New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-07-11
OSBORNE INVESTIGATED
NATIONAL CITY LOAN
Mission Was to Silt Charges
Made to State Department
by Dominican Bank.
COLLECTOR SHIFT OPPOSED
President of Republic Wants In
cumbent to Keep Place to
Which Jersey Man Was
Appointed.
lFrnm The Tribunc Rursau. !

Washington, July 10-There is good rea-
son TO believe that the business which led
Governor osborne, the Assistant Secre-
tary OF State. to make his mysterious and
secret trip to Ssnto Domingo. has TO do
with a loan contract which the Dominican
government made last spring with the
National City Bank. The loan was for
81, 10000. IL Is known that agents OF the
National Bank Of Santo Domingo, an in
stitution recently created and owned by
Americans, have been 10 the State De-
partment and have made complaints con-
corning the way the City Bank secured
the loan. The National Banks officers
were more than anxious to procure the
business, as IL would give them a firm
foothold In Santo Domingo The loan con-
tract was negotiated and signed during
the Taft administration. The Depart
ment OF State took an active interest in
the matter, and demanded with success
that certain provisions be put into the
contract which would insure the proper
expenditure OF the money derived from
the loan.
The loan was oDen to competition, and
tho National city Bank offered the best
bid While the State Department. under
Secretary Knox. interested itself in the
general proposition. IL favored none OF the
financial institutions competing FOR the
contract holding itself entirely aloof and
adopting an attitude OF absolute impair
TALLY This fact, however. has not pre-
vented the defeated competitors from
% Of
ernor Osborne's mission is 10 investigate
these charges.
Governor Osborne has completed his
mission and has started for home aboard
the United States steamship Petrol. lie is
expected 10 return 10 Washington via
Key West. IL is understood that he IL
accompanied by Walker w. Wick, OF
New Jersey, the newly appointed Col
lector OF Customs OF Santo Domingo, who
went down with him.
Dominican matters have been decidedly
complicated by the fact that the govern
ment In Ssnto Domingo City has within
the last day or two expressed a desire
for the retention OF W. +. Pulliam as
Collector OF Customs.
Under the agreement between the
United States and Santo Domingo cover
ing the so-caled receivership. whereby
American officials collect the revenues.
turning over a certain portion to the
government and devoting the remainder
TO the liquidation of the Dominican debt
the Collector OF Customs, who runs the
whole service. is nominated by the Presi-
dent OF the United States. but is appoint
ed by the President OF Santo Domingo.
Mr. Pulliam vas nominated by Presi-
dent TAFT. succeeding Colonel George T..
Cotton. He was afterward appointed by
the President OF Santo Domingo Mr.
Wick seems to have been selected and his
appointment announced by the Secretary
OF State, who has nothing whatever 10 do
with tho matter, all these matters coming
under the War Department, without any
reference or Difference to santo Domingo.
Santo Domingo having now expressed
n desire TO retain Mr.. Pulliam, the situa-
ton becomes somewhat embarrassing for
the administration. which has already an
nouncsd the appointment OF Mr.. Wick.