Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-25
At THE White HOUSE
President is Not Talking
Tariff Revision.
SANT0 DOMINGO CASE
SENATOR DEPEW THINKS TREATY
WILL BE RATIFIED.
misunderstanding of the Whole Cues
ton, Which Will Be Cleared Up
Before Next Session.

''oh. that's chestnut a roasted chestnut
at that" was the terse comment of Senator
Platt of Connecticut, as he was strolling
away from the White House today and was
asked by a reporter for The Star what
We're the prospects of tariff revision at an
extra session or a regular session of Con-
Gress this fall. II saw by the papers that
Senator Allison went over to New York
few days ago to talk with various persons
about tariff revision. Well, 1 don't believe
he did anything of the kind" went on the
Connecticut senator who is clearing up
few department matters before leaving for
his home. Senator Plat made a brief call
at the White House. but the President had
gone, and there was no conference.
Senator Allison, who also called at the
White House and found the President
away, confirmed the expression of Senator
Platt. as to his recent trip to New York
He said that he went there to talk with
Andrew Carnegie about some libraries in
Iowa and that he did not talk with any-
body on the tariff
Senator Spooner went to the White
House, but did not see the President and
returned to his home
The stand-pat tariff people deplore anv
suggestion of a resumption of the agitation
1or modlfications of the Dingley schedules.
senator Platt is one of the leaders who re-
CARDS the tariff question as settled for a
long time to come, and who does not want
TO see the subject put into the gossip col
umn again. Senator Allison himself is not
known as an ardent revisionist, and is not
disposed to push the question either upon
the country or upon Congress.
The President has ceased to talk tariff
with his congressional callers. When he
asked the republican leaders last winter for
an expression of their views as to revision
he found the House overwhelmingly. on
posed to any attempt at changes for some
time TO come. He had no reason to con-
tlnue TO Keep the question before the people
or congress, and dropped it. 1t is not un-
derstood that he will again take it up for
year or SO unless he regards conditions as
demanding further consideration of reyi-
Sion
Depew on Santo Domingo.
Senator Depew of New York is going
home tomorrow and he called on the
President for chat. The Santo Domingo
treaty was discussed. Il am confident the
treaty will be ratified at the next session
of the Senate" said the New York Sena-
tor. There is much misunderstanding of
the whole question, but it will be un-
derstood better in few months. The op-
position to the treaty in various parts of
the country and in the Senate was based
upon the theory that it established this
country in the business of collecting bad
debts from small governments on this side
Of the water. Naturally the people look
ed with some suspicion upon what they
regarded as the inauguration Of a new
policy. But this argument does not ap-
ply to Santo Domingo at all, and does not
establish precedent that we must fol-
low in the future. This much the people
of the country ought to know. Santo
Domingo Is on the direct line between the
United States and the Panama canal.
This country would not permit any
country on earth to obtain foothold there
in view of our immense interests in Pana-
ma At the same time we can not say to
foreign nations having demands upon the
little republic that they can not collect what
is due them. We simply say that the cir
cumstances are such that we will accept an
invitation of the Santo Domingo officials
to administer the customs of the island, and
that after the running expenses are de-
Quoted we will pay what is left each year
upon the settlement of all just debts. The
Dominican government has asked that a
commission be appointed to determine what
these debts are SO that those who are en-
titled to their money may get 1t, and those
who are pushing unfair debts may under
stand that they will not get what they ask.
The truth is that nine out of ten claims are
presented at their face value, when the
honest dues are not over one-tenth of the
total. In the matter of contractural debts
we would have nothing to do, but in prop
erty and personal debts and claims there
would necessarily be an adjustment l am
satisfied that public sentiment will demand
the ratification of the agreement with
Santo Domingo"
Vice President Fairbanks was with the
President for few minutes after the lat
ter had returned from the Naval Medical
Cnnn d1ya inc
Hopper, the actor, was one of the Pres
ident's visitors during the day.
The President has signed the commission
of J. Martin Miller, the well-known news
paper correspondent who has been ap-
pointed as consul at Aix-la-Chapelle, Ger
many. Mr.. Miller will take the oath of Of
flee shortly and leave FOR his post as soon
as he can wind up some private business
Presidents Busy Week.
President Roosevelt will have a busy
week next week. 1t will be his last week in
his office for several months. Monday,
April 3, he will leave here for the south
west to attend the reunion of his regiment
at San Antonio and to go on a long hunt
ing trip in Colorado. The President will
try to dispose of everything of an impor
tant nature he has under consideration be-
tween now and then.
Everything of a pressing nature is about
out OF his way except the reorganization
of the Panama canal commission and the
settlement of the Venezuelan question,
which is now expected to be brought to
a conclusion without seriously straining the
relations between the two countries As
sistant Secretary Adee talked with the
President today and received some instruc-
tions for transmission to Venezuela which
may result in delaying settlement 6. while
longer, but will secure for the United States
the objects aimed at.
AS to the canal reorganization. it is stat
ed that the President and Secretary Taft
have concluded that 1t will be necessary
under the law to appoint a commission of
seven members. He considers that such a
number makes the commission unwieidy
but as Congress failed to provide for q
.sraa Her counrntaeinu ha Eill be corurelled