The Washington times., 1905-12-04
Ratification of Treaty.
Needed for SantO Don1ino0
Situation on Revolution
Island Almost at Snap
ping Point.

Because Horacio Nasquez IS Jealous
o. Santo DoIningo's independence. and
TIE United States fears for its prero-
gative, things are spt 10 happen with
srcat suddenncss at almost any time
on Revolution ISLAND.
= man from Iowa. with cold. steady
eyes and grim jaw. a white painted
Ge-et that losses, G constant warning on
Dominican waves, ana American control
- Dominican custom houses-these are
The restraints that prevent = threae en-
Cd massacre and a new government. But
things are strained SIose 10 the snap
Ping point, despite them. The ratilica-
tion OF tie Dominican treaty would re-
!ieve' this situation.
II IS the dwarf-Hke black
solder of santo Domingo whose
life hangs IN the balance untu
the injured dignity OF Horacio
FasCuez and the United states enAte
saah be soothed. lie IS a funny little
barefooted fellow. this Dominican SOL
d!er. Uniformed In blue denim. he fights
without prejudice for anyone who Will
pay 20 cents 4 day IN Dominican money.
Soldering is recognized occupation
for poems. and the only one that paws a
ni;ton scale An unpaid army viii de-
Sc-- a the first opportunity But 10 a
prompt pdyEaster these little fellows
are loyaf 10 the death. They are bad
inarksmen, bat when they come within
shotgun range, or when they can use
their ugly sword oayonets. Dominican
war loses its opera bouffe Character
During the last revolution but one q
column" OF seventy or eighty men.
ihrown into santo Domingo city BY
mistake. submitted to the massacre OF
their last man rather than run.
Morales Wants Mortality.
What this country needs. I suppose.
Said President Morales whimsicaIIy dur
Ing talk he gave TWO newspaper rner
last spring, is a greater mortality
among the better classes" The peon is a
sober, industrious Fellow, but every time
he acquires anything a revolution de-
prives him OF it If we could have quiet
on THIS island for five continuous years
q surprising prosperity would result"
investigation bears out Morales.
There is almost no crime against prop
erty In Santo Domingo. There is COM
paratively little drinking Politics in
SantO Domingo means war II YOU have
criticism to offer against the admins
tration, if you DO not like the lesisIa-
tiOn or a decision of the supreme court
take your rife and go out IN the Jungle;
start a revolution.
Santo Domingo was the first and
prize Spanish colony I'm the new world
until, in loo. ali the Spanish dons rushed
20 the mainland 10 hunt gold. Improve
nent stopped at that time The new
cathedral OF the capital was finished
il that year The city wall was built
under direction of Diego Columbus son
OF the great discoyerer the ruins of
whose palace still stand. Back in the
Jungle crumbling heaps OF stone mark
the site OF once beautiful villas and
CnCe prosperous plantations Of happy
days before the Pilgrims landed ar Ply
mouth Rock or John Smith had the
happy Introduction 10 Pocahoutas
Today the island has no roads, moth
ing but trails described by Congressman
J. Adam Bede, of Minnesota who has
recently returned from Santo Domingo
2s lust wide enough for mule ana
revolution here are no bridges. no
schools, and there is hardly ANYTHING
that can he called property. The few
hundred native planters. rich by local
standards, SEND their sons 20 Paris for
education.
But 81 the treaty is ratified, there will
be a rush 10 Revolution Island OF
Americans and American dollars. For
gotten gold mines. rich plantations.
labor ready to hand. an ideal climate.
such is the home of the modern Golden
Fleece And the Argonauts already have
plasteTed sections Of the island with
options.
Treaty Provisions.
This treaty provides that the custom
houses shall remain in the hands OF
Americans. The United States Senate
neglected to ratify this arrangement
last spring. but President Roosevelt
put Il in force anyway subject 10 sober
second thought on the part Of The
greatest deliDerative body on earth
OF customs collected, 40 per cent IS
paid TO the Santo Domingo government;
So per cent is deposited in a New York
bank TO satisfy foreign creditors who
hold a S33, ,O00, 900 debt OF the Island
Santo Domingo actually securing 10
per cent has found itself with more
funds than when 1t was supposed to
collect all the customs. Congressman
Bede says:
The only opposition on the island
IS on the part of men who were not
sufficiently lucky To be in power when
this arrangement was made. Thought
ful men are anxious that the United
states shall not withdraw its guardian
ship.
Drifting back to barbarism, society in
SautO Domingo had assumed feudal