The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-04-07
WASHINGTON LETTER.

The United States had the chance in
Santo Domingo by administering that
country's finances to give stability to her
government and by paying off in reason
able time the debts of the Island to keep
a European Nation out thereby prevent
the establishment Of foreign naval
station in West Indian waters. but the
Senate refused to see in the act of the
President toward that end anything more
than an assailment of its priced preroga-
tives. The result was that it held up
action in the matter and adjourned with
out vote. Fortunately for that country
as we'll as our own the President has seen
fit to take step in giving orders that
this country shall until the decision OF
the Senate at the next session act as the
receivers of the Dominican revenues
which will notwithstanding the sensation
al charges of the nconstitutionality Of
the procedure by Senator Morgan be a
matter for congratulation of the American
people. 1t is clearly polite for the United
States Government to straighten out the
finances of the little country just as it
would be to save from the results of their
folly our other small Latin American
neighbors. 1t is gradually becoming a
sentiment among our people and an ex-
pectation among our neighbors that the
Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean sea are
our own peculiar zoneA of influence, and
just as we have forced Spain out of Cuba
and Porto Rico and made ourselves the
owners of the Panama Canal we must ex-
pect to extend our influence to include
Santo Domingo, Haiti and the small
republics of Central America. That this
is the view taken by the people is appar-
ent in the approval of the Presidents
course which is general When the
time to see that the question is much
graver than one of merely exceeded pre-
negatives. or assailed dignity. A greatna
tional duty has been presented to the
country and it should have responded
cheerfuily and promptly. It did not but
the President made good as far as he
was able and the Senate will still have a
chance to establish itself in the public
confidence by ceasing its quibbling and
giving him hearty support.
~
The news that the st. Petersburg dis
patches deny all knowledge of peace pro-
posals is not taken here to mean that the
President of the United States has not
been selected to mediate the differences
of Russia and Japan. Negotiations it is
said are already in progress and suspen-
sion of hostilities is anticipated shortly
1t is claimed that the selection of Presi-
dent Roosevelt as mediator is inspired
by the Japanese but that it would meet
with satisfaction in St. Petersburg is up-
doubtedly true. It is believed in Diplo,
matte circles here that the peace negotia
tons may be carried on in Washington
The President and Count Cassini the
Russian Ambassador to this country are
warm personal friends, and the intimacy
extends to their daughters who are almost
inseparable. Cordial relations also exist
between Prince Kogoro Takahira the
Japanese Minister and the President and
and it is said the Japenese have an ideal
regard for the President both as soldier
and Executive.
NATIONAL. NEWS BREvITIES.
The North Atlantic squadron is to be
reorganized. The feet is to be divided
into first. second, third, coast and des-
ttroyer squadrons with six divisions each
Of (which can be detached at any time and
be sent out on orders from the Navy De-
partment.
~
Representative LaFevre who was elect
ed last Fall and whose constituency in
cludes Judge Alton Parker's home is one
oft youngest members of Congress be-
ing less than thirty years of age.
n
The Philippine junketing party will
leave San Francisco the sixth of July in
stead of the first as originally planned.
1t will return by October sixteenth, the
probable date for the assembling in extra
session of the Fifty-ninth Congress.
~
Senator Stewart of Nevada who has
made and lost one fortune is again en-
barking in some large mining enterprises
in his native state.
~
Two hundred Confederate flags captur-
ed during the war of the rebellion have
been returned to the Governors of
Southern States. The War Department
has many others which will be retained
as there are no means of identifying them.