Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-06-24
The Dominican Republic
BY Frederic y. Haskin

earth today. All along the line Snug.
operating for centuries, bringing goods
across from Haiti There was no use
in putting American collectors in the
Dominican ports as long as the Haitien
frontier was open.
To patrol that frontier was regarded
as task well nigh impossible. The
common people Of the district are
quite distinct from the Haitiens across
the border, most Of whom are negroes.
The lower class Dominicans of the III
terror are almost pure Garth Indians.
Spanish speaking, fighting race.
They regarded smuggling as one Of
their vested rights. and indeed 1t was
the business on which many Of them
depended for living. That Haitian
frontier was certainly the unhealthiest
place imaginable for a revenue officer.
The Americans established the from
tier customs service to handle the
problem. H. F. Worlev was it's irsI
chief. and the first white man to fol-
low the boundary line between Haiti
and the Dominican republic from the
south shore of the island to the north.
On this little trip he was twice am
bushed arrested by Haitiens for. being
on what they claimed was Haitien ter
ritory. contracted variety of tropical
diseases, travelled under continual
threats of death from the enraged
smugglers. but by a combination Of
courage, determination and good luck
succeeded in coming through alive, IN
the United States he is plain Mr..
1 l,,@ NJ IN
he is leutenat general. 1t was found
advisable that the Americans who ad-
ministered these border customs
should hold office under the Dominican
republic. so that the peonle might not
regard them in the light Of foreign
invaders. ...-
Mr.. Worley established three custom
houses on the frontier. and assisted by
half dozen American officers and a
frontier guard of Dominican soldiery
proceeded to. stamp out smuggling.
The magnitude of the task can be i'm
agined. in a country populated by an
excitable. illiterate people. almost
without roads, mountainous and thick
" wooded where there were a dozen
old established gangs of bandits and
! smugglers, where the natives ordinary
costume included knife, machete,
swade-off rife and revolver. Like
the hills Of Corsica half a century ago,
irregular fighting in this district was
an every day affair. A single incident
will illustrate the character Of the
gentle native. .a
Political feeling runs high among
the people, and a certain district Is
sold for certain leader or party.
There are no minorities: the minority
moves into the next district. A man
from a certain district rode down to
the boundary Of neighboring and
opposition district There he met a
stranger. When they picked him up
he was wounded in a dozen places and
the stranger was dead.
What did you fight about?'' they
asked him as they picked him up.
"Oh, nothing" he replied. IT asked
him II he was 'guapo' (Which may be
freely translated 'nervy' or 'game.)
He said he was" The survivor looked
over his wounds. HE was guapo," he
admitted with sigh.
Men such as these could be count
ed on to put up stiff resistance to
revenue officers, especially as they felt
that the right was all on their side.
All OF the five American officers of
the frontier guard were shot at one
time or another, more or less serious
ly. Several members of the guard
were killed in the first year of it's be-
ing. But now the natives Of the dis
trict have saying that sums up the
whole work of the force. mot even
bird can hy across the frontier with
out permit" they say.
The presence of American marines
in Haiti last year proved great relief
to the frontier guard. by breaking up
the large gangs of law breakers on
the Haitien side.
As result Of the frontier work, and
Of honest and emcient administration
Of the collections at the ports the
revenues have Increased greatly. The
republic is paying the interest on It's
debt, and its finances are in solid con-
dition. Unfortunately, revolution has
again broken out, and revolution al
ways means a falling of in imports
and exports and a corresponding de.
crease in revenue But 1t is not likely
that the present disturbance will be-
Of long duration.
McduWullc luO lUCdl u0 IHdROSucS
are trying to make capital out Of the
presence Of American marines, shout.
ing that the nation should go into
mourning in the presence of foreign
intervention. But every man who has
even rudimentary capacity for judy
ment and no ak to grind must realize
that what connection the United
States has with the Dominican re.
public is not only absolutely necessary,
but the best thing that ever happened
: to that country.
nroiao }hoYn uyord>rf,, Aob%ors ~ ,