The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-18
OUR POLICY IN sANTO DOMINGO.
We VIII Continue 60 Collect Revenues In.
der the Arbitral Award OF 1904.

We VIII Continue 60 Collect Revenues Tn.
der the Arbitral Award OF 1904.
WASHINGTON. March i7--when the SEN
ate adjourns without ratifyinR the Santo
Domingo treaty tho State Department,
in accordance with a determination reached
prior TO Secretary Hays departure, will
continue in possession Of the custom
houses at Puerto Plata and Monte Cristi
under the terms Of the arbitral award
handed down in July. 1904, in the case Of
the San Domingo Improvement Com
psny OF New York and kindred concerns,
to which the Dominican Government ac-
knowledged itseh to be indebted. Mr.
Abbott the American agent in charge Of
the collection Of the customs revenues
Of the two ports named. who was designated
by the San Domingo Improvement Com
pany, will probably be displaced by Prof.
Hollander Of Johns Hopkins University,
who was formerly Treasurer Of Porto
Rico.
It was Mr.. Abbott who, on his return
to this country from Santo Domingo this
winter declared in an interview that the
custom houses Of all santo Domingo
por t. had been taken over by the United
States Government under the subsequently
Jan 20. 1905 Mr.. Abbott later on ac-
knowiedged that he was In error IN making
this statement, and said that no custom
houses had been taken over by the Ameri-
can Government under the rejected pro-
tocol
Government oficisls profess anxiety
over complications which they say may
arise with European countries on account
OF the Senates failure TO ratify the Santo
Domingo treaty. This treaty provided
H. IL.
by the United States Government in order
that they might be applied to liquidating
not only the claims OF American creditors
of Santo Domingo, but the, obligations Of
the republic 10 European creditors, The
European Governments concerned assured
the United States that they would be salts
fed to have this Government act as the
fscal agent for the liquidation Of their
claims and would take no action against
Santo Domingo pending the conclusion
Of the proposed arrangement. Whether
any Of these creditor nations will abandon
this policy Of forbearanoe when the Senate
adjourns without ratifying the treaty rs
not known here.
There Is little doubt that French and
Belgian holders Of Dominican Government
bonds will insist upon the Dominican Govern
nnent carrying out the terms of a conven-
ton signed ia 1901, which in the event that
the Dominican Government failed 70 make
payments on the bonds, gave the French
and Belgian creditors claim on the Gus
toms revenues Of Santo Domingo City and
MAcoris, the principal commercial ports
Of the republic on the south coast. Al
though this award was made in 1901, the
foreigners have been able TO collect very
little money on the debt OF about $4,000 900.
The convention was signed by the Do
minican Government and the French and
Belgian creditors, who hold practically
ali Of the bonds which comprise the
foreign debt Of the Republic.
It e asserted in Waahin gton that notwith-
standing the right Of the bondholders to
a certain specified portion Of the custom
house receipts from the two ports named,
Il has been impossible to get satisfaction
from President Morales. France and Bel
afrm would undoubtedly stand back Of
the creditors In their demands upon Morales
10 carry out the agreement Of 1901. France
IA regarded here as being especially in
sistent, az she was the Power which threat
ened to take action against Santo Domingo
n the United States Government did not
take some step to secure order out Of the
financial chaos In the republic.