Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1905-02-17
tectorate over San D~ominco.

OF u foreign government. lie calls 1t a
protocol and under this thin pretexl
he sets up the extraordinary claim that
he. can proceed to execute it's ter ms
without seeking or accepting tho al
vice and consent OF the senate. Yet the
senate IS clearly a part and TN essen.
tial part Of the treaty. ma'Sing power.
II cannot itself make Il treaty. Nor
can the president alone make one. The
two together are necessary in this
business under the explicit terms of the
constitution and no president before
Mr.. Roosevelt has ever pretended ;ha:
tic trea;y-makluG power resided ID
the executive independently OF the All.
vice and consent o: the upper house OF
congress. That at the last moment he
has consented TO refer the matter to
the senate Is merely Il concession he
has made without acknowledging an
obligation.
Let the American people understand
clearly what this San Domingo -proto.
col means. II means the practical
s~uhiugation OF that republic. 1t means
the wip,nC out OF the cUua;r!'s sover
eighty. II means ;hat the United States
has in effect annexed il by executive
order and III defiance both 0i tue reo
pie Of San Domingo and the cous:itu-
ton and Ia. OF the United States. 1t
means that the Continental policeman
with his big stick las knocked Il neigh
Dor on the head and seiz his b~slDug.
Iugs. /: means that we have played
the pirate role again aud tIEt the
5lac!; flag has suTPlartei the stars and
stripes IS tie emblem OF 4 ROosevelted
Monroe Doctrine. Il means that we
have taken sides IN 4 domestic quarrel;
that we have overthrown another gov.
erumeut and that in everything except
in name we have .orn down a republic
and on its ruins set up an empire sup.
ported by American CUTS in the hands
Of American buccaneers.
That Il republican senate will se5i-
ously challenge this amaz Ia act of
executive Usur patton l. not 70 be be-
lieved. Already CllIom and Lodge
have shown ready Rcquics 'cnce in Mr..
Rooseveit's g~utucra;ic adventure. 1t
Is not denied in any quarter that the
protocol : in fact Il treaty nor is il
denied that such Il treaty to be valid
must have the formal sanction 81 the
seuat. as q CO ordinate branch ui the
treaty-making power. Yet 1t was plain.
ly the purpose of the republi ,an lead
ers IN the senate to abdiCate the con.
s~titutional prerogGtive Of that body
and to stand 10y the president III his
extraordinary breach o! the law AID of
precedent. they admit tine real char
acter Of the presidential aggression.
They DO not even Try to disguise the
gravity OF the assault which he has
intended to make upon one 81 the
highest functions Of the senatorial
body, but il was with ready COM
PlalsRncc that they fell into the prcSi.
dents anarchistic adventure and
showed that at heart they we're prepared
to lend it obedient approval.
And what is If craver concern than
all this. there in no assurance that the
Democratic minority Will give any
resistance to this scandalous plot.
There will probably be some protest
and ONE show of opposing the
Implied overthrow OF the senatorial pre-
rOgativc. Doubtlt 50 "A Few Democrats
M - l, trtst.l Nx.,-. A.. I..I-...
Of the whole proceeding and to warn the
country against the dangerous usuFpa-
ions OF which this is n type and "A oor-
tent. Blu the recent past affords US no
reason to hope for more from the minor
lty than a ~periunCtory defense Of the
cUnstit ution and Of human rights. For
the White House democrats in the
senate have proved themselves not
less s~erviIe than the White House rcpub-
icana. Tho president has found n way
tn bring the CoClirclls and the MorgauE
and the McLaurius into line whenever n
White House interest wa8 at stake. lie
has known how to cocrcC, cajolc or
corrupt democratic senators whenever
their services wcr" needed. He did il in
the Panama matter. lie hua done il in
the Philippine matter. He has done it
i'll the eSira-legal and revolutionary coal
strike matter. And now he may he
trusted to repent tho feat III this San
Domingo matter unless popular pressure
shall come so suddenly and 80 powcr
fully TINT oven u irRitorous and greedy
majority may be brought up with u
round turn.
Bot no such popular pressure ia Ia be
expected. The mass Of the people sccm
to he indifferent Ia what X going on.
Tlioy seem Ia icel that il is all right e.
kill II republic or to dismcmbcr a
friendly power wherever lawlCss creed
shall demand. They are too busy IN
sympathizlng with oppressed Russia ii
tho effort oi her dOwu.trcddcn masses /,
gain their lihCrty to take uotr Of tho
manner in which their own iibc,tir,
are being stolen away 10y R]ussIanrzct
processes. And their moral fibre Inns :,