Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-08-12

for instance. this nation
has already done as regards Cuba. and
Is now trying to do as regards Santo
Domingo. There are few things In our
history in which we should take more
genuine pride than the way In which
we liberated Cuba, and then, instead
OF instantly abandoning II to chaos,
stayed In direction Of the affairs OF
the island until we had put II on the
right path. and finally gave II free.
dom and helped Il as It started on the
life. OF an independent republic
Santo Domingo has now made an
appeal to us to help II In turn, and
not only every principle Of wisdom
but every generous instinct within us
bids us respond 10 the appeal. The
conditions In Santo Domingo have for
a number Of years grown from bad
to worse until recently all society was
on the verge Of dissolution. Fortunate.
ly Just at this time wise ruler sprang
up In Santo Domingo, who. with his
colleagues. saw the dangers threaten
Ing their beloved county. and appeal.
ed to the friendship Of their great
and powerful neighbor to help them.
The immediate threat came to them
In the shape of foreign intervention.
The previous rulers of Santo Domin.
20 had recklessly incurred debts, and
owing to her internal disorders she
had ceased to be able to provide
means OF paying the debts. The pa.
tience of her foreign creditors had
become exhausted. and at least one
foreign nation was on the point OF
Intervention and was only prevented
from intervening by the unofficial as
surance Of this government that II
would itself strive to help santo DO
mingo in her hour Of need. or the
debts incurred some were just. while
some we're not OF a character which
really renders 1t obligatory on. or pro-
per for. Santo Domingo to pay them
in full. But she could not pay any
of them at all unless some stability
was assured.
Accordingly the executive depart
ment of our government negotiated a
treaty under which We are to try TO
help the Dominican people TO stralght.
on out their finances. This treaty is
nending before the senate, whose con.
sent to 1t is necessary. In the mean
time we have made temporary ar
rangement which will last until the
senate has had time to take action
unon the treaty. Under this arrange
ment we see to the honest administra-
tion OF the custom houses, collecting
tba revenues, turning over forty-five
per cent to the government Tor run
ming expenses and putting the other
ffty.fiye per cent into a safe deposit
for equitable division among the var
ions creditors. whether European OF
American accordingly as. after IN
yestigatfon, their claims seem JUST.
The custom houses offer well mgr
tbe onlv sources OF revenue In Santt
Domingo, and the different revoiu
,ions usually have as their real am
,the obtaining possession. OF these Gus
tom houses. The mere fact that w
are protecting the custom houses ant
collecting the revenue with efficienc.
and honesty has completely discourse
Cd all revolutionary movement. whll'
II has already produced sucn an III
crease In the revenues that the gov
ernment is actually getting more IRON
tho forty-five per cent that we turl
: over to 1t than 1t got formerly whel
, It took the entire revenue THIS !
! enabling the poor harrassed people Q
, Santo Domingo once more TO tur
. their attention to industry and 10 D
!. free from the curse OF interminabl
revolutionary disturbance. 1t offers I
oll bona fide creditors. American an
(. European, the only really good chanc
; to obtain that to which they are JUST
:. entitled, while 1t In return gives
, Santo Domingo the only oNnrtunit
: OF defense against claims which
y ought not to pay--for now II 1t meet
. the views of the senate we shall ou
. selves thoroughly examine all thes
!, claims, whether American or foIeigl
!, and see that none that are impropt
= are paid Indeed, the only effectiy
a opposition to the treaty will probabl
:, come from dishonest creditors, 70
. eign and American, and from the pr
: fessional revolutionists Of the islar
!, itself. We have already good reast
to believe that some of the credito
. who do not dare expose their CLAIM
h to honest scrutiny are endeavt
: ing to stir up sedition in the islam
~ and are also endeaoring to stir ,
!. opposition to the treaty both in San
- Domingo and here. trusting that
~ one place or the other II may be pt
8, sible to secure either the rejection
- =. the treaty or else its amendment
= such fashion as to be tantamount
~ rejection.
Under the course taken, stabili
, and order and all the benefits
or peace are at last coming to Santo I
r. ------.--,