Milford chronicle., 1906-01-19
WASHINGTON EETTER.

The minority has found some
thing fresh 10 talk about, at least
something Comparatively fresh and
which promises to consume a good
deal Of time when Congress reas-
sembles. 1t i4the relation Of this
country to the South American re-
publics as exempliied in the case
Of Santo Dimingo. Good old Sen
ator Morgan, whoes honesty no one
has ever que toned any more than
they have questioned his staying
powers when he commences to talk
has announced that he will make
the Santo Dimingo treaty a party
issue and protest in strong Ian
guage and at length against this
country acting as a debt collecting
agency for foreign powers. 1t may
be said that Senator Morgan in
this case has the most of the Dem
ocratic members behind him He
and they after him hold that the
United States is establishing dan
gerous precedent in taking charge
of Santo DOMINICAN finances for
the benefit of her creditors. The
position of the Democratic party
will be hat this country should an
nounce that the Monroe Doctrine
is agains any European power
collecting debts of its subjects by
forcible means from any South
American country. They say that
if this law is laid down. lenders of
money will have to enter into cor =
tracts with the small revolutional
states of South America at the
own risk and that the borrowing
power of the small states will lie
limited by their witness to pay
their debts European lenders know
of course that there is a certain
amount of risk in lending to the
small republics and they exact a
high rate of interest on t lis accoui {
and the Democrats declare that if
this government agrees to act as a
debt collector,it it will have its hands
full and will increase the borrow
ing power of the little republics
abroad because the lenders will
feel that they have the collecting
power of the United States behind
them.
This is a good argument in a way,
and yet it is shown in the case of
Santo Domingo that the natural
of the country are abund-
antly sufficient to meet its obliga-
tions if honestly administered, and
the object lesson that has been
given by the United States will pro-
badly be worth all that it will cost
this country. At the same time it
is likely that the Republican lead
ers will nurse this tendency to talk,
knowing that in the House at least
they can cut it off when ever they
feel inclined. 1t will be a safety
valve for the spleen of the opposi-
tion and may in the case of need
them from talking of more
harmful subjects. At the same
time it will be in general opposi-
tion to the administration, and that
is a matter of satisfaction to a good
many of the House and Senate lead
ers So in all probabilities Santo
Domingo affairs will get a periodi-
cal airing in the next few months
and there is some talk of making
the matter one of joint resolution
50 that it can be discussed in open
session In which case the pub iC
will not have to wait for the report
Of the executive session proceedings
ill some Senator has told the news
paper men all that went on behind
he closed doors.
The friends of the Subsid Billy
have outlined a new plan of sub
sides which it is declared will not
be a great drain on the Treasury
and which will add largely to
American tonnage, to the ship
industry at home and will
furnish large naval reserve anal
ogous to the National Guard on
shore. 1t is figured by the friends
If the measure that it will not cost
more than $1,000, 900 annually at
he end of ten years and that it
will more than pay for itself in the
extension Of American markets and
n other advantages. It is quite a
engthy and detailed plan, but it
s questionable if it will stand much
how in this era of economy in Con-
yress.
The great floating dry dock,
Dewey, has at last started on its
ong cruise to Manila. The Jour
ley from Chesapeake Bay is about
q, 900 miles and it is expected it