The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-17
The President,s Messake.

he PreSldclt ) message lItnR
the protocol TO tho Senate ia a document
of some 5000 words. The President dis
otisses at length the financial condition
Of Santo Domingo, the course OF events
leading 10 the award in favor OF the san
Domingo Improvement. Company and the
figning of the protocol under which the
award was to be paid from the Dominican
custom house receipts.
1T has for some time been obvious the
message continues, that those who profit
by the Monroe Doctrine must accept GER
tain responsibilities along with the rights
which 1t confers, and that the same state
ment applied to these who uphold the
doctrine. II cannot be too often and too
emphatically asserted that the United
States has not the slightest desire for terri
torial aggraD Indictment at the expense Of
any Of its southern nel ghbors and will
not treat the Monroe Doctrine as an excuse
for such ACKNOWLEDGEMENT on its part. We
do not propose TO take any part of San TO
Domingo or exercise any other control
over the island save what Is necessary TO
it's financial rehabilitation in connection
with the collection Of revenue. part Of which
will be turned over TO the Government
TO meet the necessary expense Of runnin g
1t and part Of which will be distributed
pro rata among the creditors Of the re-
public upon n basis of absolute equity.
OUR DUTY TO INTERVENE
sThe justification for the United States
taking this burden and mourning this re-
sponsibility il TO be found in the fact that
1t is incompatible with international equity
for the United States to refuse to allow
other Powers to take the only means AT
their disposal Of satisfying the claims OF
their creditors and yet to refuse itself to
take any such steps.
An aHgrleved nation can without In
reference with the Monroe Doctrine, take
what action II sees fit in the adjustment
OF its disputes with American States pro-
..1l id q hat Il N,V tnlr h..
of interference with their form OF govern
ment or of the despoiment Of their territory
under any disguise. But short of this
when the question IL one OF money claim
the only way which remains, finally, to
collect IL il a blockade or tombardment
or the seizure Of the custom houses, and
this means. as has been said above, what
Is in effect possession, even though only
a temporary possession Of territory
1.-THE United States then becomes party
IN interest, because under the Monroe
Doctrine it cannot see any European p 5wer
seize and permanently occupy the territory
OF one of these republics and yet such
seizure of territory. disguised or undis-
guised, may eventually offer the only way
In which the Power in question can collect
any debts, unless there is interference
on the part OF the United States"
After referring to the numerous CON
traciural claims against the Dominican
Government, the President says thnf under
tlF accepted law OF nations foreign u JNeTn-
ments we're within their rights in actively
intervening in support of them In view
Of the dilemma In which the United States
was thus placed. this Government must
either adhere 10 its usual attitude Of non
Intervention in such cases an attitude
proper under normal conditions, but one
which in this particular case resulted to
the disadvantage Of lts citizens In com
parison with those OF other States or else
II must, in order to be consistent In It's
policy, actively intervene 70 Drotect the
contracts and concessions Of its @ items
DANCER or FOREIGN INTERVENTION.
The Presidcrf says the Representatives
OF European G. vernments have several
times intlmatru 10 the State Department
that unless tho Dominican Government
received some assistance from the United
States toward regulating The finances of
that republic the creditor Governments of
Europe would be forced 10 resort TO more
effective measures Of compulsion 10 secure
the satisfaction 81 their claims In that
event. under the Venezuelan award by Tho
Hague Tribunal, the foreign G lveinncnts
would Toe entitled to preferential payments
for their claims, which would not only
sacrifice American claims and interests in
the island. but also in view Of ths bank
rupt condition q the republic, bring about
an almos; permanent occupation Of Domini,
can territory through the seizure Of the
custom houses.
THE United States. he asserts. could
not interfere 70 prevent such seizure and
occupation Of dominican territory with.
ct either itself proposing soma feasible
a-rativo in the vRy Of action. or :,
virtually saying 20 European Governments