Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-30
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
A Tr0ublous POlit cal Situa-
ton There.
T RESIDN T MORALES
ONLY PRACTICALLY RULES OVER
CITY OF SAN DOMINGO.
The Vice President Hostile to His Pol
icy and a Revolution May Be
Expected.
T RESIDN T MORALES
Special correspondence of The star.

Special Correspondence of The Star.
SANTO DOMINGO November II. 1903.
Information concerning the political sit
| uation of Santo Domingo is discouraging In
! the extreme to hopes OF preservation OF
| quiet. 1t appears that the Dominican re-
public is in most unsettled condition, and
plots against the present form of govern
| ment there and against the life of President
Morales are the order of the day. Morales,
| although beyond dispute a talented and to
all appearance a weI-neaning man, has
been guilty of many political indiscretions
| which, in the near future, are likely to cost
| him dear Furthermore. on two or three oc-
| casions Morales after making bold stand
| in favor of certain procedure that he con-
sidered conducive to the better government
of the country yielded to the pressure of
| his vice president, Ramon Casceres, after
brief struggle, thus abandoning his pro-
| jects and giving evidence of weakness that
| is but too injurious to him as the ruler of
such a turbulent republic. Morales is now
practically president of the city of Santo
| Domingo and the provinces within its i'm
mediate vicinity. The large powerful and
| warlike province of the Cfbao is ruled by
/ Vice President Ramon Caseres. who IS de-
cidedly hostile 10 Morales and his policy,
| and the province of Monte Cristi is prac-
| ideally dependent ana MS governor neltnef
| obeyS Morales Casceres and cares lit
| tie about either of them
Discourtesy to American Commanders
| Commanders of American warships sta
toned at Monte Cristi or visiting that port
on police duty have repeatedly paid official
visits of courtesy to the governor of the
| province which have not been returned.
short time ago Admiral Bradford, command
|
| Monte Cristi desired to pay an official visit
| to the governor, fearing to be treated with
the same discourtesy as his captains re-
| quested the American consul there to no
| tify the governor of his Intention and to
| inquire If the visit would be returned, but
| the governor categorically refused to re-
| turn the visit, the admiral did not call
| on him. The governor of Puerto Plata and
| President Morales were Immediately noti-
| fled of the fact and the former wired the
! governor of Monte Crisu requesting him to
| be diplomatic in his relations with the
| Americans and desired him to receive and
! return the visit Of Admiral Bradford, but
! the governor of Monte Crisu simply ig
! nored the request and continued to boldly
| exhibit his hostility TO American officials.
| United States officials have received gross
and repeated insults from the Monte Cristi
| authorities which have so far been tolerat-
| ed with stoicism, but such state of affairs
does not tend to improve the present criti-
| cal situation of the republic.
| Antl-Armerlcan sentiment IN Santo DO
mingo has reached fever heat and may at
| any moment develop unpleaSanty for all
| parties concerned. The Santo Domingo
| vention is likely to cause an open rupture
| between President Morales and his people.
| and if this occurs the American government
| will, beyond doubt, be obliged TO land
troops TO establish order
| The fear that the United States will land
! troops to establish order in case of revolu-
| ton has thus far been instrumental to
very great extent in retarding the action of
the conspiratOrs, who form the large ma
jority of the people of Santo Domingo, but
the bare mention Of the fact that the
| United States government Is likely at no
distant date to exercise more direct in
| fiuence over the San Dominican government
greatly irrtates the natives.
| When Morales at Puerto Plata short
time ago he summoned the principal au-
| thorities of the district to meet him for the
| purpose of discussing the political situation
| of the government, with view of arriving
at some amlcable and definite agreement
between the several dissenters, but they
would not come together. Having failed in
this purpose Morales seized the most in
fluential men of the district and lodged
them in Jail hostages for his Safety,
while he proceeded to Santiago declaring
that he cared nothing about them, for If
they would not come to reason they would
have to obey him, as he had the American
government behind him. This was a most
intudiciouS declaration, for it stirred the
bitterest feeling against him. In Santiago
he also failed to assemble the principal au-
thorities of the district and he was obliged
to return to the capital without having
achieved his purpose and after making the
situation more critical
Morales Wanted to Resign.
On his arrival at the city of Santo Do
mingo such pressure was brought to bear
upon him by Gen. Ramon Casceres that he
actually offered to resign, but the Ameri-
can minister, Dawson, came to his rescue
declaring that the United States govern
ment would stand for no such procedure
Morales had been elected for four years.
and until his term had expired or he was
legally removed from Office for Just cause
the American government would recognize
no other president but Morales, and should
the Dominicans resort to violence American
forces would be landed to maintain order
This action saved Morales
Shortly after this occurrence a Dominican
general from the interior to within
ten miles of the city of San Domingo, and
informed Morales that the condition of
his district was not satisfa Glory he desired
the president to come and donfer with him
for the purpose of deciding the necessary
measure to be adopted. Morales refused 20
go out and meet him, declaring that 1t was
beneath his dignity president of the re-
public to do so, and invited the general to
visit him. This he refused to do, and re-
turned TO his district. II was afterward dis
covered that this was a ruse to assassinate
Morales.
1t is time for the United States to famil-
iarize itself with conditions as they actually
exist in Santo Domingo. and no good can
come of trying to Ignore the critical situa-
tion of the country.
Most of the information sent from Santo
Domingo to the United States, unless sent
by competent American officials, is mis-
leading in the extreme, and the very statis-
tics furnished are far from being correct
The causes for this many. The fur
nishers of Information are either afraid to
| N oh IN,
them, or are Incompetent men and do not
know their business
Judging from existing conditions there
seems TO be no doubt that within the next
three months the most startling and prob