Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-28
Republican Senators Not
Wholly With the President.
DOMINICAN RELATIONS
LEADERS FAVOR RATIFICATION
OF SOME KIND OF A TREATY.
Feel that This Government f. In a
scrspe and They Want to Get Out
a. creditably 90 Possible.

II can be asserted with an much authority
az It IL possible to state the position of the
majority In the Senate, that the republt-
cans In that body VIII stand by the Presl-
dent in the matter OF the ratification of
some treaty between this government and
the government OF Santo Domingo to per-
NIT dignihed conclusion of the relations
that have been developed between the two
governments.
At the same time 1t Is pointed out by
senators who are leaders In the majority
party that they have a solid democratic
opposition to take account Of In whatever
they propose to do. and as q two-thirds
vote II necessary on any treaty that IL to
be approved by the Senate. they are not
In q position to dictate. even II they were
inclined to stand by the President In the
position he has taken
But at the same time the republicans in
the senate are almost unanimous In their
disapproval of the Presidents original prop
osition, which involved an assertion of the
principle that the logical Interpretation OF
the Monroe doctrine is to have this govern
ment exercise In the case Of any OF the re-
publics to the south Of u.s. the same de-
gree OF control over the fiscal affairs of
those republics that has been exercised by
the President in the case of santo Domin-
60. There Ais practically O. unanimous SEN
timent that that declaration shall not stand
as the declaration of this government eth
er openly or Dy implication.
Regard It as a "Scrape."
The republicans of the Senate want 10
get out OF the present complications with
Santo Domingo in a way that will make
trat case stand alone in the diplomatic an
nails OF the country. It is no secret that
they regard these complications as the re-
suit of an unfortunate mistake In other
words. they generally feel that they are
IN scrape. They want to get out of 1t.
They want to save the face" OF the coun-
try. while they are making their escape
from an embarrassing situation.
1t is also no secret that II the President
the Senate there would be less tenderness
On this subject. The majority would then
be inclined to let their load Of responsibility
drop without quite so much concern as to
who might be under it.
AS 1t is, they are inclined to be just as
considerate as possible At the same time
they are today more than ever inclined to
stand by what they believe to be the right
course for them to take, and that Is to
indorse what has been done only sufficient
ly to permit the government to retire from
the situation with dignity, and at the same
time to avoid absolutely having this Incl
dent made a precedent for any future ac-
ton by the executive branch OF the govern
ment.
Sentiment Of the Opposition.
While that has been the dominating de-
sire Of senator's OF the majority. they are
face to face with solid democratic oppo-
sition that would be more than pleased
to use this incident to put the party with
which they are in opposition In as great a
dilemma as possible.
This opposition would vote solidly against
any treaty If such course were likely to
throw the burden Of the difficulty OF set
Element on the President without help from
the Senate. AS it is, they are opposed to
action of any kind at this time, and what
they will decide after the holiday season is
over and they are again confronted with
the problem will depend upon the situation
that has then developed in Santo Domingo.
Though the republican majority is in
clined to lend a helping hand, 1T will not
take action on the treaty in the absence of
assurance that the men who made the
treaty will be there to defend it. So that
the situation for ali immediate purposes Is
that the Senate Is waiting for President
Morales to emerge from his sylvan retreat.
If he never energies the Senate wants to
have information that there is some one in
the island who can lay substantial claim
to being president de facto.
The treaty Is for the time resting quietly
in the archives of the Senate committee on
foreign relations 1t was sent there by the
Senate in order that It might have add
tional notifications. The democrats pro-
pose to vote against reporting 1t until APP
parently stable conditions are restored. The
republicans readily acquiesce in that be
cause they realize that 1t is as well to let
the treaty hibernate there for while as
any place.