Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-02

quantities that it is gathered tor cx-
port. In the mountains and smaller
islands there are great herdssof wild
goats. Pigeons. parrots and Wild fowl
abound In many parts of the island
me rivers ana bays are fun OF fish
Wild fruits are abundant. Sunto Do
mingo is almost as rich as those Islands
OF romance where castaways live
lGxuriouSly on the uncultivated bounty
of nature.
Even though rcvulutionists and
bandits are suppressed. this land of
treasure is effectively guarded by it's
unique and astonishing laws The peso
system OF land titles for example
makes il nearly impossible to acquire n
valid title To any land in the republic
This system derives from the days of
the Spanish conquest. when the king
OF Spain made great land grants to his
faVorites. For example, he might grant
to Juan Fernandez 5000 pesos worth
of land lying between two rivers Juan
settles in the general region indicntcd
ana has ten sons and daughters to
each of whom he beuucaths 500 pesos
worth of land. They all squat In ynri-
Gus parts Of tho domain. each cultivat-
ing what he cures to. no division OF the
land being made.
Land TITLES Infinitely Divided.
Gradually these peso titles" become
divided among innumcrnblc heirs and
purchasers. The original 5000 pesos
value Of tho land. but each peso title"
represents a right to one-iivc thou
sandth of an area which has never been
surveyed Som" one has said that this
system might we'll have been devised
by the devil working in cu-operation
with all the Inwycrs in his Internal
domain II has been further complI-
Gated by III" rise Of a thriving local
Industry in the manufacture OF coun-
tcrfcit peso titles. one Dominican Is
tsnlI In. L.,
manufacturing titles carefully aged
with coffee stains. These counter
letters make their money out OF the
American sugar and coffee interests
some OF whom have already bought out
three or four sets OF claimants to their
lands. Naturally. their willingness to
settle in this way has been great
stimulus to the fake title business.
The only way To trace ono OF these
titles and test its validity is by the
records OF the provincial clerks. in
which every transfer is supposed To
have been SGT down. BY accident or
uesign nearly all OF these records have
been burned
Equally intelligent arc the mining
laws. Any on" may take up mining
cia'm anywhere, no matter whose land
IL IN on He sta ke. it out by mention
ing IN his claim papers four we'll
known points on tho lundscapc Thus
man wishing TO claim small vein
o! silver may be forced TO stake half
'ne island. using n mountain peak "a
cry and a bay az his corners Tho
mineral rights TO this entire area are
no" ms IN p"rpetu!ty. and he Is under
n" obligation 10 work them.
business IL paralyzcd just az crrec-
livery as agriculture and mining The
customs duties avcrag" about 50 p.r
cent. so that the ordinary necessities
OF life cost almost twicc as much "a,
anywhere else. In addition Ia this.
every merchant must buy license to
u" business and pay "a percentage tax
on all the business u" does
MI OF these absurd la VS. must bo Re-.
used by "a strong ana honest. govern
m"nt before tn" Dominican treasure
house can be unlocked