The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1905-02-17

col OF an agreement pIONlulnB lOi
the collection and disbursement by
the United States of the customs
revenues of San Domingo for the ad
justment of alb obligations of that
government, has been made public by
order of the senate in executive ses-
sion.
Tn document includes new
agreement as well as the original pro-
tocol and award of the settlement of
claims of the Domingo Improvement
Co.. under which the agents of the
United States are already COLLECTING
revenues at certain ports of the Do
minican government
Few documents that have came to
the senate in relation to any of the
South or Central American or West
Indian republics, have attracted so
much attention. Because of the con-
troversy. that has arisen as to the
right of the executive to enter into
treaty arrangements with any foreign
government without the advice and
consent of the senate extraordinary
interest has been aroused.
The document came TO the senate
Wednesday at an hour past the us
ual time for most senator's to leave
The chamber and therefore it was
brought up soon after the senate
convened yesterday. The message of
the president outlined the policy of
the administration in relation to the
Monroe doctrine, holding that 1t
demanded that the government take
charge of the customs of American
states when it is manifest that they
are unable to maintain their own in
tegrity.-.
In addition to the presidents dis
cussion of the Monroe doctrine in
the case of San Domingo, the proto-
col itself makes a specific declara-
ton of its application and in that re-
spect is unusual in treaty-making.
The declaration occurs In the second
paragraph, which recites that the
government of the United States
views ANY attempt on the part of
foreign government outside of the
western hemisphere to Cypress the
Dominican republic as manifesto
ton of unfriendly disposition towards
the United States"
The especial point is made by the
president. that the government does
rot propose to take any part of San
Domingo or to exercise any other
control over the island save what is
necessary to its financial rehabilita-
ton in connection with the collec-
ton of revenue, part of which will
be turned over to the government to
meet necessary expenses of running
/, and part of which will be dis
tributed pro rata among the credit
ors of the republics upon a basis of
absolute equity.
Discussing the course aggrieved
nations may take against American
republics without interference with
the Monroe doctrine, the president
says any action may be taken which
does not take the shape of interior
ence with their form OF government
or any disportlonment OF their ter
r'tory under any disguise, but short
of this, when the question Is one of a
money claim, the only way which
remains, finally, to collect, is TO
blockade or bombardment, or a
seizure of the custom house, and this
means what It is in effect, possession,
even though only temporary posses
sion of the territory. The United
States then becomes party in inter
est, because under the Monroe doe
trine Il cannot see any European
powers seize and permanently occupy
territory OF one of these. republics
And yet such seizure of territory,
disguised or undlsguisei, may even
tually offer the only way i'm which a
power in question can collect any
debts unless there is interference on
he part of the United States. There
are governments which do sometimes
take energetic action for the protec-
tion of their subjects In the enforce
ment of merely contractual claims,
and thereupon American CONCESSIONS
ries supported by powerful influence,
make loud appeal to the United
States government in similar cases
tor similar action.
incorporated in the message is a
financial statement showing that the
Dominican government owes 10 for
eign governments s22,60o,O00 and
100000 OF this amount is reeog-