Santo Domingo

History.—The area now occupied by the Dominican Republic along with the portion now included in the Republic of Haiti was held by Spain as the colony of Hispaniola until the Treaty of Ryswick in 1697. After that date the Haitian portion was ceded to France and the Dominican portion remained under Spanish dominion and became known as Santo Domingo, of ter the patron saint of Columbus's father. At the end of the 18th cen tury the Spanish control was lost and the entire island came under the French. When the French lost control of the colony in the early part of the 19th century, the empires of Toussaint L'Ouverture and Jean Jacques Dessalines for a time united the entire island under one government, independent of all European powers. During the second decade of the 19th century, Spain again asserted her dominion over the eastern end of the island but was forced out by a revolution in 1821. A republic was pro claimed under the guidance of Colombia. The following year, President Boyer of Haiti invaded the country and again united the island under one flag. In 1844, the year following Boyer's downfall, the Dominican Republic was founded and since that date two political entities have been maintained. The presidency of the new republic alternated, with one exception, between Buena ventura Baez and Pedro Santana until in 1861 when Spain, on the invitation of Santana, again annexed the country. Dissatis faction with Spanish rule brought revolution and the Spanish withdrew for the last time in 1865. Four years later, when Baez was again president a treaty was negotiated by Gen. 0. E. Bab cock, U.S.A. for the annexation of the Dominican Republic to the United States. This treaty was ratified by the .Dominican senate but was rejected by the United States. With the exception of the rule of Ulises Heureaux, 1882-99, presidents followed each other in rapid succession and an unstable condition prevailed. An unusually violent revolution broke out following the election of Victoria in Feb. 1912 and the United States sent a mediatory com mission which helped to effect a temporary agreement. Victoria resigned and the popular Archbishop, Adolfo A. Nouel, was elected president. He proved a poor executive and Bordas Valdes became provisional president. Revolution again became active and a second commission was sent from the United States. Bordas resigned and Baez became provisional president on Aug. 27, 1914. Jiminez took office as president in December of the same year. He was deposed in April 1916 by Arias, the secretary of war, who assumed power. On May 5, American forces were landed. Dr. Henriquez y Carvajal was then appointed as provisional president. More trouble followed and the United States felt compelled to intervene formally. On Nov. 29, 1916, "The Military Govern ment of the United States in Santo Domingo" was created. Peace was soon established and improvements in finances, transporta tion, education and government machinery were carried out.

As the occupation was not undertaken with the object of de stroying the sovereignty of the Dominican Republic, arrange ments were made for the withdrawal of American forces as soon as conditions warranted. The military governor sailed on Oct. 24, 1922, when a satisfactory provisional government had been set up. On June 26, 1924, the Dominican Republic ratified the treaty proposed by the United States and on July 12 the last of the U.S. forces were withdrawn, leaving only an American re ceiver of customs. Horacio Vasquez was at the same time inaugu rated as president for four years, a term which was subsequently extended by Constitutional amendment to six years. In the last

year of his administration, (Feb. 1930) Vasquez was suddenly ex pelled from office by a revolution and after a brief period un der Provisional Pres. Urefia, Gen. Leonidas Trujillo became pres ident and virtual dictator in the state.

Production and Trade.

The Dominican Republic derives its income almost exclusively from agriculture, raising sugar cane and manufacturing raw sugar on a large scale. From 1923-27 inclusive 62% of its exports were sugar. The production of this commodity is largely controlled by foreign capital. Cacao, tobacco and coffee, on the other hand, are produced on a small scale by many peasants and the wealth earned by them means a direct addition to the purchasing power. Consequently, the suc cessful production and sale of these secondary crops is usually a truer index to local prosperity than is the sugar crop. In the larger towns small factories produce such articles as cigars, cigarettes, rum, matches, shoes, soap, straw hats, furniture and brick. These commodities are produced entirely for local con sumption and in most cases the demand is only satisfied by im ports of the same goods. Mineral resources are limited and their production is practically negligible. The more readily accessible timber stands have been quite thoroughly exploited. Lumbering is still carried on upon a small scale and the export of mahogany and lignum-vitae is of some importance. The fishing industries are carried on in a primitive way and supply but part of the local demand.

The export trade of the republic is indicated by the following data which are average figures for the five year period 1923-27 in clusive: Total value of exports, $27,830,200; exports to the United States, $7,839,800. Sugar exported, cacao, $4,178,800; tobacco, $2,146,400; coffee, $1,245,200. It will be noted that the combined value of the four chief exports account for 90% of the total value of exports and that sugar alone makes up 62% of the total value of exports. The United States receives about 28% of the exports, including practically all of the cacao and about one-third of the tobacco export. Much of the sugar is shipped to the United States ports but is almost all re-exported to Canada and European countries. Considerable quantities of cane are sold to Porto Rican mills. Honey, hides and skins, lignum vitae and mahogany are secondary exports of importance. San Pedro de Macoris, Ciudad Trujillo and La Romana are the chief exporting ports of the republic. The total value of imports for the period indicated above was $23,325,400. The United States furnished $15,261,800 or 65%. Germany, the United Kingdom and France each furnished about 5%. Cotton cloth, iron and steel products, grain and flour, lard, mineral oils and automobiles constitute the chief imports. The public railroad mileage of the republic is 149 m. and in addition there are over 20o m. of un connected narrow gauge lines owned by the sugar companies. There are about 55o m. of improved highway connecting Ciudad Trujillo with northern points and with the Republic of Haiti. Miserable trails are the only lines of transport in the greater part of the country and are serious handicaps to further development. The total external debt was $15,000,000 in 1927 or about $15 per caput. The average annual gross customs collections i was $4,687,000. The entire banking business of the republic is carried on by branches of one American and two Canadian banks.

(R. B. H.)