Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-05


itself strive to help Santo Domingo IN nes
hour Of need. In the case Of one OF these
nations, only the actual opening or neso-
tiations to this end by our government pas
vented the seizure of territory IN santo
Domingo by a European power. y. tne
debts incurred some were Just, Wniie sonie
were not of a character which realiy rem
ders II obligatory on, or proper iot, SAN
Domingo 10 paw them in full. But she could
not pay any Of them unless some staohi'S
was assured her government ana psup, nt ~
Accordingly the executive department OF
our government negotiated treaty unoeI
which we are TO try TO help the DOMINICAN
people to straigtten out their nhahces. LUIS
treaty is pending before the senate. Ia sne
meantime temporary arlaLs v sI e 10
been made which will last until the oehaee
has had time 10 take action upon the treaty.
Under this arrangement the dominican gov
eminent has appointed Americans 10 all the
important positions IN the customs SCI '
and they are seeing TO the honest collection
of the revenues. turning over 10 per cent 10
the government for running expenses ana
putting the other b5 per cent into a safe
depositary for equitable DIVISION In case the
treaty shall be ratified, among the various
creditors, whether European or American
The custom houses offer weli-nigh the oniy
sources of revenue in Santo Domingo, ahu
the different revolutions usually nave ds
their real aim the obtaining possession OF
these custom houses. The mere idct .Ia.
the collectors Of customs are AusIiceiS,
that they are performing their dntles wiz
efficiency ana honesty, anu liaS Wv -
IS pending IN the Senate gives cel,ain
moral power to tho government OF oan,o
Domingo which It has not had oelore. Inns
has completely discouraged all revoiutloiiai
movement. while 1t has aireauy tnst tba
such an increase In the revenues that tne
government is actually getting more rom
the As per cent that the American collecto,s
turn over to 1t than II got formerly when y.
took the entire revenue. 1t IL enapliHS the
poor, harassed people OF Santo Domingo
once more to turn their attention to indus
try and to be free from the curse OF inter
minable revolutionary disturbance. IL onefs
to all bona flde creditors. American ana
European. the only really good chance 70
obtain that 10 which they are justly enn-
tied. while IT in return gives TO Santo ~
mingo the only opportunity OF oeiense
against claims which 1t ought not 10 pay,
for now II it meets the views OF the senate
We shall ourselves thoroughly examine an
these claims. whether American or foreien
and see that none that are improper arc
paid There Is of course, opposition 10 tiie
treaty from dishonest creditors. foreign anu
American. and from the professional reVo-
lutlonists of the island itself. we nave
already reason TO believe that some o! the
creditors who do not dare expose their
claims to honest scrutiny are endeaVorihs
to stir up sedition In the island ana oPpo
sition to the treaty. In the meantime
have exercised the authority vested IN me
by the joint resolution Of the Congress 70
prevent the introduction of arms into the
island for revolutionary purposes.
Under the course taken stability ana oroeF
and all the benefits of peace are at last COM
ing TO Santo Domingo. danger OF foreign
intervention has been suspended, ana there
Is at last prospect that all creditors VIII
get justice, no more ana no Tess. II 'ils
ARRANGEMENT Is terminated by the 1allure ol
the treaty chaos will follow, and II chaos
follows sooner or later this government may
be involved in serious difficulties with Iof-
eign governments over the lsiahd' OF eise
may be forced itself to intervene In the
island In some unpleasant fashion. Unoer
the proposed treaty the independence OF
the island is scrupulously respected, the
danger of violation of the Monroe doctrine
by the intervention of foreign powers van
ishes and TIE Interference of our govern
ment is mfnimized. so that we shall only
act in conjunction with the Santo Domingo
authorities to secure the proper adminintra-
ton of the customs and therefore to secure
the payment of Just debts and to secure the
Dominican government against demands Tor
unjust debts. The proposed method Will
give the people of Santo Domingo the same
chance to move onward and upward which
we have already given to the people or
Cuba. 1t will be doubly to our discredit as
n nation II we fail to take advantage OF
this chance for IL will be of damage TO
ourselves and Il will be of incalculable dam
age to Santo Domingo. Every considera-
ton of wise policy. and, above all, every
consideration of large generosity, bids US
meet the request of Santo Domingo as we
are now trying to meet it.
Au6 Army Navy.
We cannot consider the question of our
foreign policy without at the same time
treating of the army and the navy. We
now have very small army-indeed one
well-nigh inhnitesImal when compared with
the army Of any other large nation. or
course the army we do have should be as
nearly perfect of its kind and for its size
as Is possible. I do not believe that any
army in the world has better average OF
enlisted man or a better type OF JUNIOR
officer. but the army should be trained to
act effectively in a mass. Provision should
be made by sufficient appropriations for
maneuvers of a practical kind so that the
troops may learn how to take care OF them
selves under actual service conditions; every
march, for instance, being made with the
soldier loaded exactly as he would be In
an active campaign. The generals and
colonies would thereby have opportunity of
handling regiments, brigades and divisions,
and the comrnissary and medical depart
ments would be tested in the field. Provi-
sion should be made for the exercise at
least of brigade and by preference of
division IN marching and embarklng at some
point on our coast and disembarking at
come other point and continuing its march.
The number of posts in which the army Is
kept in time of peace should be materially
diminished and the posts that are left made
correspondingly larger. No local interests
should be allowed TO stand IN the way or
assembling the greater part or the troops
which would at need form our field armies
in stations of such size as will permit the
best training TO be given to the personnel OF
all grades Including the high officers and
staff officers. To accomplish this end We
must have not company or regfmental gar
rsons, but brigade and division garrisons.
Promotion by mere seniority can never re-
suit IN a thoroughly efficient corps of OFF,
GERS IN the higher ranks unless there ac-
companies II q vigorous weeding-out proc
ess. Such a weeding-out process-that Is,
such a process of selection-is a chief fea-
ture of the four years course of the young
officer at West Point There Is no good
reason why II should stop Immediately upon
his graduation. While al West Point he is
dropped unless he comes up to certain
standard of excellence, and when he gradu-
ates he takes rank in the army according
to his rank OF graduation. The results are
good at West Point. and there should be
IN the army itself something that will
achieve the same end. After a certain age
has been reached the average officer is
unfit to do good work below a certain grade
Provision should be made for the promo
ton Of exceptionally meritorious men over
the heads OF their comrades and for the re-
tirement of all men who have reached a
given age without getting beyond a given
rank this age of retirement, of course,
changing from rank to rank. In both the
army and the navy there should be some
principle of selection-that Is. promotion for
merft-and there should be resolute effort
he