The San Francisco call., 1905-02-16
Special Message Accompany
ing the Dominican Treaty
Hints at the Possibility
of War With Europe
COLDLY RECEIVED
BY UPPER HOUSE
Scant Courtesy Accorded to
Chief Executives Explana-
tiOn of Protocol Establish
ing Financial PrOtectOrate
Special Dispatch to The Call.


CALL BUREAU, POST BUILDING,
WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.-President
Roosevelt this afternoon put the re-
sponsibility for a war between the
United States and one or more Euro
pean powers, in the defense OF the
Monroe doctrine, squarely upon the
Senate He does not desire to be held
accountable for such complications as
may cause fighting to prevent acqui-
sition of territory by foreign nations
Cn the western hemisphere or the
abandonment of the principles Of the
Monroe doctrine.
In transmitting to the Senate the
treaty negotiated between Minister
Dawson and Premier Sanchez for
guaranteeing the integrity Of Santo
Domingo and supervising that repfb-
lies finances, the President, in spe-'
cial message, fully set forth his rea-
sons for having engaged in this un-
usual undertaking. He called the at
tention of the Senate to the conditions
prevailing in the South and Central
American republics. These Govern
ments, he said, had contracted indebt-
edness abroad far beyond their means
to repay. In view of the Monroe doc
trine, European nations had requested
IAiO - HlNS0 otdtCo W dSSlol liiCiAk 4Ai SNA-
lecting the sums due, or to permit
them to compel payment in their own
way.
CRISIS is APPROACHING.
The President believed the time was
rapidly approaching when the money
borrowed from European brokers must
be repaid or the Governments whose
citizens had advanced it would take
steps to compel reimbursement. The
question of defending or abandoning the
Monroe doctrine would then arise, and
it should be decided now. He believed
that in the immediate future, unless
the United States exercised general SUI
pervision over some of the South and
Central American republics, foreign
nations would become so impatient
that they would begin the collection of
their claims in their own way, and if
they could not get money they would
seize territory ~
The President pointed out as to Santo
Domingo that claims Of many years
standing remained unadjusted, and no
effort was being made to liquidate
them. 1t was apparent that nothing
would be done in that direction without
supervision by the United States. be-
cause continual revolutions impover-
ished the country and made the accum-
ulation of funds to pay debts imp0ssi-
BILE. He called attention to the further
fact that the United States was espe-
cially interested in the case of Santo
Domingo, as an American firm had
claim Of s4,500,000 awaiting settlement.
SCOPE OF THE PROTOCOL.
The purpose of the present treaty, he
said, was to supervise the affairs of
Santo Domingo for limited period and
then turn them over to the Government
of the republic. with a warning not to
again become involved with foreign ma
tions.
The treaty accompanying the letter
from the President provides that the
integrity Of Santo Domingo shall be
maintained by the United States. This
Government shall assume control of the
custom-houses and collect the reve-
nues. Four ports of entry on the north
ern side of the island are to be devoted
to paying the claim of the Santo Do
mingo Improvement Company under
the arbitral agreement already in eff
feet. The ports of entry on the south
side of the island will be set aside for
the payment Of foreign creditors. A
certain percentage of the revenues coll
lected will be turned over to the Gov
ernment of Santo Domingo for its
maintenance, and the remaining per-
centage will be distributed pro rata
among the creditors. 1t is estimated
to complete the liquidation of the vari-
GUS claims. 1t is stipulated that before
becoming operative the treaty must be
ratified by the United States Senate
and the Dominican Congress.
The special message of the President
transmitting the treaty to the Senate
was received with rather scant courtesy.