The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-04-06
CCoOntinusd From wsdnssdsy)



The Santo DOMINICAN case was the less
Important. and yet 10 possessed q real
Importance, and moreover Is instructive
because the action taken there should
serve a. precedent FOR American ac-
tion Ia all similar cases. During the
early years OF my administration Santo
chronic revolution. There was always
fighting, always plundering, and the sue
cessful graspers Tor governmental power
were always pawning ports and custom
houses. or trying to put them up as
guarantees Tor loans. OF course the
foreigners who made loans under such
conditions demanded eNorbitant inter
est. and " they were Europeans expect
ed their governments to stand by them.
20 utter was the disorder that on one
occasion when Admiral Dewey landed 70
pay a call OF ceremony on the PreEi-
dent, he and his party were shOt at by
reNolutionists In crossing the square.
ana had TO return 20 the ships leaving
the call unpaid. There was default ON
the interest due to the creditors and
finally the latter insisted upon their
governments Intervening. Two or three
Of tine European powers we're endeav-
Ortug 90 arrange for concerted action.
and I was finally notified. that these
powers intended 20 take and hold several
Of the scsports which held custom
houses.
once I would find foreign powers in
partial possession OF SantO Domingo.
IN which event the very individuals who
in the actual event deprecated the pre-
caution taken 90 prevent such action
would have advocated extreme and vio-
lent measures 90 undo the effect 81 their
own supinencss. Niue-teuths Of wis
dom IL 20 be wise in time. and az the
right time. and my whole foreign pol
icy was based on the exercise OF intelli-
sent torethought and OF decisive action
sufficiently far ln advance of any likely
crisis 90 make 10 improbable that We
would run into serious trouble
A Chaos OF Hsvolution-
Sant0 domingo nau fallen into such
chaos that once for some weeks there
were two rival governments boz a.. ana a
revolution was being carried on against
each. AZ one period one government
was at sea Doc "a email gunDoat. but atill
atoufIy maintained shat 10 was in poe
session or the island and entitled 90
make loans and declare reace or war.
The situation had become int0lerabls
by The time that ! interfored There
was naval commander in the waters
IA nom directed Co.. prevent any lighting
which mlEht menace The custom houses.
Ilc carried out Htr orders both 20 his
ana ny ratlafactiou. in thorouEhgotng
fashion. Du one occasion. when al in-
town Doe when Americans had interests.
hc notified the commanders on both
nrhtur boz the town but that be would
appoint "a certain place where they could
meet ana light 90 out. and that the VIC
tors should nave TIE town. They agreed
the appointed place. and the viotors.
who if . remember rightly we're the In
HurEeutF, were given tne town.
American Control ThrouEh the Custom
House.
10 ives The custom houses that caused
tur trouble. for they Offered the only
wDana ui raising the money. aud the
f'foluupna were carried on % set pos
.NHHlHu OF them. Accordingly 4 secured
Hu HHroriurnt. with the governmental
uuthuuties who for the moment seemed
neHt ahic 90 speak for the country. by
which these custom houses were place
under American control The arrangD-
mDut WaH that we should keep order and
prevent any interference with the Gus
tom houses or thc places where they
stood, and should collect the revenues
lortg-iiNc per cent 90 the revenue was
tncn turned over 90 the Santo Dominion
Government ana ffty-five per cent put
IN sinking fund On New York Tor the
hcneiit Of the creditors. The arrange
ment worked IN capital style on the
InrtN-ilNe per cent basis the ganfo Doc
minFan Government received from ua
larger sum that it had ever received