The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1915-02-18
SECRETARY BRYAN AND
SAN DOMINGO SPOILS


ltleal Economy at Johns Hopkins Uni
versity, had revised the taxation laws
In Porto Rico. and had organized the
treasury department of the Philippine
Islands and introduced there a revenue
system. He was thus particularly COM
petent in both theory and practice to
undertake this special task in San Dom
/ lhgo. When the plan was drawn up,
| Colonel George K. Cotton, who was in
charge of the customs service in the
! Philippine Islands after having organ
/ lzed II, was sent by the United States
TO san Domingo to organize the customs
service there. After ii was organlz-
ed Mr.. W. L. Pulliam, who was in
the Philippine customs service. was
appointed General Receiver of Domin-
lean Customs. These appointments were
made without regard to party. We do
not know what Professor Hollander>s
party affiliations were or are. Colonel
Cotton was, we believe, a Republican.
and Mr. Pulliam a Democrat. They
We're. appointed because they were OBJ
viously the best men for the respec-
tive positions and were qualified for
them by study and experience. AS
soon aus the United States took charge
there was an end of revolution in the
island of San Domingo, for the simple
reason that there was nothing to fight
for. The treasure that had been loot
ed in the past was now safely guarded
In the hands of a trustee.
As result of the Dominican GUS
toms receivership conducted by the
United States there has been a COM
plete transformation of affairs in the
Dominican Republic. The people of
San Domingo have had their property
protected. OF all that was collected
In the customs, forty-five per cent--a
little less than half-was turned over
to the Dominican government to pay
governments expenses, and the rest
was set aside to pay the governments
debts The cost of collection was
charged against the customs, and there
lore came out of the people of San
Domingo. The total amount that was
paid over to the Republic for the ex-
pense of government, although ess than
half of the whole customs receipts,
was in amount greater than the Re-
public had ever had before. So. not
only was the Dominican Republic more
prosperous itself as a consequence of
this arrangement, but it was also pay
ing its debts.
This receivership satisfied every body
except two classes. The only people
1t did not satisfy were the unscrupu-
lous Dominicans who had been profit
Ing by pillaging the customs and the
political opponents of the American adj
ministration that had put this plan
through successfully. 1t satisfied the
Dominican people, who were thus freed
from revolution; it satisfied the Euro
pean countries, which had no further
cause of complaint; it satisfied the
creditors of the Republic, who were
getting their money; it satisfied the
people of the United States, who were
relieved of a very comfortable prob
lem involving the Monroe Doctrine.
Every American citizen who knew about
this and cared for the honor of his
country was proud of what the United
States had done. The proof of its sue
cess is that 1t has been continued by
two succeeding administrations and
that it has been initiated in both
these by the treaty with Nicaragua.
Like every such plan, however, this
one depends upon the honesty of those
who administer 1t. The Dominican re-
ownership places upon the United
states the obligations of a trustee |
The one supreme obligation of a trus-
tee is that he should act with regard
to the interests of no one but his |
wards. A trustee may be careless or
incompetent and be excused, but If he |
purposes to use his trusteeship to bene- |
fit himself, or some one besides him. |
self at the cost of his wards, he can |
be excused on no ground whatsoever.
If, therefore, the United States can
not be trusted to act as trustee for |
little nation like the Dominican Re-
public, 1t has forfeited the respect of |
other nations, and 1t certainly can have
no 'self-respect. And any public man
who causes the United States to be-
tray such a trust is inflcting upon
his country an injury that Is greater
than any loss of wealth or military
prowess, as the loss of the soul is
greater than the loss of the body
The secretary of state represents
the United States in its relation to
foreign governments, and therefore in
Its relation to the Dominican Republic.
He represents the honor of his coun-
try, its dignity, its power. San Do
mingo is a little weak nation. The
United States is a great, powerful ma
ton. At the request of the people
of San Domingo this great, powerful
nation has become their trustee.
In the light of these facts, we wish
our readers would turn back and re-
read Mr.. Bryan's letter
What has been the consequence Of
turning the Dominican receivership-
this solemn trusteeship-into a source
Of reward for party workers for "de-
serving Democrats?" That lis n long
story. 1t Is a story of so-called honest
graft that is told under oath at the
present time. We shall not enter into
that story now. The revelation of
these secret things is due to no par
Lisan animus. for 1t was started by a
Democratic newspaper. the New York
world 1t has. however. got far be-
Fond the range of a newspaper sensa-
lion. Senator-elect Phelan, a Demo- I
'rat from California, has been appoint
I'd by the president to investigate the
'acts; and it is by witnesses before him
hat this story is unfolding. But the
of this perversion of