The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-03-23
WASHINGTON.
FROM our Regular Correspondent.

FROM our Regular Correspondent.
Washington, y. c., Mar 70, 1905.
Santo Domingo protocol is dead
and Senator German, as Democrat.
ic leader of the Senate, has scored
Il triumph. For a time it looked as
/ t enough Democratic Senators
would break away from Mr.. Cor
mans leadership to ratify the trea-
ty, but the Maryland statesman
worked quietly and effectively and
ultimately lined up the entire min
ority in opposition to foreign pol
icy which he regards as unwarran.
ted and inJud,cious. There is no
doubt, however, that prominent Re
publicans have covertly assisted the
Democratic leader in defeating this
cherished SCI me of President
Roosevelt, and it is probable, too.
that Assistant Secretary Of State
Loomis contributed his full share to
the defeat OF the protocol, although
his part was played unwit,iugly.
Xxx
The chief factor in defeating the
treaty was the conviction that Sec.
retary Loomis drafted it and caused
II to b G negotiated with a view to
putting it into force without seeking
the advice and consent of the Sen.
ate. This conviction is as largely
entertained by Republicans as by
Democrats and as, in the estimation
OF all Senators, it indicates a dan
gerous tendency on the part of the
administration, the Democrats felt
1t to b. their duty TO administer
rebuke III the form of rejecting the
treaty. No vote has yet been had
on the protocol and probably none
will be, the present intention being
to deter action until the special ses-
sion 10 be called for next October.
Meanwhile, the Presiden. will cause
a more extensive investigation of
Domirican affairs to be made, TO be
followed by comprehensive report
on the situation to be submitted to
the Senate when it again convenes.
XXX
Republican Senators are some
what at loss as to the best means
of disposing of the Dominican trea-
ty, although they most favor refer
ring it back to the committee on
Foreign Relations. One of the Pc
culiarities of the debate has been
the developenIent OF sentiment in
favor of annexing Santo Domingo
to the United States. This propo-
sition has been vigorously espoused
by Senators Hepburn Republican,
and N'wlands (Democratic), but
finds little encouragement among
other members of the Senate, most
OF whom seem TO think that with
the race question in the South, Por-
to Rico and the PHILIPPINES, on its
hands the United States has quite
enough trouble without borrowing
more. Some Democrats insist that
annexation would provide a place
to which surplus negroes could be
exported, but fail to furnish partic-
ulars as to the method they would
adopt to effect such expectation.
Xxx
Despite the evident fact that Secre-
tary Loomis blundered seriously in
his handling of the Dominican me-
gotiations, the President takes every
occasion to reiterate his high regard
for the Assistant Secretary of State
and insists that he has no thought
of displacing him or OF assigning
him to foreign mission, at present,
although he intimates that the Sec
retary will be rewarded for his emf
nent services within the next four
years by diplomatic post of high
rank. There may be some obstacles
to the Presidents programme in
this regard, however, as the Senate
does not place high valuation on
Mr.. Loomis' diplomatic attainments
and may intimate 10 the President
that his confirmation for a post of
Importance would be attended with
serious difficulty.
Xxx
The decision of Congress to re-
turn to the several States all the
Confederate battle flags captured in
the Civil War and the prompt ap-
proval by the President of the bill
authorizing such return seems o
have created much enthusiasm in