Office of the Historian

File No. 839.51/1795

The Secretary of State to Minister Russell

[Telegram]
Department of State,
Washington, September 30, 1916.

Your September 25. Department would give consideration to decrees along lines of following:

rural guard

  • Article 1. For purposes of preserving the domestic peace, for the security of individual rights in the Dominican Republic, and for the better observance of the Convention of 1907 between the United States and the Dominican Republic, the rural guard of Santo Domingo shall constitute the sole military and police force of the Republic. It shall be placed under the control, and subject to the (direction of the President of the Republic.
  • Article 2. Upon request of the President of the Republic, the President of the United States will submit to him for appointment the names of an American officer to command the rural guard and of an adequate number of American officers to aid such commandant in the organization and command of the guard.
  • Article 3. Such officers and enlisted men and such regulations as to pay, personnel, enlistment, appointment, discipline, etc., as the commandant may recommend shall be duly authorized, ratified and promulgated by the Government of the Republic. Should an agreement fail to be reached regarding any question of the regulations provided in this article, such question shall be submitted to the President of the United States for decision.
  • Article 4. The rural guard shall have the supervision and control of arms, ammunition, military supplies and traffic therein throughout the Republic.
  • Article 5. The reorganization of the rural guard as hereinbefore provided shall be commenced within one month of the promulgation of this decree.

financial control

  • Article 1. The collection of internal revenues and revenues accruing to the Government from all other sources shall be placed under the General Receiver of Customs, under the regulation at present in force governing the collection of customs duties.
  • Article 2. No payment from the revenues belonging to the Dominican Government shall be made by the General Receiver of Customs except by order of the Dominican Government in conformity with the budget law or other law of the Dominican Government.

Should President incline to these views, he might enlist popular support by publication thereof. If not, and should other methods fail, discreet publication by you might prove advantageous.

Lansing