The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-08-21
Cetters tO tI,e Gdftor
inc PreniaentinI Flatitude.
lr Tha AdYarfiser:

EQlIOr Ine AuV6ItlbOFs
 Dear Sir-In his recent address at Chautauqua, N. Y, President Roosevelt devoted his attention to one domestic and one foreign item of his admintstra- tion's policy. The foreign item had to do with the black republic of Santo samples of government on the globe. MT. Roosevelt explained, with great de- tail, that he has taken over the custom houses of the islandI its sole source or revenue. and has undertaken to admin ister these revenues in a manner to pay the just debts of that government, eS eedp S pasa it in 4hs h7sESsn Sas bssn nS at the urgent request of the negroes in power to prevent the other fellows from bringing on the regular semi. the custom houses of the island.
 In the course of his remarks on the subject, the President repeated the as- which had been contracted by the black republic, which would not be paid at all Some of these were due to .Ameri- SaT tnsrs to dsS. in wh fass the Dominicans are not obliged and will not be allowed to pay. He did not make his meaning very clear on the Improper" debts are loans that were made at Csurious rates by loan sharks who took advantage of the necessities 1 President.s I remarks was inat the black republics shall have relief from the de- mands of these sharks -
 This ,, 1{n;3.h decidedly phiiantdhrORc the Dominicans. But did anybody ever hear of the Government doing anything to protect It's own citizens against the who thrive in every city of the land. often in the disguise of reputable bank ers7 If we can, by the strong arm of the Government, cut out the dishonest alaipao OF na nRainGf a n1kaaYn hl Q travesty on civil rule, why can't we do something to protect the citizehs of our own country from similar outrages7 2 The unique scheme to help the finances of Santo Domingo was warmly applaud ed at Chautauqua. where platitude too often passes current as good sense and
 ff 1t is good&governmenta policy for this republic to protect a foreign power from the onslaught of the usurers. why would 1t not be also good policy to ex- pie who are suffering the greatest mis- cry in all parts of the republic from being victimiHed by loan sharks who those whose improper" claims against the Dominicans we are obligated to cancel without paymentf There would tending the phiianthropic helping hand to a people who have no real claim upon us as a nation, while neglecting the crying wrongs of similar nature
 
 at our own doors.
 On close examination. a good many of these presidential platitudes have a false ring to them. They remind one of the so-called protective policy of our government, which enables the people of foreign lands to buy the products of our shops and factories at much lower prices than we can obtain them for at home. If Mir Roosevelt were as great a man as some people seem to think him. he would discern the utter incon- sistency of such a course and propose an effective plan to save our own citl- zens from the exactions of the sharps Why not start a crusade, MT. Roose- welt. to save our own people from the enforced payment of Improper" and unjust debts7 If such a step Is good for Santo Domingo. 1t ought to be good for the United States. The sharks are about the saame in both cases. and the people of this country certainly have more claims upon you than have those of Santo Domingo.
 J. 4. Mcknight.
 Shelby Springs. Ala, Aug, is. 1905.