File No. 839.51/1221.
The Secretary of State to Minister Sullivan.
Washington, February 12, 1914, 6 p.m.
Your February 5, 10 a.m. Department suggests the following as suitable text of a note which the Dominican Minister of Foreign Relations might send to the Legation:
In order to enable this Government more closely to observe the provisions of the Convention of 1907, you are requested to say to your Government that the President of this Republic desires that the President of the United States appoint a competent financial expert to come to Santo Domingo to aid the proper officials of this Government in paying outstanding claims, in devising a proper system of public accounting, and in devising and putting into effect additional means of increasing revenues and adjusting expenditures to them, with the object of assuring financial order and stability and preventing deficits. In the performance of this task it will be his duty, particularly, to pass upon and determine the validity of every debt charged or claim [debt, charge, or claim?] of any kind whatsoever, to countersign checks, drafts, or orders for the payment of Dominican funds to any and all creditors, to advise both Governments as to whether any particular debt proposed to be incurred is in violation of the Convention of 1907, and to exercise all the powers and rights which usually attach to the office of Controller.
It is hoped that your Government may see fit to attach this financial expert to the Legation, giving him the title of Commercial Attaché; but it is the opinion of this Government that the salary and incidental expenses of the commercial attaché should be paid by the Receivership from the five per cent set aside to cover the cost of collecting customs revenues.
On receipt of information that the commercial attaché has been appointed, the President of Santo Domingo will give orders to the end that the Receiver [Page 208] ship shall make regular monthly payments of the salary and incidental expenses of such attaché” to the amount determined by the President of the United States to be just.
Insular Bureau will explain to Receiver how such payment shall be accomplished.