The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-02-01
STRONG MAN RULES
IN SANTO DOMINGO
Morales is Completely Master
of the Situation
PRESIDENT AZ YEARS OLD
He Would Not Object to Mild Pro-
tectorate, But Would Fight An
nexation-Was a Priest
for Eight Years.
PRESIDENT AZ YEARS OLD

sigmund Krausz in the Public Ledger
says:
Barely a year ago the name of Carlos
F. Morales President of the Republic of
San Domingo was entirely unknown to
the world at large. Closer students of
Dominican affairs were acquainted with
it as that of a member of Congress under
Jimnez and as the Governor of La Plata
Province under Wos Gil; but no one
suspected the rapid rise of the man who.
formerly almost obscure, now holds the
rens of government in the restless island
which, under certain conditions, threatens
to become a thorn in the flea of Uncle
Sam
From what l know of P. sident Morales
he is a strong man-far more foreeful
and honest of purpose than any of his
cphemeral predecessors since President
Ulysses HeureauX fe.. a victim to the bull
let's of an assassin in July, 1899.
Lives Modesty.
President Morales lives in an unpreteT-
tious little one story house in an obscure
street of santo Domingo city called tae
Gale Padre Bllini. The house, like all
residence buildings of Sp-a sh architect
ure, faces the street witt the broadside
1t is painted in light blue color and has
two wooden shutter doors in the center,
| flanlled by two grated windows. The
stucco plaster of the front has fallen off
| in large patches. together Il Is an ex-
tremely modest and truly democratic
abode for the President of a republic.
even of such one as San Domingo.
When my carriage stopped in fornt of
| it had to be assured Dy my driver that l
was In the right place. AS | had con-
jectured the President was at luncheon,
and | could see the family through the
half-open door of an adjoining room.
seated around the table. | stated my
business to the servant and sent in my
| card. moment later opales himself
| appeared and shook hands with me, beg
gng me to excuse him for a few minutes
Then he returned to his meal.
| was still engaged in examining the
details of the parlor when Morales re-
entered the apartment eXcusing himself
again for having Inconvenience me by
| his delay.
| An Imposing Figure.
The present incumbent of the Presi-
| dental chair of San Domingo is the pos
| SCISSOR of a tall, imposing figure, rather
| inclined to obesity. He is 81 years old,
and | should judge nm be about five
feet ten or eleven inches in height with
an avordupois of over 200 pounds His
features are dark, & not darker than
those of the majority of Spaniards or
Latin American Southerners. The most
prominent parts of his face high,
intellectual forehead and an energetic
chin betraying immense force of charac
ter. rather sensuous mouth is partly
covered by a small black mustche, the
ends of which are turned into points
Senior Morales speaks, besides Spanish,
fluent English and French, with a peeul-
| lar accent.
II see. Mr.. President" | sale, that the
| United States cruiser Detroit is anchored
outside the river mouth. The American
papers speak about the necessity of land
ing marines and taking temorary charge
of the custom houses. Are the condi-
tions such as to warrant interference of
this sort?"
Talks of His Debts.
His eyes flashed up. Not at ALL he
replied so far none of the foreign
nations which have claims against San
Domingo has pressed my government
very hard for settlement. 1t is true We
owe lot of money, and it will take us
some little time to repay 1t, but we can do
so without outsiders charging themselves
with the duty of aiding us. There is as
yet nothing in the situation that would
Justify an interference. All want at the
| present stage of affairs is to be let alone
| am practically master of the situation
on the island, and 1t is my intention to
reorganize as speedily as possible all
branches of the government and especial
ly the custom house service, in such a
way that the governments income from
taxes and import duties will go into its
own Golfers instead of into the pockets OF
thieving officials. as has been the case
under all preceding governments"
But 1t seems as If you had not sue
ceeded yet in Riding yourself entirely
of your rivals" | ventured to remark.
almost. They constitute no real dan
ger to my government. J'y suis-i'y reste
Wos Gil has left the countr. some
months ago; Jimnez, too, | understand,
has abandoned his army. I don't know
for certain where he is now"
"He left San Juan, Porto Rico. April G
for New York" I said. II saw his name
in the hotel register of the Tglaterra,
where | stopped at the time and Senior
Bernler, former consul under Wos Gil,
told me there that he went to the States
to purchase arms and ammunition"
No Fear of Jiminez.
well, that may be So" reioined Nor
ales with a smile "But l doubt the sue
cess of his mission. In the first place he
has no funds, and ! don't believe that his
credit with the American manufacture
ers will be good enough to get what he
wants, Secondly, / am quite positive that
your government has decided to stop the
further export of war material to San
Domingo, and. should he be able to over
come these obstacles, he will hardly find
a place to land his arms and ammuni-
ton. | hold the whole island with the eX-
ception of the town of Monte Christi
and it's immediate surroundings, and the
harbor of that town is even now block
AIDED by my gunboat Presidente.
Wants American Friendship.
But to return to the cruiser Detroit
outside of the harbor,'' l said. with the in
tentiion of drawing him out more fully
on the subject what are your inten-
tons in case the United States govern
ment finds it absolutely necessary, in
order to protect its interests, to land ma
rnes and take charge of the customs?"
This is a question which you will ex-
1