The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-10-10

WArhhips approached the ports whose
harbors had given refuge TO the great
discoverer Columbus. and whose
capital city still contains what I'M
doubleday arc his ashes, and demand
ed that the claims OF their subjects
be Batished-clsims for money ad-
vanced, claims for Interest accumu-
lated, claims for property wantonly
deBtroyed-and they demanded II at
the point OF big naval guns.
Ina predicament from which they
were powerless to extricate them
selves. the Dominicans were ready
enough 10 negotiate a treaty turning
over the control Of the country's Gus.
toms to the United States II, in re-
turn therefor, the United States
would protect them from angry Euro
pean creditors and rejuvenate their
treasury.
And so It was that in 1905 the
United States undertook to serve as
treasurer OF Santo Domingo and to
vouch for her debts. The tariff was
quickly revised, the American au-
thorities urging that duties be laid
on luxuries rather than upon neoes-
stiles, upon the things Of the rich
rather than upon those OF the poor.
The tariff as a whole was cut down.
the general reduction being fifty per
cent on export taxes and fourteen per
cent on import duties.
And yet in spite OF this great re-
duction, in spite OF payments Of ST.
100000 a year on the debt, there was
still left greater net income for the
use OF the government than It had
ever had before.
For long time II was thought
that. deprived OF the opportunity OF
securing customs-house revenues
through tho seizure OF ports. revolu-
lions could not support themselves
But after six or seven years OF peace
trouble broke out again. and during
1914 and 1915 IL became so serious
that the United States was forced to
intervene in behalf OF peace and to
demand, with marines on shore and
naval guns trained and pointed on
the ports. that the country return to
state OF quiet. And 30 today the
Dominicans, realizing that the Mon
roe Doctrine Is determined to afford
them protection from their own eX-
ceases, their own bitter passions and
blind purposes. have accepted the in
evltable and have secured the bless
inRs OF peace from without when
they could not attain that end them
selves. 1t is reluctant acquiescence
they yield, but wholesome one, none
the less.
Sacrifice OF Blood.
aft hua MT hnap tvIfh0ft afnrt mr.
without expense, nor yet without the
actual sacrifice OF blood and life that
our country has stepped in to play
the role Of Good Samaritan TO the
peoples OF Santo Domingo, Haiti, and
Nicaragua, who had lost the bless
ings OF peace and were unable to re-
gain them In Haiti alone we lost one
officer and six marines and had a
number of wounded. But Of this altru-
istic effort are growing results Of
which a nation that cOvets no terri
tory, that seeks only its own security
and the welfare of its unfortunate
nelghbors. may well be proud.
In Porto Rico we have reduced
the death rate from forty-tive per
thousand to nineteen per thousand.
and beginning along the same line
is being made in these new fields of
American endeavor. In Porto Rico
waes have increased from sixteen
cents to seventy-dye cents, and stable
conditions show encouraging results
in the same direction in our new ward
lands. In Porto Rico the school at
tendance jumped from twenty per
cent to more than eighty-tiye. and
these new wards are trying to follow
in Porto Rico's path.
Wherever America has gone,
whether to Cuba. whether to Panama,
whether to Santo Domingo, Porto
Rico, Nicaragua, the Philippines. or
Haiti, the welfare of the people has
been her first concern; and while all
colonial history shows that the tares
OF evil are never absent from the
wheat OF good, our nations record Of
help given where most needed is one
that well may challenge our admin
istration and quicken our patriotism.
Another Experiment.
THE success in Santo DOMINICAN
customs administration led to another
experiment along the same line a few
years later. Nicaragua became revo-
| lution-torn, resulting in the over
throw OF zelaya and the conversion
of the country from an unspeakable
/ despotism into one of ruinous an
archy. Ribal factions issued nat mon
ey as freely as tap water flows from a
spigot. The treasury was bankrupt,
interest was in default. foreign cred
itors were threatening to collect their
debts with bunboats and cruisers, and
there was not enough money TO be
had by the party in power even to
pay Salaries. much less soldiers wag-
IS, the offer OF the United States to
perform for the Nicaraguans ser
vice similar to that given the Domin-
leans was accepted, and here again
the plan worked beautifuglly as long
as hydra-headed revolution remained
under cover. Trouble came, however,
and only the presence of American
marines has served to keep the peace.
The outs are bitterly opposed 10 the
role being played by the United
4 States; but Nicaragua Is being reju-
/ ypnntpd in spite of every hnndicap