Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-02-20
Roosevelt Declares His Reasons for the
San Domingo Agreement
Assumption Of Temporary Possession
Compelled by Monroe Doctrine
Notable Special Executive Message Sub
mitted to the Outraged Senate

possession, even though only a tempo
rary possession of territory. The
United States then becomes a party in
interest, because under the Monroe
doctrine it cannot see any European
power seize and permanently occupy
the territory of one of these repub-
lies; and yet such seizure of territory,
disguised or undisgulised, may eventu-
|@lly offer the only way in which the
power in question can. collect aNy
debts, unless there is interference on
the part of the United States"
Nations Pressed Their Claims.
Incorporated in the message is a
financial statement showing that the
Dominican government owes toforeign
governments $22,O00,0O0 and that $1S,,
100000 of this amount is recognized.
The president discusses at length the
negotiations for the collection of these
debts and says that as the foreign gov
ernments were put off from time to
time, they became importunate in
pressing their unsatisfied demands.
Continuing, the president says:
Gas the result of chronic disorders,
attended with constant increase OF
debt, the state of things in Santo
Domingo has become hopeless, unless
the United States or some other
| strong government shall interpose ,
bring order out OF chaos" The prest-
dent then refers to the fact that loans
of various kinds made to the DOmin1
can government have became the
neuclus of the various revolutions
there, and continues:
"The ordinary resources of diplo'
macy and international arbitration
are absolutely impotent to deal wisely
and effectively with the situation in
| the Dominican republic, which can
only be met by organizing it's finances
| on sound basis and by placing the
custom house beyond the temptation
of insurgent chieftains. Either we
must abandon our duty under our ira,
ditional policy toward the Dominican
people, who aspire to republican
form of government while they are
actually drifting into a condition OF
permanent anarchy, in which case we
must permit some other government
to adopt it's own measures in order to
safeguard it's own interests, or else we
must ourselves take seasonable and
appropriate action"
1t is suggested by the president if a
plan could be adopted in regard to
inc fn
Plat amendment for the government
! of Cuba, it would be practicable and a
! solution of the problem. The mes
sage concludes as follows:
Simply Did His Duty.
1--WE on our part are simply perform
ing in a peaceful manner, not On'y
with the cordial acquiescence, but In
| accordance with the earnest request
of the government concerned, part OF
| that international duty which is neces.
sarily involved in the assertion of the
Monroe doctrine. We are bound to
show that We perform this duty in
gCoG faith and without any intent OF
aggrandizing ourselves at the expense
of our weaker neighborS, or OF con
Quoting ourselves otherwise than Sc
as to benefit both these weaker neigh
bors and those European powers
which may be brought into contact
with them. 1t is in the highest degree
necessary that we should prove by our
action that the world may trust in our
good faith and may understand that
this international duty will be per
formed by us within our own sphere