The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-02-02
WASHINGTON.
From cur Regular Correspondent.

dSuiuS 'on, Jan. 50, l9OS.
The plans of the Administration
with regard to Santo Domingo con-
stitute the chief topic of discussion
among Democrats in Congress this
week and the comment is generally
unfavorable to the methods which
have been pursued. An authorized
statement has been given out at he
State Department announcing that
the United States is about to take
control of San DOMINICAN affairs,
collect the entire customs of the
Republic, turn over to President
Morales as per cent. of the gross
receipts for administrative purposes
and apply SIS percent. on the foreign
Indebtedness, which includes S4,-
4SI, $50 due to citizens Of the Unit
ed States. The total Indebtedness
of San Domingo is estimated at $32, =
ESQ, 900 and it is further estimated
that with the United States admin.
istering its customs houses not less
than 81 ,ooc 900 a year can be
applied on the Indebtedness. 1t is
explained by the State Department
that the representatives of those
foreign powers to whose citizens
San Domingo is indebted have
urged upon this government the
propriety of the United States TAX
ing possession OF San DOMINICAN
fiscal affairs, inasinuch as this
country opposes their forcible ap-
preparation by European nations,
and that facing this alternative the
Administration determined to adopt
the former course. 1t is further
declared, moreover, that the United
States is acting on the request Of
President Morales who appreciates
the hopeless insolvency which con-
fronts his country and who regards
a virtual receivership held by this
country as San Domingo S only SAL
vation.
Xxx
In addition to the official state
ment made by the State Department
it has been declared by officials IF
that Department that conditions in
Venezuela present an almost an
alogous condition and it is intimat-
ed that eventually similar course
will have to be pursued with the
Castro government, which has
sought to evade honorable perform
ance of the obligations imposed on
it by the Hague Tribunal. The
chief question involved is this, shall
the United States, after declaring
the Monroe Doctrine, namely, no
European power shall acquire or in
crease its territorial possessions on
this continent, permit European
powers to sieze customs houses and
collect port dues where Central or
South American countries repudiate
their just debts, or shall the United
States itself compel the payment Of
such just debts to European credit.
ors and insist that no reprisals shall
be made on this continent by any
European power?
XIX
Subordinate to this question how
ever, although attracting greater
attention at the present time, is the
question of how far the President
shall go in determining upon so
momentous policy and carrying
1t into effect without consulting The
Senate. The Constitution provides
that all treaties shall be made bv
and with the advice and consent of
the Senate and shall be ratified by
two thirds vote of the Senate.
The Administration objects to the
term treaty as applied to the agree
ment with San Domingo but the
constitutional lawyers in the upper
chamber insist that any agreement
made between the United States
and foreign power is, de lacto, a
treaty, irrespective of the name ap-
piled to it by the State Department.
XXX
L In the present instance the Presi.
dent and the Secretary of State de-
! oided upon the policy to be pursued
with regard to San Domingo with
oat consulting a single member OF
THE Senate and it is unoHcially, but
apR Rarently credibly, stated that
terms of the agreement with San
Domingo will take effect February