The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-02-17
HIS REASON FOR
INTERFERENCE
ROOsevelt's Message to the Senate on
santo Domingo.
OTHER NATIONS MIGHT ACT
UNCLE SAM AS A COLLECTOR or
BAD DEBTS.

4 w sage from the president trans
hitting 10 the senate the pro-
IOcoI Of an agreement between the
United States and the Dominican gov
eminent providing for the collection
ana disbursement by the United states
/ OF the customs revenues OF the Do
miniean republic. was today ordered
made public. together with the proto-
cor d letter from john B. Moore. Tor
merry assistant secretary of state
Whlch gives statement regarding the
I ~ Si .l.-t uL9er me former protocol. and
/ me award OF the commission viii n
SelIleo the claims OF the San Domingo
Improvement company. The SRnat..
, went INTO executive session immedfata-
aIIer morning business, al Whi,I :
time inns action was taken
/ Hays Agreement.
The message Is or nearly T. 500 words
/ and was read IN full to the senate
/ II IS largely a discussion of the rights
anu uuIles or the United States under
me Monroe doctrine, and the presf-
! dent says the protocol affords a IN. -
I ilcal test of the efficiency of The T-1i+-
| ed states government in maintafnin.r
me doctrine In beginning his me-
] sage the president says mat con H.
ions In Santo Domingo have been
growing steadily worse for many
years and debts have been Contrscted
beyond the power of the republic. 10
I pay Certain. foreign countries he
says nave telt themselves aggrieved
! because or the nOn-Dayment OF debts
! due TO their citizens. and have faIt
/ mat the only way they could ever get
4 any guarantee of payment wOuId he
ny acquisition OF territory or TAXI ~
( republic.
I The Monroe Doctrine.
1t is pointed out 0y the president
tHaI me Monroe doctrine would pro-
hlolt any foreign government from
stepping in. and he saws that -hosa
VINO profit by this doctrine must SC
! cept certain responsibilities along with
/ me rights IL confers. He says tur-
The justification for the TnitaJ
states taking this burden and incur
/ ring this responsibility is TO be found
IN the TACT that it IS Incompatible with
international equity for the United
states 10 refuse TO allow other mowers
10 take the only means at their dis
I posal of satisfying the claims of their
creators. and yet TO refuse itself 10
take any such steps"
Not d Grab Game.
An especial point is made by the
president that this government does
I roI propose 10 take any part Of SantO 4
DoInngo or 10 exercise any 0Iner cord
| troll over the island save what Is neces-
| sary TO its financial rehabilitation in
connection with the collection of reya
nue. part of which viii be turned over
10 the government to meet the neces-
sary expense Of running il and part
/ OF which viii be distributed pro rata
@Alloiis the creditors of the TepubIfC
upon a basis of absolute equity
Discussing the course aggrieved ma
lions may take against American re-
publlcS without Interference with the
Monroe doctrine. the president saws
/ any action may be taken which does
Z IA h.. s-H.1r -
. their form Of government or of the
ueSpollment of their territory under
any disguise. but. short of this when
/ the question is one Of a money claim
me tne Only way which remains, finally
10 collect il is a blockade. or bonn
parchment. or the seizure Of the Gus
( tom house, and this means. as has
been said above what is in effect "a
possession. even though only tempo-
rary possession of territory
The United States then becomes
party IN interest, because under the
Monroe doctrine it cannot see any Fu-
ropean power seize and permanently
occupy the territory of one of these
republic, and Vet such seizure Of ter
rltory disguised or undisguised. may
eventually offer the only way i'm which
the power IN question can collect any
DEBTS, unless there is Interference on
the part of the United States
There are governments which do
sometimes take energetic action for
the protection of their subjects in the
enforcement OF merely contractll,,
claims. and thereupOn American con-
cessiOnaires, supported by powerful in
/ fuences, make loud appeal TO The
United states government i'm similar
cases for similar action. They com
plain that in the actual posture of
affairs their valuable properties are
practically cOntiScated. that Americal
enterprise is paralyzed. and that un-
less they are fully protected. even by
Of 1-r.s--
traCtUal rights. it means the abandou-
ment 10 the subjects Of other govern
ments of the interests of Americana
trade and commerce through the sac
rifice of their investments by exces
sive taxes imposed in violation OF con
tract and by other devices and the
sacrifice of the output of their mines
and other industries. and even of their
railway and shipping interests. which
they have established in connection
with the exploitation Of their cOncss
sions.
Ordinary Methods Failed.
THE attempted solution of the com
pick problem by the ordinary methods
Of diplomacy reacts injuriously upof
the United States government itself
and in measure paralyzes the actor
OF the executive in the direction ~
a sound and consistent policy.
Under the accepted law of nation
foreign governments are within their
right, If they choose to exercise il whe7
they actively intervene in support o.
the contractual claims OF their Subjects
They sometimes exercise this mower
and on account Of commercial rivalry
there is growing tendency on the
part of other governments more and
more TO aid automatically in the en-
fOrcement of the claims of their sub
jects. In view OF the dilemma in which
the government of the United States
is thus placed, it must, therefore ad1
here to its usual attitude of nO0-iuter
vention in such caSes-an attitude
proper under normal conditions btl H.
one which in this particular kind o.
case results to the disadvantage OF its
citizens in comparison with those OF
other states-or else il must. in order To
be consistent in its policy, actively in
tervene to protect the contracts and
concessions Of its citizens engaged in
agriculture, commerce and transpor
tation in competition with the subject
and citizens of other states"
Dominican Finances.
incorporated in the message is
financial statement showing that the
Dominican government owes to foreign
governments about So. 00o, 900 and that