The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1905-02-17
PRESIDENT SUBMITS LENGTHY
MESSAGE ON SAN DOMINGO
TO THE SENATE.
TOUCHES ON THE MONROE DOCTRINE
FOREIGN NATIONS APPEAL TO
UNITED STATES TO PROSE-
CUTE CLAIMS.

Washington, Feb. 1.-THE message
| from the president, transmitting to the
senate a protocol of an agreement be-
tween the United States and the Do
minican government, providing for
the collection and disbursement by the
United States of the customs revenues
of the Dominican republic, was during
the day ordered made public, together
with the protocol, letter from John
b. Moore, formerly assistant secretary
of state, which gives a statement re-
garding the award under the former
protocol, and the award of the COM
mission which settled the claims of
the San Domingo Improvement COM
pany.
The message is of nearly 4.500 words
and was read in full to the senate. 1t
is largely a discussion of the rights
and duties of the United States under
the Monroe doctrine and the president
says the protocol affords a practical
test Of the efficiency of the United
States government in maintaining the
doctrine. In beginning his message
the president says that conditions in
San Domingo have been
Growing Steadily Worse
for many years and debts have been
contracted beyond the power of the
republic to pay. Certain foreign coun-
tries, ne says, have felt themselves
aggrieyed because Of the non-payment
of the debts due their citizens and
have felt that the only way they could
get any guarantee of payment would
be by acquisition of territory or taking
charge of the customs affairs of the
republic.
1t is pointed out by the president
that the Monroe doctrine would pro-
hibit any foreign government from
stepping in and he says that those
who profit by this doctrine must ac-
cept certain responsibilities along with
the rights it Confers He says fur
ther:
THE Justification for the United
States taking this burden and incur
ring this responsibility is to be found
in the fact that it is incompatible with |
international equity for the United |
States TO refuse to allow other powers
to take the only means at their dis |
posal of satisfying the claims of their
creditors and yet to refuse, itself, to
take any such steps,
viii Not Seize San Domingo.
An especial point is made by the
president that this government does
not propose to take any part of San |
Domingo or to exercise any other con- |
troll over the island save what is nee |
essary to its financial rehabilitation |
in connection with the collection of |
revenue, part of which will be turned |
over to the government to meet the |
necessary expenses of running it and
part of which will be distributed pro
rata among the creditors of the re-
public upon basis of absolute equity. |
Discussing the course aggrieved ma
tions may take against American re-
pubics without interference with the
Monroe doctrine the president says
any action may be taken which docs
with their form of government or of
the despoilment of their territory un-
der any disguise; but, short of this,
when the question is one of money
claim, the only way which remains.
finally, to collect ii is a blockade or
bomnardment, or the seizure of the
and this means, as has
been said above. what is in effect a
possession"