The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-08-12
RUSSIA'S REPLY IS READY;
 NO HOPE FOR PEACE IN SIGHT

It must be understood that under no circumstances will the United States Territorial Aggression. should any of our neighbors, no matter how turbulent, how disregardful of our rights. finally get into such . poAition that the ut most limits of eur forbearnnce are rest assured that nd action will ever be taken save what Is absolutely de- manded by our self-respect; that this action will not take the form of ter ritorial agsrandissmsnt on our part, and that 1t will only bo taken at all with the most extreme reluctance and not without having exhausted every ef- fort to avert 1t.
 "As to the second point. if a republic to the south of us commits tort against a foreign nation. such, for In stance, as wrongful action against the persons of citizens of that nation, then the Monroe Doctrine does not force us the tort, save to see that the punish ment does not directly or indirectly as- sume the form of territorial occupa- tion of the offending country. The comes from the failure to meet con- tractual obligations. Our own govern ment has always refused to enforce such contractual obligations on behalf It is much to be wished that all foreign governments would take the same view But at present this country would certainly not be willing to go to war to prevent foreign government from collecting a just debt or to back up some one of our sister republics In refusal to pay just debts: and the alter native may in any case prove 10 De that we shall ourselves undertake to bring about some arrangement by which so much as Is possible of the just obli- gations shall be paid. Personally should always prefer to see this coun- try step in and put through such an arrangement rather than let any foreign country undertake 1t.
 T do not want to see any foreign power take possession permanently or temporarily of the custcm-houses of an American republic In order to enforce its obligations. and the alternative may at any time be that we shall be forced to do so ourselves.
 Finally, and what Is in my view, really the most important thing of all. 1t is our duty, so far as we are able. brothers. Just as there has been a gradual growth of the ethical element in the relations of one individual to another. so that with all the faults of our Christian civilization 1t yet re- mains true that we are. no matter how slowly, more and more coming to recog- nize the duty of bearing one anothers burdens. similarly believe that the ethical element is by degrees entering
 
 Under strain of emotion caused by sudden disaster this feeling Is very evi- dent famine or plague in one some assistance from other coun- tries. Moreovere. we are now beginning to recognize that weaker people have claim upon us. even whom the appeal is made. not to our emotions by some sudden ca- lamity, but to our consciences Dy long continuing conditions of affairs. have more than begun to approach the proper relationship one to another, and i fully recognize the folly of proceed ing upon the assumption that this full--for, in order to proceed upon such an assumption, we would first re- quire some method of forcing recalci- trant nations to do their duty, as well in their rights.
 Tn the interest of justice, 1t is as necessary to exercise the police power as to how charity ana a heipt1i nna sener1 new be done toward the end in view. That something. for instance. this nation has already done as regards Cuba. and is now trying to do as regards .santo history in which we should take more genuine pride than the way in which we liberated Cuba. and then, instead of instantly abandoning 1t to chaos, stayed in direction of the affairs of the island until we had put 1t on the right path, and finally gave it freedom and helped 1t as 1t started on the life or an Independent republic.
 "Santo Domingo has now made an appeal to us to help 1t in turn. and not only every principle of wisdom but every generous instinct within us bids us respond to the appeal. The cendi- AW In a number of years grown from bad to on the verge of dissolution;. Fortu- nately just at this time wise ruler with his colleagues. saw the dangers threatening their beloved country, and appealed to the friendship of their them. The Immediate threat came to them in the shape of foreign interven- tion. The previous rulers of Santo Do- mingo had recklessly incurred debts. and owing to her internal disorders she had ceased to be able to provide means of paying the debts. The pa- tience of her foreign creditors had be- come exhausted. and at least one for eign nation was on the point Of inter vention and was only prevented from intervening by the unofficial assurance of this government that 1t would It. self strive to help santo Domingo Tn cured some were just. while some were not of a character which really renders 1t obligatory on. or proper for, Santo Domingo to pay them in full. But she could not pay any of them at all unless some stability was as- sured.
 Accordingly the executive depart ment of our government negotiated treaty under which we are to try to help the Dominican people to straight en out their finances. This treaty Is pending before the Senate. whose consent to it Is necessary. In the meantime we have made temporary Senate has had time to take action upon the treaty. Under this arrange ment we see to the honest adminis- tration of the custom houses, collect ing the revenues. turning over 45 per cent to the government for running expenses and putting the other 55 per cent into a safe deposit for equitable division among the various creditors. whether European or American, accord ingly, after investigation, their claims seem just.
 "The custom houses offer well-nigh the only sources of revenue in Santo Domingo. and the different revolutions usually have as their real aim the ob- houses. The mere fact that we are protecting the custom houses and col lecting the revenue with efficiency and honesty has completely discouraged has already produced such an increase in the revenues that the government Is actually getting more from the 45 per cent that we turn over to 1t than 1t got formerly when 1t took the entire harrassed people of Santo Domingo once more to turn their attention to industry and to be free from the curse of interminable revolutionary disturb ance. It offers to all bona fide credi- EurnnPno the only