The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1905-03-18
The Santo Domingo Treaty and the
Monroe Doctrine.

The Santo Domingo treaty ahu the Mohroe |
Doctrine hold public attention in national |
AFFAIRS More than year ago the President and |
Secretary Hay of the State Department nego- |
tiated treaty with the Dominican govern |
ment, In which it was stipulated that the |
United States government should take charge |
Of certain custom houses, collect the taxes, |
give forty live per cent. to the support OF the
Dominican government and use fity.hv per !
cent. to pay certain creditors of that govern |
ment. And the treaty was put IN force before
it was ratified by the Senate. The carrying
out of the treaty necesSitates the placing of
United States agents 10 collect and disburse
the revenues and the maintenance of warships
In Dominican waters to prevent revolution.
Revolution is a chronic state in the Caribbean
and South American governments, and to
successfully administer the financial affairs of
any Of them would require the presence OF
United States military and naval forces to pre-
serve order during the period required to
straighten out It's financial condition.
During the recent regular session of Con-
press President Roosevelt laid the Santo
panied by message, stating that the treaty
was signed at the earnest solicitation of the
Dominican government. The President, also,
based the action in accepting the trust under
The scope and meaning Of the Monroe DOG
trine, and gave some plausible reasons why
the trust should be accepted. The treaty was
not acted upon al the regular session, and one
of the purposes for calling the Senate IN special
session was TO consider IT,. So much opposi
ton to its ratification was manifested by Sen
ators, Republicans and Democrats, the Presi
dent submitted another message 10 the Senate.
Discovering from the views Of Senators that
the Monroe Doctrine did not authorize, or in
tend to authorize, this government to NEEDLE
with affairs Of the other governments of the
Americas, the second message omitted all
reference 10 the Monroe Doctrine Pride OF
opinion and confidence in the belief that be
cannot err in national or international affairs,
prompted the President TO still urge ratihca
ton Of the treaty.
The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs
reported some amendments to the treaty, IN
OTuEF 10 fEAEfE II 81 s0i2G VI tAE Oht1NNA~%1
urged against il. bat the situation was but little
improved, and the fate Of the treaty IS under
tain at this time A two-thirds vote Is neces-
sary 10 ratify the treaty. The Democrats, with
one or two exceptions, have lined up against
il. and several Republican Senators are absent
on account Of sickness and other causes, leav.
ing that party without the requisite votes TO
ratify. Very few Republican Senators favor
the treaty, but because of the insistence and
pleadiugs of the President they will vote to
sustain il rather than stand in opposition TO
Mr.. Roosevelt. They all have favors to ask
of the President and self,interest is a moving
cause in supporting the treaty, many of whom
hope the Democrats may be able 80 defeat
ratification.
While il is not practical under the Constitu
ton, il would be we'll if Senators had life ten
ures in that body. Then there would be less
partisanship and more statesmauships. There
would be no dictation from the President,
nor would Senators be supporting measures
merely 10 influence elections in the several
States.
his mistake as to the intent and meaning of
the Monroe Doctrine, he has virtually done so
in emitting any reference to it in his second
message 10 the Senate on the SaniO Domingo
treaty.
The action Of the Roosevelt Administration
in agreeing to be debt collector for the cred
itors Of Sauto Domingo was a most dangerous
precedent to establish. Il matters not that
the action was taken at the solicitation of the
Dominican government If we feel coz
strained TO accept such trust at the request
of one government, could we, IN justice and
fairness, refuse to act upon the request
of any other government on this continent?
Every South American government and those
of Central America are heavily in debt. They
have all been exploited to some extent by
foreigners. and to undertake to settle the e.
nancial affairs of any of them would necessi-
tate first the establishment of a committee to
determine the validity of the claims, and in
doing this controversies between the United
States and European governments might arise
over the conclusions Of the committee.
No matter with what good intentions the
President acted in accepting the Santo Domin-
90 trust, nor what good would result to Santo
Domingo and her creditors, he acted without
constitutional authority and without the scope
of authority of the Monroe Doctrine, which
has BY long recognition by the nations of the
earth all the force Of constitutional provis-
ion. Unanimous public sentiment at home
is behind it, and has been since it was pro
mulgated in 1928 by that small and incompe
tent President, Monroe, as President Roose-
welt wrote of him.
On the fourth page of this issue will be
found a full and complete exposition Of the
Monroe Doctrine, prepared by Senator Nor
gan, of Alabama, and signed by the Democrats
of the Senate All who would understand the
Monroe Doctrine, its intent. is scope and its
meaning, should carefully read it, especially
as it is the sole question now uppermost in
national affairs.
TOvfrTaod