New-York tribune., 1905-03-07
nnMINICAN PRECEDENTs.

/ The fear of a troublesome precedent In the
! Dominican protocol should be asiayea py Tie
statement of Senator Platt. Of Connecucut, fe-
norted IN Yesterdays Tribune. he polnted OUT
| that the protocol could furnish precedent TOT
! future action only In case oT the occurrence oi
identical conditions, the probability OF which ne
regards as TOO remote for practical considera-
ton. If we insist upon the condition OF proxim-
jty. Hayti is the only other country rnat could
invoke this precesfent. If we should waive that
condition where Is there another Central or
South American State that is likely TO make
such an appeal to us? Ssnto Domingo does so
under the stress of necessity. We have no idea
that Venezuela or Colombia, or any other State
is under such necessity, or would for moment
imagine itself 10 be. II we were forcing this
measure upon sa to Domingo the case would
De very different. There then might be danger
of setting a perilous precedent. Buf since, as
Senator Hansbrough recalls in his interview in
yesterdays Tribune, it is IN response to Santo
Domingo's earnest request that the President
proposes this policy that objection disappears.
The real precedent that will be set, In the ratif
cation of this protocol, viii be 10 this effect: That
the United States will improve favorable op-
portunity of collecting its dues from its debtors,
will protect It's own citizens and their lawful
interests, and will show the Monroe Doctrine
to be not dead letter, but vital and prac-
bors and to ourselves, and not unjust to Europe.
There is no reason for shrinking from the set
ting of such q precedent; or from this, either,
that the United States will regard with sympa-
Thy the sincere appeal for aid made by weak
snd helpless sister republic. There will be set
a precedent not for but against aggression, not
for but against intrusion into the affairs Of
neighboring States, not for embarrassing conf
phcations, but for brave, generous anu iogical
yriI kpeF1 Uc frpo frnrn 4 10
precedent to be welcomed, not stunned nor
feared.
That is something that cannot be said of the
alternative precedents which some newspaper
opponents Of the Presidents policy are infer
entally invoking Why, it is asked should the
United States not enter concert of the powers
for the Joint collection Of debts from Santo Do
minSo? But what an avoidance of foreign en-
tanglements that would beto refuse a simple
compact with one State, and TO enter into a
complicated bargain with half dozen! Was
our participation in the tripartite orrangement
IN Samoa SO satisfactory that we should wish to
repeat the experiment? Better far TO maintain
the sound policy enunciated by Secretary Cass.
IN Democratic administration, and repeated
many years later by Secretary Blaine In q Re-
publican administration, thar joint action with
European powers toward au American State Ia
Incompatible with our principles.
Again it is asked, why does not the President
Instead Of thus making the United States the
preferred creditor OF Santo Domingo insist
upon sending the Whole matter to The Hague
as was done with the Venezuela case? How. It
is asked, does he know that course would not
command popular approval? To answer the lat
ter question first, we have only to recall the gen
eral sentiment Of the nation concerning the Ven
ezuean case, that 1t was wellnigh intolera bic for
TINS country to be compelled to wait for years.
untE various European nations were satisfied.
Deiore II could collect cent from Venezuela.
That, we believe, is precedent this coun+rv
does not care to follow. AS to the former ones.
non, those who ask it should remember that ac
cordng TO the explicit terms of The Hague con.
Vention resort is 70 be had TO that tribunal orIv
when other and ordinary means of settlement
have failed In this case they have not faiIed
On the contrary, they bid fair to succeed and
achieve the desired result. 'H"