The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-01-23
.SANTO DOMINGO
WANTED IT DONE
United States Will Collect Rev.
enueS in Future.
1T is NOT A PROTECTORATE
EXPLANATION BY THE STATE
DEPARTMENT.

RIAsHINGTON, Jan. 22.-Arter a
/ wv consultation with Secretary Hav
the following statement regard
/ ing the situation in Santo Domingo was
issued by Assistant Secretary LOOMS
! today:
I The Dominican republic, after ma
ture consideration of existing eons{-
/ tons, has formally and freely ir7vite7
/ the government of the United Statae -
assist in the administration of its cr1s1.
tens revenues and TO aid it i'm put+iDe-
IT'S hscal system upon a firm and bus
| iTess-like basis.
The government Of the United c+a+o-
having been explicitly, repeatedly and
emphatically informed by more than
I one Of the great powers that il ought
elJher TO try to evolve some order O7r
OF the financial chaos in the Dominican
republic as assent 10 certain EureODear,
creditors of that republic doing mis-
ana 10 the administration of Dominican
custom houses by them. supported nv
/ their waTBhips. has deemed il advisabIe
IN We" or the unfortunate financial con
ditions Of Santo Domingo. which for
/ the last ten years have been rapfSI1-
growing worse, to accept the invitation
or the Dominican government and
therefore representative Of this gov
eminent and Of SantO Domingo have
signed memorandum of a proposed
agreement looking 10 the American con-
troll Of fiscal affairs upon the request
and with the consent of the Dominican
government.
Uncle Sans Guarantee.
The United States proposes In guar
aEtee the territorial integrity of the
Dominican Republic.
1t IS not the purpose of this govern
ment TO assume g, protectorate over
SantO Domingo or TO interfere with or
participate in its domestic affairs anv
further than the collection of its Gus.
toms revenues. the necessary revision
Of its tariff laws and the adjustment.
through properly constituted tribunals
or commissions, Of its foreign claims
and it's economic and fiscal organiza-
ton on sound basis may make it es-
sential to do.
President Morales has signed a de-
cree. which will be published today. in
which the government Of the United
States is officially asked 10 take full
charge Of all the Dominican customs
houses; to collect all the revenues A
per cent Of which are to be returned To
the Dominican government for its cur
rent expenses. The remainder is to he
used in the interest charges on the
bonded Indebtedness and other obIiga-
lions of the republic. Any surplus viii
be turned over the Dominican govern
ment. The obligations representing
the bonded Indebtedness are largely
owned by foreign creditors.
Only Promise to Try.
The government Of the United States
does not need TO guarantee the debts OF
creditors of Santo Domingo. but only
to promise to try to so organize and ad-
just the fiscal administra ton of the
country that in time their liquidation
may be accomplished automatically and
on a basis Of equity toward all credit
ors.
1T is believed that if the Dominican
bursed all legitimate claims against the
republic viii be ultimately satisfied
In this connection il may be added
that under the award Of the tribunal
Of arbitration July IA. 1904. between the
United States and SantO Domingo. in
the sum of about 81. 5O00 900, the United
States was given the right eventually
to take possession of the principal
ports of the northern side Of the is
land and under the award the fiscal
agent appointed by the United States
is now in possession Of the important
custom house of Puerto Plata
Monroe Doctrine Not Involved.
The unfortunate financial condition
Of SantO Domingo more than once in
the last decade has brought to the
United States government questions
fraUght with imminent peril The gov
eminent of the United States could not.
with Self-respect. allow the impression
tc deepen and gain currency that the
by American republics to deny justice
TO other governments. Many foreign
claims are just beyond peradventJIre.
and being held by citizens Of various
governments. the problem became in
creasingly more difficult as to how
these claims could be satisfactorily set
tied under existing conditions with fair
treatment toward all In some re-
speCts n still more embarrassing feat
ure of the situation has been that the
Dominican government has been com
PEELED to force to pay grossly exorb4t-
ant claims. and the question has arisen
whether the united States should IN
terpOse in such cases. SUCH inteTposi
tiQn has never been reSorted to except
perhaps once in our history
Revenues Crippled.
Another depIorable feature Of the
financial situation in Santo Domingo
is that our revenues have been crippled
by granting, for a song, valuable con-
ceSsions which We're exempted, by stip-
ulation from all taxation. Her interests
have compelled the Dominican govern
ment TO disregard these promises Of
exempted from taxation, and this has
resulted in numerous and increasing
appeals to the depar Jnlent of state TO
interfere.
The Dominican government itself
reached the conclusion that its only
hope of escape from bankruptcy was
through the assistance Of the United
States government in the organization
of its finances
"In view of these grave conditions.
the president has deemed it wise at this