Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-06-24

Washington, D. c., June 20.-The
restless Dominican republic is boiling
over again. and internal affairs have
reached pass where the United
States has been forced to take an ac-
tive hand Our marines have landed,
there has been guerrilla fighting with
some American loss. revolutionary
bands have been routed by our forces,
and the crafty native politician Is
shrieking for his countrymen to rise
against American Intervention. This
rich little country has proved a fruit
full source of worry and annoyance to
the United States In the past, and will
evidently continue to do so for some
time in the future
There is apparently no special sig
niflcanCe to be attached to the present
situation. Our marines will be with
drawn as soon as matters have once
more quieted down and the old status
has been restored under a new Domin-
lean president. But we will still be
in a position of responsibility for the
peace and order of the nation. Under
the terms of recent treaty, Uncle
Sam holds the purse strings of the re-
public and is responsible for the pay
ment Of it's debts. An American re-
ceiver collects the customs, and it is
largely due to American courage and
efficiency that there are any customs
, to collect.
Our present position in the Domini-
can republic dates back to 1905, but
it's terms were drawn up and formally
ratified in the document under which
we enjoy our present doubtful priv
ileges and attendant duties, known as
the Observation-Disclosures convention
of 1907. The gist of this convention
is, that the customs of the republic are
put in American hands, part of the
resultant revenues to 60 toward the
payment Of interest on the national
bonds and the establishment of sink
ing fund for their eventual payment,
the remainder to be turned over to
the Dominican government for run
ming expenses. One little fact in this
connection casts significant light on
the past troubles of the Dominican
republic. In the first month of Amer
lean customs administration, about
half Of the moneys collected were turn
ed over to the government. And that
half was larger sum than the entire
revenue which had been collected for
similar periods under the old regime
Like the rest Of our responsibilities
to the southwark, the Dominican prob
lem was forced upon us. The Dominl-
can; republic has been notable for the
frequency of its revolutions even
among the little countries of its neigh
borhood. almost all of which are pro-
life in this respect. The centuries of
the republics, history are one long
record Of internal dissension In 1882
IA negro named Ulises Heureaux rose
trine of the iron fist. Dominican Diaz.
administration, but he held the reins
until 1899. With his assassination
revolution followed revolution Each
temporary dictator pledged the rev
enues of the state to borrow money.
The credit of the republic fell rapidly.
After, six years of this. the little coun-
try owed more than $30,000.000.
Much of this was owed to fur great
European powers. The Dominican re-
public occupies two-thirds of the
island Of Haiti, probably the richest,
after Porto Rico of the West Indian
group. The European powers con-
cerned showed themselves by no
means unwilling to take care Of their
interests by taking charge Of the re-
public's affairs. They had agreed
among themselves on the division they
would make of the ports. Most i'm
portant Of these is SANTANA, on SANTANA
bay.
SANTANA bay is one Of the most per-
feet harbors in the world, capable Of
accommodating half q dozen battle
fleets, and easily fortified. It CON-
mands the Mona passage, which is the
direct route from Europe to the Pan
it is Of first Importance. Influenced
by this consideration as well as by the
Monroe doctrine, the United States
took the only step possible under the
circumstances and stepped in. We
guaranteed the debt and in turn took
over the customs. Many Of the bonds
had been issued at heavy discount,
owing to the poor credit of the repub-
lie, SO that once backed by United
States credit the actual Indebtedness
scaled down to $17,000,0o0. ~.
The men who took over the customs
administration faced one of the most
dificult and dangerous little tasks on
record. The crux of the situation lay
along the Haitien frontier. The Dom
inican republic has only one lard
boundary. that separating 1t from
Haiti. Between the two republics is
chronic ill-feeling, and the location
of the boundary was hotly disputed. 1t
runs through one hundred and fifty
miles Of mountainous country as wild
and uncivilized as any to be found on