The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-03-03
WASHINGTON.
Legislative and Gem
eral Topics from
the Capital.
February %, 1905.

NoAN y ~, ANNc'
There are breakers ahead for
the San Domingo treaty, in the
estimation of leading Democratic
Senators who declare that had
not the Senators so recently op-
posed the Presidents wish by
amending the several arbitration
treaties. despite his vigorous pro
tests, a majority of Republican
Senators would vote against the
San DOMINICAN protocol. That
some Republicans may do this
seems extremely likely. among
them Mr.. Hale of Maine. who is
above all else a conservative. who
did not hesitate TO oppose the
Spanish War to the last ditch and
VINO also opposed the acquisition
of the Philippines, for time. A
very serious problem is presented
by the San DOMINICAN agreement.
! In the estimation OF many Sena-
tors its approval would lead to a
| period ot ''trenzied finance" IN the
South American Republics. Fl.
/ naOcierS, confident that eventual
~ they could prevail upon the
/ United States TO compel the pay
ment of their loans, woUld lend
the improl ident South Americans
abundant funds. at exhorbitant
rates of interest. and their protferS
OF cash would be promptly accept
ed. Later. when the day of
reckoning came. European
nations would call the attention
of the United States TO the San
DOMINICAN precedent. drop a sig
niticaut remark or two regarding
the probable necessity of their
using force TO protect he interests
of their citizens, creditors of the
South American Republics, and
then this country would be com
PEELED to step in again and again
and play the roll of receiver for
its inSOlvent neighborS 10 the
South. Such programme would
call for large navy, an increased
marine corps and other expensive
OUTLAWS, for which there would be
no possible way of collecting from
the South American nations or
their foreign creditors.
In the case of San Domingo it is
pointed out that hardly more than
one fourth of the sums for which
that unfortunate and spendthrift
country has obligated itself were
ever advanced to it in actual cash.
Loans of million dollars were
made on which the premium"
amounted to fifty per cent more.
aud the interest was fixed at from
. per cent month upwards and
compounded each mouth. OF
course, the San DOMINICAN proto
col prov ideS that the United States
shall have power to adjudicate all
claims, but that of itself is likely
to prove an almost lnterminable
task and may provoke as hard
feelings among European creditor
nations as would a direct refusal
either TO interfere or to permit
them to exert force.
Ii Is still too early to make any
detinite predictions, although pres
ent appearances are that the con.
\ehtlou will ultimately be ratified
after being materially amended.
A long and very serious debate is
certain, however, aud it is not i'm
possible that certain amendments
may be Incorporated in the treaty
with the hope of making it inetfect-
i've as a precedent to which Euro
pean nations may appeal when
they have difficulty in collecting
tue sums advanced by their cili
zens TO other South a merican Dor
rowerS
Little short of a travesty Oh
legislation was the consideration
of the naval appropriation bill
conducted by the Senate com
mlttee on naval affairs this week.
The committee occupied just an
hour considering measure which
appropliates over 800, 900, 100 aud
the prospects are that no adequate
time will be devoted to the meas
ure on the floor of the Senate.
The methods by which Congress
does business are such that when
a standing committee reports a
measure majority of the mem
bers of either House accepts such
report, for individual mem bers of
Congress have neither time nor
the information which would en-
able them TO make any detail ed
examination of the various meas.
ures on which they are called up
on to vote. Incidentally the
President appears to have won
his fight for two battlesbips de.
spite the fact that a majority of
Congress believes further construc-
ton of these monster engines of
war, which cost fabulous sums is
injudiciOus.
Congress has finally determined
it would seem to conduct an in.