New-York tribune., 1905-03-06
THE DOMINICAN CALL FOR AID.


THE DOMINICAN CALL FOR AID.
| ~ I,-osidon+,s poIicv toward Santo Domingo,
oS corcretely embodied in the pending conVeh-
+Ton &c IN he commended upon all grounds out
ortops unon none more heartily ana coh-
vincinely than that of the circumstances OF us
origin That is q ground when mas peeh u
sone extent lost sight of, but to whlch Spec'"l
heed should be given by those VINO are lncliiieu
70 question or criticise the policy since 1t
effectively disposes of their cheI ooJeclIon'
They appear to think, or to assume, Ihat thls
country is trying to meddle III dominican
affairs 70 patronize that country, to commit an
oct of AGGRESSION upon it. to force a receivershlp
mon If against its will, or something OF that
sort If such were the case, the PRESIDENTS
nolfcv might still be entirely proper. for II IS
we'll established principle that one hatioh mas
I'm certain contingencies right TO lhIiuue ln'o
tta affairs of another for the sake OF fulnlment
of obligations. restoration OF peace or Vlhulca-
tiop of the common rights of humanity lhat
principle was-to go no further back-plaillE
enumerated with respect to Cuba by President
cleveland in 1896 and by President Mckinley in
1897. and was approved by men of all parties
But that principle Is not invoked at this time
President Roosevelt has happily not had to go so
far. The United States Is not taking the initla-
tive 1t is not forcing itself upon Sanlo
Domingo II is simply responding to Santo
DomIngos appeal for aid Let that unqueston-
able fact be clearly borne in mind. Ii was
Santo Domingo that took the Initiative Inc
present government of that republic is sincerely
desirous of paying its debts and Of putting its
affairs into a solvent and prosperous condition
1t believes 1t hds ample resources for that pur-
nose But il realizes its own weakness and Its
inability to deal successfully with the problem
Therefore it voluntarily turns to Its strongest
neighbor and chief creditor. the United States
with an appeal for that assistance which II SO
sorely needs and which its own inclinauons ana
our long established policy forbid 1t TO seek
elsewhere. That is the situation, exactly de-
scribed Santo Domingo needs help TO save 1t
from ruin We forbid it to get help elsewhere
than from us. Therefore it turns to US for the
help which our President proposes to give
Surely. 1t would be strange if so reasonable a
policy were not approved
In what an unfortunate attitude would thls
country be put by refusing! For fourscore years
we have been forbidding all other nations to
rneddle with Dominican affairs, either TO help or
to hinder, and we have been telling the D0mln-
leans to look to US. not to Europe, for guidance
philosophy and friendship. "Codlin, not Short. S
the friend" And now, when a crisis IN
Dominican affairs has come and that country
appeals TO us for the friendly aid which 1t must
have If II is not TO perish. are we to refuse it,
to pass by on the other side, and practically to
say. I'VE will not help you, and no other nation
shalI"? 1t would be difficult to Imagine any
thing more discreditabe 10 US than that would
be; and yet ii is equally difficult TO see how we
could avoid such reproach # we should reject
this Dominican appeal for aid. Nor would our
attitude toward other powers be more admirable
If we should say TO them substantially that We
will neither permit them to adjust their affairs
with Santo Domingo in their own fashion nor
ourselves assist Santo Domingo to a satisfactory
adjustment
Equally strong is the argument from the point
of view Of material interests. This country has
large claims against Santo Domingo being as
we have said It's chief creditor. Now, at SantO
Domingo's own suggestion and invitation. we
have opportunity to secure full satisfaction
Of all our claims In an amicable, easy and mex
pensive way. What if we neglect-nOt only neg
ect but reject-the opportunity? We all know
the saying about him who will not when he
may. By failure TO approve this protocol
should be logically and morally estopping our
selves from any further demands for settlement,
and should have nobody but ourselves to blame
if our future relations with Santo Domingo were
marked with vexation and trouble. Nor could
we reasonably blame any one but ourselves IL
some day unpleasant foreign complications
should arise through the Intervention of others
in Dominican affairs for the dog in the manger
cannot permanently command respect We re-
call that one of Stewards considerations I'm pur-
chasing Alaska was that If we did not take it
when it offered to us we could not after
ward object to some other powers taking It. If
we did not give Santo Domingo aid, we could
scarcely IN decency object to some other powers
Doing so: and whether we did object or not
such action by another power might prove far
more unwelcome to than the doing of the
service which is now solicited
That, then, Is the fundamental fact of the
case-that this weak and helpless but hopeful
and coniding neghbor Of ours, not upon our
cOmpulson or at our demand or suggestion, but
voluntarily and upon its own initiative turns TO
US for the aid which we would not permit it to
get elsewhere, and asks us for practical appli-
cation of the theory which we have been enunci-
atlng for the last eighty years and for a service
which will not be Onerous to US but will really
be profitable to us, pecuniariy politically and
morally. 1t is surprising that the Presidents
wise and patriotic proposal to respond favorahlv
to that appeal should meet with even the slight
est objection or criticism. That II viii ohtaIn
prompt and practically unanimous approval our
faith in American sense, justice and patriotism
forbids us to doubt.
LONG RANGE FORECASTS