New-York tribune., 1905-02-11
oUR TITLE IN sANTo DOMINGO.

Tbero seems to he some misunderstanding
about the American right and tue W oo 'e
tain things in Santo Domingo; especlahy 'o az
minister the customs receipts OF certaih pun
of that republic. In our issue OF Decenpu =
1904 the whole matter was set iorul- ohuei
the protocol of January 81, 19of' ana the cons7
uuent arbtral award OF July H. loof' tno
United States was TO receive irohl Tue DoiniH-
lean Republic S44S1 $50 with interest at per
cont 70 no Maid from the customs and port
dues of four Dominican ports, and III case OF
default in nayment the United States was 10
take possession of and TO administer the Gus
tom houses of as many of those ports as hiISnl
be necessary for the satisfaction OF the award
Three months ago Mr. John T. Abbott was
sent to Santo Domingo to administer the Gus
toms at Puerto Plata and if they were not sur
ficient be was likewise TO take possession Oh
the custom houses, successfully, at Sanchez,
Samana and Monte Cristi Now, revisiung this
country. he is reported in 1.-The NewYork Sun
as saving that 'it has not been necessary to go
''beyond Puerto Plata. That port, honestly ad-
''ministered and with the grating competition
"of the other north shore ports eliminated, VIII
.be more than sufficient TO meet all the money
demands under the award" 1t is to be as
sumed, of course that Mr.. Abbott has met one
of these essential conditions. He has honestly
administered Puerto Plata. But by his own
other condition. He has not been able to elimi-
nate 'the grating competition of the other
north shore ports" He says explicitly in the in
terview already quoted: importers diverted
their imports to Sanchez Monte Cristi and
"Samana. This has reduced the business done
''at Puerto Plata by very considerable per-
"centage" He adds that, while the receipts at
Puerto Plata were only $4,000 last month,
they ought to be fully $4,000 a month, and he
intimates that they would be, were it not for
this grating competition"
What then? Was the United States to acqui-
esce in such practical default? Not while the
arbitral award of July last held good. Under
that award. as we have explained, if it could
not get satisfaction at Puerto Plata it was to
go on to Sanchez, then to Samana, then to
Monte Cristi, and TO any other ports that
might be established north of IS degrees
45 minutes north latitude. According to Mr..
Abbott, the Dominican merchants themselves
have arbitrarily and artiicaly made Puerto
Plata insufficient. Therefore, under the au-
thority of the protocol of January 81, 1904, and
Of the arbitral award of July IA, 1904, the
United States, If it shall be found necessary is
going on to the other ports. Such authority is
certainly ample for our action. Our right and
title to occupy and administer Sanchez Samana
and Monte Cristi are identical with those
under which we have for three months past
been occupying and administering Puerto Plata
The United States certainly does not intend
to confine itself to just of the ports to
which it is entitled, and then have commerce
diverted from that port, and thus be left in the
lurch. Since, as Mr.. Abbott says, the Domini-
cans are diverting their commerce to the other
three ports, our government is, If necessary,
going to embrace those ports also in it's admin
istration. That seems to be all there is in the
matter