File No. 839.00/1026.
Report to the Secretary of State made by the representatives of the Department of State appointed to observe the Dominican elections.
At sea, December 20, 1913.
Sir: At the time of the recent revolutionary disturbances in the Dominican Republic the American Minister prevailed upon the leaders of the revolution to lay down their arms and submit their grievances to settlement through the ballot. In order to secure their agreement to this method of procedure he promised them that the American Government would use its best efforts to guarantee a free and fair election. The Dominican Government on its part promised to afford to all factions the rights of free speech, free press and free ballot.
In order to carry out its promise in the matter the American Government designated the undersigned to proceed to Santo Domingo City to cooperate with the American Minister and to observe the character of the elections. At the same time 29 agents, under the direction of Captain Walter St. Elmo (Chief, Bureau of Information, Police Department of Porto Rico), were ordered to Santo Domingo from Porto Rico to be stationed in the more important centres for the purpose of observing and reporting upon the character of the elections.
The undersigned in compliance with your written instructions of the 6th instant left Washington on December 7th and proceeded to Santiago de Cuba where they boarded the U. S. S. Nashville and were conveyed to Santo Domingo City arriving on the evening of December 12th. Immediately upon the arrival of the Nashville outside the port the American Minister came on board and went over the situation with us in detail. He suggested that we go on board the Petrel in the harbor and give informal instructions to the Porto Rico agents in order that they might be despatched to their posts of observation without further delay. The agents had already received specific written instructions from Captain St. Elmo; the Minister and the undersigned, therefore, limited themselves to a few informal remarks, impressing upon the agents the limited character of their functions, warning them against exceeding their powers and informing them in general terms of the purposes of the American Government. Immediately upon the completion of this conference the agents were despatched in revenue cutters of the Dominican Government to their various posts of observation where they arrived before the date set for the election.
Although the Dominican Government had made strong protests against the coming of the Department’s representatives and had declared that they would not be received, we were the recipients of most courteous attention throughout our entire stay. On the 13th instant we were courteously received by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Señor Grullón, upon whom we called in company with the American Minister. On the following day we were received in audience by the President of the Republic.
[Page 450]The balloting began on the 15th instant and proceeded without incident throughout the day. At the close of the first day’s balloting in Santo Domingo City the opposition-party led by a majority of several hundred votes. The telegrams received from the agents throughout the Republic were most encouraging in character and indicated that with the exception of a few isolated and relatively unimportant instances the day had passed off in an orderly and satisfactory manner.
Early on the morning of the second day of voting the Government imprisoned six leaders of the opposition party on the charge of conspiracy to seize the fortress at Santo Domingo City and assassinate the President. As these leaders were also the chief political directors of the opposition party in the matter of rallying the voters and getting them to the polls, this action on the part of the Government had a most demoralizing effect. The voters of the opposition, without efficient direction and intimidated by the action of the Government, abandoned the idea of going to the polls and returned to their homes in various parts of the province of Santo Domingo. The American Minister, after conferring with us, brought this matter to the attention of the President, pointing out to him the deplorable effect of the Government’s action. The President assured him that the arrest of these individuals had been necessary for the maintenance of peace but that he had no intention of making further arrests and that the voters of the opposition need fear no interference or intimidation in exercising their right to vote. Upon receiving these assurances Mr. Sullivan got in touch with the leaders of the opposition who were not already in prison and urged them to rally their followers and make a systematic and orderly attempt to continue the election. After some discussion they informed him that it would be impossible for them to make any showing at the polls as their followers had scattered throughout the province and there was not sufficient time remaining before the closing of the polls at six oclock to get any considerable number of them into the city. Although there was some talk of violence, the opposition party confined itself to making formal written protests to the President against the action of the Government.
In order to remove the opposition’s cause for complaint, Mr. Sullivan discussed with the Government several tentative remedies for the situation, such as continuing of the balloting for another day. This was discussed in Cabinet meeting on the evening of the 16th, and Mr. Grullón, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Lovatón, Secretary of the Interior, called upon the Minister and the Department’s representatives in order to discuss the question at length. Up to this time the Department’s representatives had carefully avoided making any advances in the matter or giving any ground for complaint that they were interfering in any way. The conference with these two members of the Cabinet was entirely at their solicitation. They began by saying that although the Government had not exceeded its rights in making the arrests they recognized the regrettable effect this action had had upon the elections and were desirous of finding some remedy for the situation. They stated that the President and the Cabinet had discussed at great length the question of keeping the polls open for another day but that [Page 451] they had found this to be quite impossible from a constitutional point of view and that the idea must be abandoned. They were disposed to maintain that although they regretted the impossibility of this procedure its very impossibility relieved the Government of its obligation of seeking any further remedy and that the situation must be accepted by the opposition without further discussion. In the interest of a fair election and in view of the fact that this interview had been sought by two Cabinet members, the Department’s representatives felt free to use further efforts to secure an adequate remedy for the situation. We therefore pointed out to the gentlemen in very frank terms the deplorable effect of any failure on the part of the Dominican Government to exhaust every effort to afford a fair chance to the opposition to cast its votes or to present its protests for hearing and decision by some competent authority. After several hours’ discussion it was agreed that the only practicable solution of the problem was the convening of a special session of Congress in the early days of January to receive the protests of the opposition and decide as to the validity or invalidity of the election. Congress is not at present controlled by the Government but by an opposition majority and it was believed that the submission of pending questions to that body would insure a fair hearing to the opposition. On the 18th instant after further conference the President issued a decree calling a special session of Congress for January 4th and at the same time issued a proclamation to the Dominican people stating that the opposition would have every opportunity to present its protests before Congress.
