The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-10-02
HAT the European war has dis
turbed the economic and com
mercial situation in practically
every civilized country in the

E-fNHn Hal the European war mas us
turbed the economic and com
mercial situation in practically
every civilized country in the
world is a fact well known to
everyone at all conversant with
international trade conditions. Natu-
rally the republics of the western
hemisphere are no exception. Every
one of Them has felt the disastrous eff
fects, but not in equal nor even In
proportionately equal measure. Nearly
all of them have experienced a large
diminution in their export trade, and
consequently a decrease in purchasing
power and a resultant diminution in
their imports. One remarkable ex-
ception is the Dominican Republic,
says the Bulletin Of the Pan-American
union. That little country enjoys the
distinction of having sold more of
it's products, in point of value, to the
outside world during the year 1914
than it did during 1913. The in
creased value of it's exports was only
$11s $40, but hat it should have in
creased it's sales at all IL an astound-
ing fact. It's purchases from other ma
tions during the year were consider
ably less, but the net result is that
the country has made a material
financial gain.
The Dominican Republic is one of
the smallest of the American repub-
lies, with an area of about 1895
square miles. This is nearly equal
to tho combined areas of New Hamp-
shire and Vermont. 1t has a popula-
ton of between six and seven hundred
thousand inhabitants. Haiti is the
adjoining republic and the two to-
gether comprise the island called by
the first Spanish discoveries 'Isla Es-
pamela" and now sometimes called
"Santo Domingo" and sometimes
Haiti" Within the limits of what is
now the territory of the Dominican
Republic was located by Columbus the
first settlement of Europeans in the
new world. This settlement al
called Isabella" after the queen of
CASTLE, the friend and patroness Of
Columbus. The first Spanish settle
ment, like jamestown, the first Eng
lish settlement, no longer exists ex-
cept as a ruin. In fact, Isabella"
disappeared a few years after its
foundation. The modern city of Puer-
to Plata is located lear the former site
of the old settlement. The oldest ex-
listing settlement of Europeans in the
western world is likewise located in
the Dominican Republic. This is the
oapitoI oifu Copfo nOnipUO
One Of Worlds Richest Spots.
The Dominican Republic, in fact
the whole island, is naturally one of
the richest spots in the world. The
soil is remarkably fertile and pro-
duces luxuriously. On the north
coast, in the province of Monte Cristi,
near the Haitian border, the soil is
well adapted for cotton raising. and
there is a very considerable acreage
devoted to this industry, backed by
American and English capitalists. The
cotton is of a fine quality, and the
yield per acre is much greater than
that il our southern states.
Puerto Plata, an important port of
the north, is a town of some 10000 or
IL, 1000 inhabitants, connected by a
railway, running south, with the
towns of the fertile Caibo region
Santiago de los Caballeros. La Vega,
and Moca. These towns are located
in the great agricultural regions OF
the republic, where the famous cacao
bean is cultivated. Tobacco also is
grown to a considerable extent. and
has had until recently a ready market
in Hamburg. Other ports of impor
lance are SANTANA and Sanchez, in the
beautiful SANTANA bay. This bay is
famous for its size and picturesque
scenery. 1t is about rs miles long by
s miles wide, with a depth o.
water sufficient to float the largest bat
tleships. Our North Atlantic squad
ron has frequently gone there for ma
At the entrance to the
bay is the town of SANTANA, and at the
head is Sanchez. connected with thu
interior by the Sanchez & Moca rail
way, a Scotch enterprise, for a Ills
lance of 40 miles.
San Pedro de Macoris is the sugal
port of the republic In and arount