay
Sc and 81 for pair of boots If he would go
shod Heavy duties are laid on food stuffs,
and a barrel of flour that would not be
worth more than $3.50 or 81 in the United
States fetches as high. as $12, $14 and SIS,
American money, in Santo Domingo. Dur
ing the month of October tin of condensed
milk worth about 10 or II cents fetched as
high price as 81 In American money. Gus
toms dues must be paid in American gold
and there is no gold or at least very little
of 1t In the country.
The Dominican currency is nothing but
nickel each Dominican dollar being worth
20 cents American money. Laborers are
taken from the fields to go and night IN the
revolutions, and the fields are left to take
care of themselves. 1t is safe to say that
not more than one-tenth. at the utmost, Of
this most fertile country Is under cuitiva-
ton, while the republic, which is capable
of containing and supporting 6,O00.OO0 of
people with ease, barely has population OF
100000.