Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-10
Americans Collecting the San
Domingo Customs.
SIGSBEE'S POW ERS
ACTING UNDER GENERAL IN
sTRUcTIoNs FROM DEPARTMENT.
Report From Minister Dawson = Ar
rival in Washington of Com
mander Dillingham;.

The State Department has received
mail report from Mr.. Dawson. United
States minister at San Domingo, descrip-
tive of the negotiations that have beer in
progress there between himself and Com
mander Dillingham; on the one side and
President Morales on the other side re-
speeding the administration of the Domini-
can customs by the United States The re-
port, however, being mailed week ago
did not include the latest phases of the ex-
changes, including the signature of the
protocol which is now on its way to Wash
ington.
Commander Dillingham;, who was asso-
ciated with Minister Dawson in arranging
the Dominican protocol, has arrived in
Washington, and called at the Navy De-
partment this forenoon to report his arrival.
He saw Captain PiIlsbury, assistant chief of
the bureau of navigation, who Immediately
communicated to Mr.. Loomis. the assistant
secretary of state, the fact of the naval
officers arrival, and arranged for a report
by him to the State Department of what
had taken place in San Domingo outside
of the matters described in Minister Daw-
sons report.
Admiral Sigsbee's Powers.
While the State Department knows MOTH
customs collections in San Domingo by
American agents SO as to include Monti
Cristi with Puerta Plata in the list of ad-
ministrative offices, it is said that Admiral
Sigsbee was fully empowered to do that in
his discretion, hence it is not doubted that
he has detailed naval officer to take
charge of the customs house at Montl
Cristi.
Lieut.. Commbander Edward F. Leiper of
the Detroit was with Commander billing
ham last summer when the latter offcer IN
tervened so successfully between the gov
eminent and insurgent forces, and as ne
shared in the commanders popularity
among the Dominicans and was acquainted
with their methods, it is supposed that Al
miral Sigsbee would naturally call upon
him to take charge at Monti Cristi. AT any
rate no specific orders for a detail or that
kind have gone forward from the State Oh
Navy Department. and Admiral Slgspec Is
acting under his general Instructions
1T is positively declared at the State De-
partment that these instructions are pa'eo
upon the arbitration award OF last summer
and that Admiral Sigsbee's actions are NOT
in any manner Influenced by the new FRO
tocol which awaits the approval OF The
United States Senate before becoming er-
fective. AS has already been stated, me
arbitration award contemplated the ah-
mnistra ton of Dominican customs at Iour
named posts by agents of the United States,
and Mr.. Abbott was selected at the IN
stance of the New York claimants under
the award. and installed as collector OF
customs at Puerta Plata.
Complaint having been made that the re-
ceipts at Puerta Plata were insufficient to
meet the award, it was contemplated that
the collection should be extended so as to
include AIonti Crsti, and President Morales
himself is said to have been willing that
that should be done, that if any opposi-
ton has been developed to the installation
oN1lo ITO OF
Monti Cristi it is said to have certainly
been among that element opposed to the
government of President Morales.
The propriety of further extending the
collections to the remaining ports named
in the arbitration award, Sanchas and Sa-
mana, has been considered but in view
of the small business at those ports 1t Is
said that such action would hardly pay,
though Admiral SigSbee is at liberty to
make further details of customs collectors
there if he sees fit to do so.
Outside the Protocol.
But the fact which the officials here de-
sire to have kept constantly in mind is
that all of the acts are absolutely without
any connection with the pending Domini-
can protocol, and, it is declared, it is not
the intention of the State Department to
take the first step under the terms of that,
protocol unless the document is first APP
proved by the United States Senate.
If the torpedo boat destroyer Stewart.
which has been serving as dispatch boat
between San Domingo and San Juan, P. r.,
succeeded in connecting at the latter port
with the mail steamer for New York the
protocol should reach Washington by next
Wednesday. AS 1t is regarded highly
desirable that the agreement should be al
lowed to speak for itself in answer to GER
tain criticisms that have been passed upon
it. 1t is probable that at the instance of the
administration the Senate will publish the
document Immediately upon its receipt.
The Stewart left San Juan yesterday on
her return to Santo Domingo CITY. ana IN
view of reports that the disaffected ele-
ments in San Domingo are interfering with
the telegraph and cable service, dispatch
boats will continue to ply back and forth
between San Juan and San Domingo as
long as they may be needed for messenger
work.
Commander Dillingham; Reports.
Commander Dillingham; had half hours
conference with Assistant Secretary Loom
is, and made the verbal report of condi-
lions in San Domingo when he left four
days ago. He emphasized the fact that
there was no sign of disturbance or dis
satisfaction on the part of any important
element in the island with the projected
protocol. The commander will now return
to his post at the Norfolk navy yard.
During the day cablegrams were received
at both the State and Navy departments
from San Domingo. The text of these was
withheld from publication, but IL was stateo
that they permitted the understanding that
Lieutenant Commander Leiper, from the
Detroit, has established himself as collector
of customs at Monu Cristl.
There was no report of threatened dis
turbance, though an intimation was con-
veyed in the cablegrams that some of the
Dominican leaders in opposition to Morales
administration do not view with satisfac-
ton the action OF the American naval COM
mander in establishing himself at Monti
Cristi
Missouri Senatnrshin unchanrad