The reports received from other parts of the island were in the main satisfactory. It appears that both sides exercised all the usual political tricks to influence the voters and that there was a certain amount of bribery, but we were unable to find any tangible evidence in the telegraphic reports received or in conversation with the agents who arrived before our departure that the Government had exercised intimidation or coercion to prevent voting by the opposition for their own candidates.
From the latest returns received before our departure it appears that the opposition has elected 17 out of 24 delegates to the Constitutional Convention and will therefore have a majority in that body of almost three to one. This would seem to preclude practical criticism of the Government’s action before or during the election.
It will be remembered that the Dominican Government was strongly opposed to the sending of agents to observe the elections and that it endeavored to stir up anti-American feeling among all classes in order to turn us from the course which had been decided upon. We are gratified to be able to report, that this attempt to create hostile feeling was almost entirely unsuccessful. At only two points in the Republic was any hostility shown, one of which was controlled by the opposition party, while during our stay in Santo Domingo we received only the most courteous treatment even from the rough crowds about the streets. Before our departure the President and Cabinet made frank admission that we had shown ourselves to be true friends both to the Government and to the opposition. The opposition repeatedly expressed their gratification at our presence and at the results obtained by the exercise of our good [Page 452] offices and counsel. We are firmly convinced that the Department’s course in this matter has had the most happy effect; that never before in the history of the Republic has there been held an election so unhampered by coercion and that future efforts to insure fairness and freedom of elections will meet with a far more cordial reception from all classes.
While the Department’s policy has in this instance met with complete success, we feel impelled to state that this is merely a preliminary step and that similar action should be taken in regard to the Presidential elections which will be held in the Spring when the Constitutional Convention shall have concluded its deliberations. While the holding of a fair and free election has had a happy effect it has not, of course, convinced the mass of the people that orderly elections are the natural and most practical course of procedure which can be depended upon with confidence. If, however, future elections can be held in an orderly manner a feeling of confidence will gradually be built up with each ensuing election and the people will, it is believed, come in time to regard the ballot as a more natural and satisfactory instrument and will look upon violence and disorder with growing distrust. This will not be accomplished in a short time but we feel confident that by persistence and patience the American Government can accomplish a great measure of good for these people and that more radical interference humiliating to the Dominicans and distasteful to the United States, can be avoided. As regards the coming Presidential elections we venture respectfully to recommend that a definite plan be outlined well in advance for the sending of a body of trained observers to exercise much the same functions as those who have just completed their task. It is believed that the moral effect of the sending of some such body of men will be invaluable not only to the opposition but to the Dominican Government itself in any efforts it may make to maintain order and insure the fairness of its elections.
It is also our belief that it is imperative, for the stability of the present or any future Government of the Republic, that the financial situation now existing be investigated and remedied. As this situation is, however, outside of the scope of the Department’s instructions to us, it will not be gone into.
Throughout our stay in Santo Domingo we had the most pleasant and cordial relations with Mr. Sullivan, the American Minister, and we desire to express in the most emphatic terms our admiration for his handling of the critical political situation. Under the most difficult circumstances he has maintained friendly relations with the Dominican officials and with the leading members of the opposition. He has shown great tact, skill and resourcefulness, and has accomplished a great deal in a practical way towards securing a fair election, prevailing upon both sides to carry out their promises and to abide by orderly processes. During a time of great excitement and partisan bitterness he succeeded in accomplishing definite results and at the same time admirably avoided giving any pretext for criticism to either side.
In conclusion we desire to express our deep sense of obligation to Captain Nulton of the U. S. S. Nashville, who has afforded all possible [Page 453] assistance to both the Minister and the Department’s representatives. Captain Nulton has been in Dominican waters for some time and has met the situation with a keen sense of diplomatic values; he has formed friendship with a number of the higher officials of the island and has won their confidence. This was accomplished only at the cost of untiring effort and considerable personal expense. He has done a great deal of good through his friendship with these men and has accomplished a valuable work in convincing them of the nature of American ideals and aims in regard to such countries as Santo Domingo. We feel safe in saying that he has gone far towards changing in Government circles the atmosphere of suspicion and distrust which has so long prevailed. We respectfully suggest that the Secretary of the Navy be informed of our deep appreciation of Captain Nulton’s courtesies and his able assistance in the work of our mission.
We have the honor to be, Sir,
Your obedient servants,
- Jordan Herbert Stabler,
- Frederick A. Sterling,
- Hugh S. Gibson.