New-York tribune., 1907-01-10
FOR DOMINICAN TREATY
MR.. ROOT MIKES PLEA
Failure TO Ratify Might Cause
Special Session of Senate.
TFrom The Tribune Bureau. I

washington Jan. 9.-The Secretary Of Stats
appeared before the Committee on Foreign Rela-
tioas this morning and made forceful are,,
ment IN FAVOR or the ratification of the treaty
with Santo Domingo. in the course of which he
outlined situation which. In the absence of ia
vorable action by the Senate. might at any time
In the summer recess make necessary the calling
of a special session of the Senate
Secretary Root told the committee that the
government of Santo Domingo. acting under the
arrangement made in anticipation of approval by
the Senate of the treaty pending had prac-
tcaliy accomplished the adjustment OF its own
debt, both foreign and domestic When the
pending treaty was negotiated this debt amount
cd Its face TO upward of $40 100000 Because
OF the prospect of prompt liquidation Santo Do
ningo has been able TO scale this down TO ap-
proximately S17,O0O000 of which SD 600 900 is
owed 70 foreign and s.. 100000 TO domestic cred
itors. Toward the defrayment OF this indebted
ness S20oo0O0 has already been accumulated
and is on deposit in a New York bank
Santo Domingo is desirous of paving OF
this entire debt in cash, and to that end would
negotiate a loan Of approximately SIS 900 600
This il can do only in the event that the United
States shall undertake the service of the debt
Under the terms Of the pending treaty this coun-
Try undertakes not only the service OF the debt
but the adjustment of Indebtedness the neces-
sty Of the latter being obviated The SER
vice Of the debt, according to the wish of Santo
Domingo, would be effected by permitting Com
missioner Cotton, some other agent with SIM
har authority, acting under the jurisdiction OF
the United States TO collect the Dominican Gus
toms and from them defray the cost of collection
pay the interest on the proposed loan and pro-
vide an adequate sinking fund. the remainder
10 be paid into the Dominican treasury.
Secretary Root assured the committee that
there was no sentiment involved in the proposed
arrangement: that it a straightforward and
businesslike arrangement which should com
mend itself 10 the common sense of the Senate
and the people. The United States would act
through a duly appointed agent. in a f1duciary
capacity. Santo Domingo instead of being
compelled TO go on harassed by debt, pushed
by creditors and paying exorbitant interest.
would be placed a sound financial basis, with
ample provision whereby its revenues would be
devoted TO defraying all its Indebtedness and in
reasonable time its entire national debt would
be paid off
The Secretary explained. moreover that Santo
Domingo had become SC determined to rescue
itself from its present embarrassing and almost
fnsolvent position that If the United States
failed much longer to assist it in this purpose it
would almost inevitably appeal TO some other
nation, presumab bly, one whose citizens embraced
a large number of Dominican creditors to act
IN the proposed fduciary capacity-an outcome
OF the negotiations which would prove most
weicon-e 10 the United States
sheU tire srsrate- -HcJorTru without -sctfon
the pending treaty and Santo Domingo make
such appeal, the President would be power
less TO remedy the situation and would proba-
bly, feel called on TO summon the Senate in spe-
ctal session and lay the facts before it. 1t is
admitted that no action on the pending treaty
is possible at this session unless the Demo-
cratic Senators who have heretofore opposed
the treaty be convinced of the wisdom OF
ratification. While there would probably be
votes enough 10 insure ratification could a
vote be reached the time between now and ad-
journment is so short that determined opposi-
ton. even on the part Of a few men. would rem
der II impossible TO obtain vote
Secretary Root told the committee that II was
tmmaterial the administration whether the
Senate amended the pending treaty. striking out
all that portion which refers TO the adjustment
OF the Indebtedness and making II conform to
existing conditions. a treaty should be
negotiated. If the Committee on Foreign Re
lstions expresses a desire for new treaty and
belief that be ratified. the State De-
partment viii Immediately negotiate such a
yention. The members of the Committee
Foreign Relations who have hitherto opposed
the Dominican treaty did not commit them
selves the subject to-day but they seemed
10 he impressed by the force and common sense
of the argument presented by the Secretary Of
State