West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-02-02
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Enforcing the Monroe DOctTIne--OuF
Government
TAKES CHARGE OF SAETO DOMINGO
Ana Proposes to Collect the Customs
Duties Of that Country ana Pay Of
Her Debts-Bryan inwashington
Helping Hold Up the Hands
Of President Roosevelt.
From ouf regular eore.pondenl


From our regular correspondent
WAsHlNcToN ID. c. Jan. %, zoos.
The plans Of the administration with
regard to Santo Domingo constitute
the chief topic of discussion among
Democrats in Congress this week
and the comment is generally unfa-
yoiable 10 the methods which have
been pursued. An authorized state.
ment has been gwen out at the State
Department announcing that the
United States is about TO take con-
troll of San DOMINICAN affairs, collect
the entire customs of the Republic,
turn over to President Morales as
per cent Of the gross receipts for
administrative purposes and apply
80 per cent on the foreign indebted
ness, which includes S4,481,a5o due
to citizens of the United States.
The total indebtedness of San Do
mingo is estimated at $50, $50, 600
and it is further estimated that with
the United States administering its
customs houses not less than 81, =
600, 600 year can be applied on
the Indebtedness. 1t is explained
by the State Department that the
representatives ofthose foreign row.
ers to whose citizens San Domingo
is indebted have urged upon this
government the propriety OF the
United States taking possession of
San DOMINICAN fiscal affairs, mas
much as this country opposes their
forcible appropriation by European
nations, and that facing this alter
native the Administration determin.
ed to adopt the former course. 1t
is further declared, moreover, that
the United States is acting on the
request of President Morales who
appreciates the hopeless insolvency
which confronts his country and
who regards a virtual receivership
held by this country as San Domin-
go's only salvation.
tt
In addition to the official state
ment made by the State Department
it has been declared by officials OF
that department that conditions in
Venezuela present an almost analag-
Gus condition and it is intimated
that eventually a similar course will
have to be pursued with the Castro
government, which has sought 10
eyade honorable performance of the
obligations imposed on it by the
Hague Tribunal. The chief ques.
ton involved is this, shall the Unit
ed States, after declaring the Mon
roe Doctrine, namely no European
power shall acquire or increase its
territorial possessions on this CONT
nent, permit European powers to
sieze customs houses and collect
port dues where Central or South
American countries repudiate their
Just debts, OF shall the United States
itself compel the payment of such
just debts to European creditors and
insist that no reprisals shall be made
on this continent by any European
power?
Subordinate to this question how
ever, although attracting greater at
tention at the present time, is the
question of how far the President
shall go in determining upon so
momentous a policy aud carrying it
into effect without consulting the
Senate. The Constitution provides
that all treaties shall be made by
aud with the advice and consent Of
the Senate and shall be ratified by
two thirds vote of the Senate. The
Administration objects to the term
treaty as applied to the agreement
with San Domingo but the costitu-
tional lawyers in the upper chamber
insist that any agreement made be-
tween the United States and for
eien power is, dc facto, a treaty,
irrespective Of the name applied to
lt by the State Department.
-
In the present instance the Presi
dent and the Secretary Of State de
cidcd upon the policy to be pursu
ed with regard to San Domingo
without consulting single mem-
Der Of the Senate and # is unofici-
ally, but apparently credibly, stated
that terms Of TIE agreement with
San Domingo will take effect Febr
nary !, although no mention is
% the possibility Of The Senate's re-
ius'ng 90 approve the agreement.
Moreover a considerable naval
fleet Is being assembled IN San Do
mingan waters, seven vessels being
already in that vicinity and several
more on the way. Reports from
the Island assert that there are in
ffraffrr~ az r....tt s, a.