Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-07-05

Down in the heart of the tropics, IN
the most out ofthe-way corner OF CD
scure Santo Domingo, II handful Il
American patriots arc fighting nara
against almost overwhelming odds FOR
one of The fundamental principles oil
our government. says writer IN the
San francisco Can. They are part
OTIS, and al the same tim" eX-pa'ri"tS'
Patriots OF the highest and best type
because they have turned their backs
on civilization and taken up a life al
hardship and danger TO help their
country make good" the principles OF
Monroe doctrine: eXpatriots because
they are fighting for All alien people
under a foreign flag.
These men without IA country are
the American officers of the customs
and frontier guard Cf the republic "t
Santo Domingo. appointed under the
American reccivcrship of Santo DO
mingos finances. which was Instituted
three years ago. when tn" United
States stepped into the breach and
guaranteed the payment OF th" ID"
minican national debt in order to pre-
vent several European powers from
invading Dominican territory and TAX
ing. ly force what they were unabl"
to get as their just dues from the
weak add bankrupt government. TN"
United States Instituted the receiver
shin and undertook the collection OF
the customs revenues thereby Suafali-
teeinc an honest administration OF the
finances and the ultimate payment or
the national debt.
PatroiIing the Mountain Frontier.
To collect the revenues on the three
scacoast sides of the republic was
comparatively easy. but to patrol the
wild mountain frontier between Snhtn
Domingo and Haiti and to- collect d'i-
ties from the lawlcss inhabitants WHO
owed allegiance to no government III
all and who l0rkcd on smuggling rs
one OF their jnalicnable rights, was
quite another matter. 1t was To deal
with this frontier problem that body
of picked men. rfiicercd by the most
daring and experienced Americans
thai could be found In the various
branches Of the United States gov
ernmcnt service, was organized under
the name of the customs and frontier
guard The results accomplished by
this guard. undergoing many hard
ships and dangers, have been far
reaching, and have made possible an
increase i'm volume of the lawful bus
mess. But at what 4 cost.
Willie the American officers hSv"
been collecting duties from the PEG
a., l.. lar 4,
taken toll Of blood. Eighteen per
cent. of the entire number of Amcrl-
cans assigned to the frontier duuu%
the twcnty.seven months III" guard
has been in service have been killed
or wounded The Americans of III"
Dominican frontier are little better
than moving targets. and hardly a
week passes without a Dominican or
Haitian indulging in a little target
practice. Every mans hand Is
against the "Americanos, and there
Is only one ending I" Servicc-an
ending under 4 pile Of stones among
the palms, with nothing but rough
wooden cross to mark the spot.
Picture Of a Wild Life.
was in Haiti at the time Of tn"
recent revolution there. and bearing
In Port az Prince stories OF the wiih
and hazardous life that the OthCrrS "i
the frontier guard led ] determined I"
make q trip overland across the moan
tains of Haiti and SantO Domingo and
sec frontier conditions as they actually
existed. reached the line and saw
for myself the splendid work that ~
h..r ,tnin,r IN th, face
of pr,vation and danger. ! stayed at
the frontirr forts and lived with inc
men Of the guard. and in this way
was able 10 get at first hand tru"
picture Of the life led by these sol
diers of fortune. who are soldiers IN
fact as well.
These frontier Americans are not at
all the type Of swashhucklinG adven-
turers who strut through the pages OF
Administering fiction. accounting single
handed for whose regiments Of "grea"-
crs." On the contrary. they are Tor
the most part the quiet. close-hppcd
type. who do things all the time. but
saw things only occasionally. Con
stantIy subjected to the fire OF gnfr'l
Ia warfars the officers Of the guard
90 sercHeIv about their duties. Using
with a fingar literally on the trigger
Of the Winchester that " always
ready for action across, their knees
and taking an attempt to ass7ss'ha'"
them as rCgular part of The uaF
work. Possibly thcy nav even f"rye'
10 mention stray built from tDe
bush on their return 10 the fort
The Custom House Of e. fondo.
Close to the north shore OF LAKE.
Eians Sumatre. and just NJ the has"
OF the rugged mountain ridge thar
marks the dividing line between the
republics OF Haiti and Santo Domingo
stands the stone custom house q! ~
Fcpdo. buiit last year 10 snord the
frontier guard place Of rrfnse IN