839.00/2767: Telegram
The Commissioner in the Dominican Republic (Welles) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 13—2:34 p.m.]
66. The present term of the Provisional [Government] which was extended on August 16 last by the Commission of Representatives as reported in my cipher telegram of May 12, noon, expires on December 31. Upon my arrival last month I was advised by the representatives of the Coalition Party that they will not consent to the continuance in their present positions of the Provisional President and the Secretary of the Interior. It has required considerable persuasion on my part to induce the representatives of the Coalition Party to agree to the continuance of the Provisional President, which I consider practically essential if the Plan of Evacuation is to be carried out. Owing to a dissension of opinion which has arisen between Señor Peynado and the leading members of his party concerning Señor Troncoso, the present Minister of the Interior, it has been impossible for him to [Page 915] bring about an agreement on the part of the Coalition Party to continue him in office. I am confident that Señor Troncoso has not been guilty of any official acts which would justify his being considered as inclined to favor the interests of Alliance Party but he has unfortunately made certain statements derogatory to leading members of the Coalition Party which have made them consider him partial.
In order to avoid the occurrence of any incident of this character in the future, I have obtained the consent of both parties as well as that of all the members of the Commission, once the present Minister of the Interior is replaced by an individual satisfactory to both parties, to extend the term of the Provisional Government from January 1, 1924, to August 16 of the same year, with the understanding that both parties will commit themselves at the same time to extend the term of the Government again should the Plan of Evacuation not be completely executed on August 16th so that the present Provisional Government, once it is recognized [reorganized?], will continue in power until it is replaced by the future Constitutional Government. This agreement which will not be publicly announced here will make it impossible for the minority party in the future to prevent the execution of the Plan of Evacuation by refusing to extend the life of the Provisional Government or the term of office of any of its members.
The election of the substitute for the present Minister of the Interior is to take place today. I shall report by cable as soon as a designation is made.