The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-11
S4NTO DOMTNGO'S RECENT HIS
TORY.

|
WARRINGTON. March l0.-An accurate
chronological statement Of the recent his
| tory Of Santo Domingo does not seem pos
| sible There is confusion regarding the
! precise date on which the various Presl-
dents of the unhappy country installed
! themselves in official position. The order
| Of procession appears as follows:
After fifteen years Of iron handed and
brutal though not unsuccessful rule, Uhsses
Heureaux was deliberately shot, in the
street at Moca. by Ramon Caceres. the
present vice-President Of the country.
That was on July 20, 1899. Some call the
act assassination. while others refer TO it
as a cold blooded murder. Whichever II
NAV have been, HeureauX died almost IN
stantly in consequence OF the five revolver
bullets fred into mis- body by Caceres' De-
fore he could pull his own gun in defence
or retaliation. Vioe-President Figueres be-
came President and held the job for about
one month.
on Sept 5, 1890, Horaoio yasque7 estao-
lshed himself as the head az a PROVISIONAL
government An election in November
made Isidro Jimenez constitutional Presi-
dent, with rasquez as Vice President.
This institution succeeded in defeating
the various revolutions by which 1t was
menaoed until May. 1902. when Vice Presl-
dent Vasquez himself revolted. threw out
Jimenez, and again became the hsad oi
provisional government
Out Of this complication there grew two
factions. called for convenience political
parties These were tho Jimenistas or
followers Of Jimenez, and the Horacistas,
or followers Of Horaoio Vasque2. They
also constitute two revolutionary groups
struggling for supremacy nominal
peace existed for about FIVE months. Then
the Jimenistas got busy again In March.
1903 President Nasquez went to Monte
Cristi with his troops 10 suppress an active
Jimenista outbreak During his absence.
Mr. Wos Gil saw an opportunity and
seized IT, He said ne was President. He
liberated from the State Jail in Santo
Domingo city the various criminals and
political offenders placed there by Mr..
Vasquez, gave them arms and made them
his army.
Vasauez returned from his expedition to
Monte Cristi to find Wos Y Gil behind walls
of defence and with the streets baTricaded.
comparatively sanguinary encounter
followed Vasquez decided that he had
the worst of it, spurred his mule from the
field, and literally took TO the tall timber
Meanwhile, Wos Gil reached a similar
conclusion and decided to surrender. On
emerging from the city for the purpose of
announcing his capitulation, he found no
one to whom he could surrender. The
victor was burning the wind toward the
distant horizon line On July 20, 1908. Mr..
~, oil liant
He appointed Carlos Morales, formerly
priest. as Governor of the district OF Puerto
Plata Morales was charged with taking
about $4,000 from the custom house at
Puerto Plata, was arrested and put in Jail.
Tho story runs that he escaped, made his
way to Turk Island. obtained ammunition,
and returned, via Hayu, 10 start fresh
revolution in the interest Of Jimenez.
He attacked Vasquez stronghold and
ceased hostilities TO effect a combination
with his political opponents and immediate
enemies the Horacistas. A union was
effected for the purpose Of deposng Mr..
Wos Gil The combined armies marched
on the capital. and after defending the city
for about a fortnight Wos Gil faded away
and took refuge on a German gunboat in
the harbor Being on the spot Senor
Morales decided not 10 wait for Jimenez,
whose lieutenant he had been and In whose
cause he was presumably acting He re-
garded himself az Presidential timber. and
at his own request accepted the Presi-
dency
This occurred about the close Of 1903.
The season of 1904 was time If political
storm interpreted with occasional revo-
buttons. until the Government Of the United
States recognized Mr.. Morales as the dc
fdcto head Of the country, and fell into the
habit OF keeping a warship or two in Do
mnican waters for the protection OF Ameri-
can interests without those evidences
of the moral support of this country Mr.
Morales's tenure OF office would have been
brief, probably a matter Of days. APP
preciatng the insecurity Of his position
should this moral support Of American
guns be withdrawn Mr. Morales urgently
requested the kindly services Of the United
States in the fiscal affairs OF his unhappy
country. Incidentally, he hopes that his
tenure of office will be extended for time,
although the profit will be much less than
IL has been.
OF Santo Domingo's need Of aid there
can be no doubt But her principal need
is a proper administration rather than
cashier.