The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-05
ANSWERING SANTO
DOMINGO'S APPEAL
President Roosevelt Furnishes
Statement of Americas Re-
lation with Island.

Santo Domingo, in her turn, has now
made an appeal to us to help her, and
not only every principle of wisdom but
every generous instinct within us bids
us respond to the appeal. 1t is not of
the slightest. consequence whether we
grant the aid needed by Santo Domingo
as an incident to the wise development
of the Monroe doctrine, or because we
regard the case Of Santo Domingo as
stah.ding wholly by itself, and to be
treated as such. and not on general prin-
ciples or with any reference to the Mon
roe doctrine. The important point is to
give the needed aid, and the case is GER
tninly sufficiently peculiar to deserve
to be Judged purely on it's own merits.
The conditions in Santo Domingo have
for number Of years grown from bad
to worse until year ago all society was
on the verge of dissolution. Fortunate
ly, just at this time a ruler sprang up
in Santo Domingo, who, with his col
leagues, saw the dangers threatening
their country and appealed to the
friendship of the only great and power
full ne;ghhor who possessed the power,
and as they hoped, also the will to help
them. There was imminent danger of
foreign intervention. The previous rul-
ers of Santo Domingo had recklessly in
Cured debts, and owing to her internal
disorders she had ceased to be able to
provide means Of paying the debts. The
patience of her foreign creditors had
'become exhausted, and at least two for
eign nations were on the point Of inter
ventlon, and were only prevented from
intervening by the unofficial assurance
OF this government that it would itself
strive to help Santo Domingo in her
hour Of need. In the case of one of
these nations, only the actual opening
of negotiations to this end by our gov
eminent prevented the seizure of terri
tory in Santo Domingo by European
power. Of the debts incurred some
were just. while some were not Of a
character which really renders it okliga-
tory on, or proper for, Santo Domingo
to pay themtin full. But she could not
pay any Of them unless some stability
was assured her government and people.
Accordingly the executive depart
ment Of the government negotiated a
treaty. under which we are to try to
help the dominican people to straighten
out their finances. This treaty is pend
ing before the senate. In the meantime
temporary arrangement had been
made which will last until the senate
has had time to take action upon the
treaty. Under this arrangement the
Dominican government has appointed
Americans to all the important posi-
tions in the customs service, and they
are seeing to the honest collection Of
the revenues, turning over 45 per cent
to the government for running expenses
and putting the other IS per cent into
a safe depositary for equitable division
in case the treaty shall be ratified,
among the various creditors, whether
European or American. AZ.
Sources Of Revenue.
The custom-h houses offer well nigh the
only sources Of revenue in Santo Do
mingo, and the different revolutions
usually have as their real aim the OBJ
tanning possession of these custom
houses. The mere fact that the col
lectors Of customs are Americans, that
they. are performing their duties with
efficiency and honesty, and that the
treaty: is pending in the senate, gives
a certain moral power to the govern
ment of Santo Domingo which it has
not had before. This has completely
discouraged all revolutionary move
ment, while it has already produced
such an increase in the revenues that
the government is actually getting more
from the As per cent that the American
collectors turn. over to it than it got
formerly when it took the entire revo-
nue.. It is enabling the poor harassed
people Of Santo Domingo once more
to turn their attention to industry and
to be free from the curse of inter
revolutionary disturbance. It