The Topeka state journal., 1905-08-11

refusal to pay just debts; and the al
tentative may in any case prove to be
that we shall ourselves undertake to
bring about some arrangement by which
so much as is possible of the just obliga-
| tions shall be paid Personally I should
always prefer to see this country step
in and put through such an arrange
nent rather than let any foreign coun-
try undertake it.
1 do not want to see any foreign pow
er take possession permanently or tenn
porarily of the custom houses of an
| American republic in order to enforce
its obligations, and the alternative may
at any time be that we shall be forced
to do so ourselves.
Finally, and what is in my view
really the most important thing of all
it is our duty, SO far as we are able,
to try to help upward our weaker
brothers. Just as there has been a
gradual growth of the ethical element
in the relations of one individual to
our Christian civilization it yet re-
mains true that we are, no matter how
slowly, more and more coming to
recognize the duty of bearing one an
| others burdens, similarly 1 believe
that the ethical element is by degrees
entering into the dealings of one ma
ton with another.
! Under strain of emotion caused by
sudden disaster this feeling is~very evil
dent A famine or a plague in one
country brings much sympathy and
some assistance from other countries.
! Moreover, we are now beginning to
recognize that weaker peoples have a
claim upon us, even when the appeal
is made, not to our emotions by some
sudden calamity, but to our con-
sciences by a long continuing condi-
ton of affairs.
Cuba and San Domingo.
{ I do not mean to say that nations
| have more than begun to approach the
proper relationship one to another, and
l fully recognize the folly of proceed
/ ing upon the assumption that this
! full-for, in order to proceed upon
such an mption, we would first re-
| quire some method of forcing recall
| citrant nations to do their duty, as well
as of seeing that they are protected in
| their rights.
In the interest of justice. it is as
necessary to exercise the police power
as to show charity and helpful gener-
oSity. But something can even now
/ be done toward the end in view. That
something, for instance, this nation
] has already done as regards Cuba, and
| is now trying to do as regards Santo
Domingo. There are few things in our
history in which we should take more
genuine pride than the way in which
we liberated Cuba, and then, instead
! of instantly abandoning it to chaos
stayed in direction of the affairs of the
island until we had put it on the right
path, and finally gave it freedom and
| helped it as it started on the life of an
! independent republic.
Santo Domingo has now made an
appeal to US to help it in turn, and
not only every principle of wisdom but
every generous instinct within US bids
us respond to the appeal The condi-
tions of Santo Domingo have for a
number of years grown from bad to
worse until recently all society was on
the verge of dissolution. Fortunately
just at this time a wise ruler sprang
/ TvnV1aiV1cr0 1an n i-
colleagues, saw the dangers threaten
ing their beloved country, and ap-
pealed to the friendship of their great
and powerful neighbor to help them.
The immediate threat came to them in
the shape Of foreign intervention. The
previous rulers of Santo Domingo had
recklessly incurred debts, and owing
to her internal disorders she had
ceased to be able to provide means of
paying the debts. The patience of her
| foreign creditors had become exhaust
| ed and at least one foreign nation was
on the point of intervention and was
| only prevented from intervening by
the unofficial assurance of his govern
ment that it would itself strive to help
SantO Domingo in her hour of need
OF the debts incurred some were just
while some were not of a character
which really renders it obligatory on
or proper for, Santo Domingo to pay
them in full But she could not pay
any of them at all unless some sta
bility was assured.
Our Effort to Help.
| Accordingly the executive depart
ment of our government negotiated a
treaty under which we are to try to
| help the Dominican people to straight
en- out their finances. This treaty is
pending before the senate, whose con-
sent to it is necessary. In the mean
time we have made a temporary ar
rangement which will last until the
senate has had time to take action
J bn fvn- J.@-- kI,se
ment we see to the honest administra-
ton of the custom houses. collecting
the revenues, turning over forty-ive
! per cent to the government for run
ming expenses and putting the other
ntty-hve per cent into a safe deposit
for equitable division among the vari-
Gus creditors, whether European or
American, accordingly as after investi-
cation, their claims seem just.
The custom houses offer wellnigh
the only sources of revenue in Santo
| Domingo, and the different revolutions
usually have as their real aim the OBJ
| tanning possession of these custom
houses. The mere fact that we are
! protecting the custom houses and col
lecting the revenue with efficiency and
honesty has completely discouraged all
revolutionary movement, while it has
already produced such an increase in
| the revenues that the government is
actually getting more from the forty
! flve per cent that we turn over to it
eAietll IL got formerly Wnen IL look the
entire revenue. This is enabling the
poor harassed people of Santo Do
mingo once more to turn their atten-
! ton to industry and to be free from
/ the curse of interminable revolutionary
disturbance. 1t offers to all bona fide
creditors, American and European,
the only really good chance to obtain
| that to which they are justly entitled
while it in return gives to Santo Do
mlngo the only opportunity of defense
against claims which it ought not to
pay-for now if it meets the views of
| the senate we shall ourselves thor
| oughly examine all these claims,
whether American or foreign, and see
| that none that are improper are paid.
Indeed, the only effective opposition to
| the treaty Will probably come from