The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1905-03-04
WASHINGTON LETTER.

ton of the leading democratic Sena-
tors, who declare that had not the
Seuate so recently opposed the
Presidents wish to amend the sever
al arbitration treaties, despite his
vigorous protests, a majority OF
Republican Senators would vote
against the San Domingo protocol
A very serious problem is presented
by the San Domingo agreement.
In the estimation of many Senator's
its approval would lead to a period
of "frenzied finance" in the South
American republics. Fihanciers,
confident that eventually they could
prevail upon the United States to
compel the payment of their loans,
would lend the improvident South
Americans abundant funds, at ex-
horbitant rates of interest, and
their proffers of cash would be
promptly accepted. Later, when
the day ofreekoning came, European
nations wonld call the attention of
the United States to the San Domin-
go president, drop significant re-
mark or two regarding the proba-
BILE necessity of their using force to
protect the interests OF their citizens,
creditors of the South American re-
publics, and then this country would
be compelled to step in again and
play the roll of receiver for insol-
vent neighbors to the South. Such
programme would call for large
navy, an increased marine corps and
other expensive OUTLAWS, for which
there would be no possible way of
collecting from the South American
nations or their foreign creditors.
In the case of San Domingo it is
pointed out that hardly more than
one fourth of the sums for which
that unfortunate and spendthrift
country has obligated itself were
ever advanced to it in actual cash.
Loans of a million dollars were
made on which the premium
amounted to fifty per cent more, and
the interest was fixed at per cent
a month upwards and compounded
each month. Of course, the San
DOMINICAN protocol provides that
the United States shall have
power to adjudicate all claims, but
that of itself is liable to prove an
almost interminable task and may
provoke as hard feelings among
European creditor nations as would
direct refusal either to interfere or
premit them to exercise force.
Little short of a travesty of legis-
islation was the consideration oil
the naval appropriation bill con-
Quoted by the Senate committee on
naval affairs this week. The COM
mittee occupied Just an hour consid-
ering measure which appropriates
over 81 100000 and the prospects
are that no adequate time will be
devoted to the measure on the floor
of the Senate. The methods by
which Congress does business are
such that when a standing commit
tee reports measure majority OF
the members of either house accepts
such report, for individual members
of Congress have neither time nor
the information which would enable
|
Them to make any detailed examina.
ton of the various measures on
which they are called upon to vote.
incidentally the President seems
to have won his fight for two bat.
tleships despite the fact that ma.
jority of Congress believes that fur.
J Their construction of these monster
engines of war, which costs fabu.
lous sums is injudicious.
Congress has determined it
would seem to conduct an investi.
cation of the now famous Usage In.
dian oil lease. Nearly ten years
ago, one Edwin B. Foster, was
granted with the approval of the
Secretary of the Interior, blanket
lease covering 100000 acres OIL
land presumed to contain oil with
the provision that Foster, or his
heirs or assigns pay to the Indian:
10 per cent of the gross receipts for
the oil extracted In time, Foster
assigned his lease to the Indian Ter
ritory Illuminating Oil Company
and it subleased the land for vari
Gus houses and approximately 1C
per cent of the gross receipts. Sec
rotary Hitchcock denounced the
Foster lease as a scandal aud de
clared that Foster and his success
ors had done nothing in return for