Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-04-15

ident, ana this post was filled most
satisfactorily by Dr. Baez,
"The election resulted in the sue
cess of Don Juan Jimines. He is an
exceptionally good man, past seventy
years of age, familiar with his eonn=
try, honest, kind-hearted and anxious
for the prosperity OF his country. II
the United States shall hereafter as
sist him in overthrowing any revolu-
tion that is attempted against the
government, everything indicates
new trade, prosperity and great good
fortune for his people.
"At the election the United states
had representatives at every poH,
largely taken from the marines on
the ships of war of the United states.
They were conducted honestly, ana
the people voted as never before.
"The revenues of the country are
derived exclusively from customs re-
ceipts. both on exports and imports,
and from internal revenue licenses.
In Santo Domingo the revenues, When
there are no revolutions, will reach
from the customs about four million
dollars and from excise taxes or IN
ternal revenue another million, max
ing the total revenue about hVe MIL
lions. In times of revolution these
are greatly reduced.
"In Haiti the revenues in peace VIII
reach from seven to ten millions, Sold'
There are no local or national taxes
Neither real estate nor personal prop
erty Is taxed as it is here. rms state
ment, as I understand 1t, Will apply
also to Haiti as well as to Santo
Domingo. The United States controls
all the customs in Santo Domingo. In
1907 a convention was entered into
with the Dominican Republic for the
United States to collect its revenues
and apply them "a to the interest on
its debts, (2) to its sinking fund (tor
these two about S1,300,000 are re-
duired). and (3) to turn over the bal
ance to the government.
"At that time there was an adjust
ment of the Santo Domingo debts
and they were scaled down from
forty millions to about seventeen mil
lions, and loan of twenty millions
was authorized to refund the seven
teen millions found to be outstanding,
and the bonds for the balance were
to be from time to time sold TO pro-
mote public works on the island and
the like, but no increase or the debt
can be made without the consent or
the United States. There has been
since then an increase of $1,5O0,O0O in
the net debt. With honest manage
ment Santo Domingo is financially
sound. The revenues in the country
WILL in times of peace, very easily
provide for their interest charges and
government expenses.
Leaders Force Revolutions.
"The people of Santo Domingo are
very tractable, docile and kindly dis
posed. There are few leaders who
force them into revolutions. The
opportunity for the investment of
capital is wonderful. Some idea may
be gathered of the richness of the soil
when the statement is made that in
Cuba sugar cane must be replanted
every six or eight years to get salts
factory crop, while in the island of
Haiti their replanting need not occur
more frequently than once in sixteen
years, and in some cases replanting
has not been necessary under twenty
one years. You can punch hole in
the ground anywhere and plant q
seed and it will grow and produce
results.
Cotton grows there of the very
finest kind. You can raise every
thing that can be raised in any trop-
ical country. The foliage is superb.
What the island needs is good roads
and a few railroads. There are no
roads worth speaking of. There are
practically. nothing but trails for
horseback riders and foot passengers.
"The climate is good cverywhere-in
the higher attitudes It is delightful
all the year around. There are many
places on the island that could be
made most attractive winter resorts
The sanitation, of course, on the
island is bad, and yet 1t is surprising
how little disease exists. The per-
centage of deaths is only about
eighteen to the thousand. The city
of Santo Domingo has about $4,000
people, and yet it is without a water
supply or sewerage system. Port au
Prince, in Haiti, has a water supply,
but q very defective sewerage system.
"If the revolutions could be stopped
and American capital could go to the
island and build up the plantations,
and open up the agricultural sections,
establish manufactures and give
proper sanitation to the cities, the
island of Haiti would become a gar
den spot in the West Indies. The
trade of the island naturally belongs
to us, and its possibilities under prop
er development are very great.
my trips to these two republics
have opened my eyes TO the possi-