Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-09-26
U.S,MAR|NES CO
TO SAN DOMINGO
Customs Houses along Border,
Closed by Revolutionists,
Must Be Opened.
CONDITIONS LATELY ACUTE
Revolt in Northern San Domingo
Has Been in Progress Many
Months and Fostered
by Haitians.
CONDITIONS LATELY ACUTE

Washington, Sept. PA force of 30
American marines under Col. F. j. Moses
will sail from Philadelphia Friday on
the transport Prairie for San Domingo to
compel the re-opening Of Dominican GUS
toms houses along the border of Haiti
closed by the revolutionists Authority
for this step was given by President Taft
to-day after conference with Acting
Secretary of the Navy Beekman Win
throp between Washington and New York
in the private car on which the President
was returning to Beverly. Acting Secre-
tary of state Huntington Wilson and Will
liam T. s. Doyle, chief of the Latin
American division Of the state depart
ment. had advised the President yester-
day of the necessity for immediate ac-
ton in San Domingo.
With the marines will go Brig. Gen.
Frank Mcintyre, chief of the army In
suar bureau. and Mr. Doyle as special
commissioners to make an investigation
OF conditions in San Domingo. particularly
on the border between that country and
| Haiti where the revoutonists have been
| most active.
| Under the Dawson treaty of 1907 be-
tween the United States and the Domini-
can republic, the United States Is re-
sponsible for the collection and distri-
button of San Domingo's customs dues.
Heretofore this has been accomplished
peacefully. but rebels operating from
| Haiti have now closed all four of the
border customs posts.
Whatever force that may be neces-
sary will be used by the marines to
reopen the posts and continue their or
derby operation. Officials here believe,
however that when made aware of the
determination of the United States gov
ernment the rebels will offer no resis-
tance and that it may even be found
unnecessary to dsembark the marines.
But if there should be any sign of re-
the north and south coasts and march
ed directly inland to the customs houses
Besides the marines who will so on
the Prairie perhaps 80 men, bluejackets
and marines, may be taken from the
gunboat Wheeling. now in Dominican
waters. 1t IS said at the navy depart
ment that more vessels will be sent
to dominican waters at any moment the
state department may desire.
Conditions which have led to drastic
action in San Domingo by the American
government have been of slow growth
and it was only within the past fortnight
that they have become acute thai
active Intervention by "A naval force was
inevitable. For many months a revolu
tionary movement has been in progress
in the northern part of San Domingo
and on the western boundary of tina
country. 1t Is understood that the movint
spirits were members of previous admins
trations which had come to untimely end
through assassinations or revolutions
prominent among them being Gen
Horatio NasQuez and Demetrio Arias. l
has been openly charged by the DOmini
cans that the whole revolution actuall
was fostered and supported by tn
IIaitans. who had been prevented from
carrying out their cherished design t.
make war upon their neighbor over
long standing boundary dispute, Onl
through the interposition of the stron
arm of the United States. 1t is Declare
to be a fact that the activity of tn
Dominican revolution greatly dmihshe
Immediately following the untimely de
, struction by dynamite or gun powder @
the late President Leconte of Haiti VIII
was regarded as nimical to San Domingo
, Recently, however, the revolution wake
the bonded customs houses.