The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-22
WE TAKE CHARGE OF DOMINGO
WILL COLLECT An CUSTOMS AND
PAY OFF DEBTS TO NATIONS.
Warship Ordered There TO Pre-, ent Threat
ened Trouble-AnneNauon a Possible
Outcome OF the situation-To Keep
Control TIL Order Is Restored.

Special Cable Despatch 10 THE SuS.
SANro DOMINGO. Jan. IA contract
was signed yesterday 10y Commander
/ A. c. Dillingham;. L, s. n. representing
the United States Government. and rep
resentatives of the Government Of Santo
Domingo, which will be published officially
next Monday.
Under this contract the United States
Government will take charge of the adjust
ment of the public debt OF Santo Domingo
/ which is estimated at 900, and as
security will collect all the customs duties
| of this republic until the debt Is paid
II is freely predicted here that serious
| trouble in the island will result from this
| agreement and that it will not be long in
/ coming
Z WASHINGTON, Jan. 2l.-After giving tie
| Dominican Government every opportunity
| to avert the necessity for such a step, the
/ Government of the United States has de-
! termined to take charge of all the customs
revenues Of Santo Domingo. with a view
/ to iquidatng the Indebtedness Of the
| republic to the United States and other
countries and thus avert radical measures
on the part of foreign Governments which
might lead to trouble with the United
/ States.
Advices received at the State Department
| to-day from Thomas c. Dawson. United
| States Minister to Santo Domingo, led
/ officials here to believe that when 1t be-
| came known that the customs revenues
/ Of the Republic would be transferred to
| the United States, revolutionary out
| break would probably occur. There was
"a hasty conference OF the State and Navy
! Department authorities. As a result in
! structions were sent by Secretary Of the
| Navy Morton to Rear Admiral Charles ID.
| Sigsbee, commanding the Caribbean squad
ron, to despatch a warship without delay to
! Santo Domingo city,
| The Dominican situation IL serious.
| Yesterday, according to information re-
oeved by telegraph to-day from Minister
| Dawson, Gen. Morales, the President of the
Republic, issued a decree informing his
people that he had requested the United
! States Government to assist in settling the
debts Of his impoverished country.
Under the terms Of the protocol signed
yesterday this Government will practically
take control of Santo Domingo, and it is
expected that this su2erainty will not cease
until order has been restored in the so-called
republic. and it ceases to be n menace TO
the peace Of the United States. One pos
sibe outcome of the situation is that Santo
Domingo will be annexed by the Govern
ment.
The total foreign Indebtedness of the
Dominican Government amounts TO APP
proximately 331,0o0,0 900. The indebted
ness Of Santo Domingo to American creditors
! is embraced principally in its obligation
OF s., 800, 900 to the santo Domingo Improve
ment Company OF New York. Under an
agreement between the American and
Dominican Governments mad last July,
agents of the United States took possession
Of the custom house at Puerto Plate with
authority to collect the revenues at that
place for the purpose Of applying them
TO paying the debt Of the Santo Domingo
Improvement Company
After an American agent had admins
tered the customs business Of Puerto Plata
for several months under this arrange
ment. the State Department received in
formation which led It to believe that com
rnerce was being diverted from Puerto
Plata A careful investigation disclosed
that this suspicion was correct and Pres-
dent Roosevelt and his advisers decided
that the time had arrived to take advantage
OF the provision that the custom houses at
Monte Cristi SANTANA and Sanchez should
be placed also under the supervision OF
American agents.
Before putting this decision into effect,
however the State Department became
convinced that the only safeguard against
possible international complications over
the Indebtedness Of foreign creditors was
10 have the United States Government
assume control Of every custom house in
the republic.
Should the expected revolutionary out
break occur it viii be for President Roose-
Welt and his Cabinet TO determine whether
American troops shall be sent to Santo
Domingo to protect the new interests which
this Government has assumed Officials
concerned to-day gave it as their opinion
that the measures already taken for send
ing warships TO Dominican ports would be
sufficient
Commander Albert C. Dillingham; of the
navy was sent 70 Santo Domingo last week
TO assist Minister Dawson in the negotia-
tions concluded yesterday, requested the
Navy Department 10 send "A vessel TO Santo
Domingo city to take him away The gun
boat Castine was assigned 70 this duty.
The instructions TO Rear Admiral Sigsbee
we're supplemental to the advice Of Com
mander Dillingham;. II is eIacted that
Admiral Sigsbee. who has been Informed
Of the situation, will 60 rauy 10 that
port in his flagship. the O,t' ser Newark !
Another American warship. the cruiser
Detroit. is now at Puerto Plata 20 that this
Government is thoroughly well prepared to
meet any emergency mat may arise.
France, Germany. Belgium and Spair
have heavy claims against Santo Domingo
and have for a long time been insisting
that some steps be taken TO liquidate them.
II was even intimated TO this Government ,
that unless the United States took action
other governments would do 20. This /
Government is assured that it, complete /
control Of the customs revenues of the /
Dominican Republic Is entirely satisfac- .
tory to these nations.
FIVE NEW CARDINALS.