The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-11-16

What the Black. Have Made or Hnyti.
When we read Hdyti, or, the Black Repu5-
lie Smith. Elder & Coz. we cannot but ask our
selves what might havo been the effect upon
fair-minded people in our Northern States If
Sir SpENsER ST. JOINS account OF the woful
results of giving the negro race control OF II
highly civilized and most fruitful land could
have been published simultaneously with
Uncle Toms Cabin" But although 1t comes
too late to strengthen the hands OF those who
contended that retransportation to Africa no
matter at what cost was the only safe corollary
of negro emancipation. this book. and the at
tention which it cannot but direct to tho ap-
palling decadence OF Hayu during tho last
hundred years. may arouse tho public mind to
the gravity Of the problem presented by the
preponderence and alarmngly disproportion-
ate increase OF the black population in several
OF the Southern States.
One OF the aphorisms based upon an over
hasty and crcumscribed induction denies to
France the colonizing power. yet in 1880 France
possessed in tho western end Of the island OF
Hispaniola-over which she had exercised au-
thority only Il century and a half-a colony that.
for its size. was the most nourishinG and profit
able ever created in America by any European
nation. The gist of Sir Speuser st. Johns in
dictment OF tho black race-the proof OF its i'm
puted ncapaclty. not merely for evolving but
for retaining civlization-lios in the carefully
complied statistics which contrast the present
social and economic predcamGnt Of Hnyti
with the agriculture and commerce. tho roads.
aIueduots. and bridges. the industry and thrift.
the order and security. the education and re-
flnement which existed there IL CEN
fury ago. The single point in the picture
which is not utterly dlscouraging aud
whether this il n propitous pher omenon
may be questioned is the considerable
increase OF tho black las distinguished from tho
muatto or coloredl element of tho population.
This fact. when we bear in IN ind tho total lnck
OF sanitary precautions and medical SUPER
vision. the ravages Of inebrlety and sexual
excess. the prevalence not only OF infoEticids
and assassination. but (among the negroes Of
the interior) OF cannibalism in most revolving
form. can only be ascribed to the innate pro-
likeness OF the black race and to the favorable
conditions OF the Haytian soil aud climate
under which abundant food il procurable with
a minimum OF labor and the outlay required
for clothing and fuel is quite insignll-
cant. Tho changes In the composition and
volume OF the Haytian population seem
to have been about as follows: At tho
close OF the last century there were in
the French end Of tho island about 81 900
whites. who have been completely extsrml-
mated. and 100000 black and colored inhab.
ltants. From all the Information obtninabie
by Sir Spenser during twelve year.' osi,ience
in Hnyti lsG9 to 1885, the population has
doubled since 1925: but. unlucky the es,i-
mates for the last-named epoch vary cons der
ably. VIZ. from 35l 900 to $4,000. Apparently
the author accepts the mean between those
ngures. Tor he quotes without objection tho
belief OF President Getfrard that in 1863 iiayt!
had 100000 inhabitants. who. II the rate o. H.
crease were kept III. would 10y this t'mo have
multiplied to upward Of million aud "a quar-
ter. or this total the mulattoCs. who have BEEN
repeatedly decimated by tho often successful
uprisings Of the pure blacks. now consti-
tute about one-tenth. and they are not
only dwndling in numbers and powcr
but through constant intermarrage are
rapidly degenerating into tho prepotent
black tyre. curious fact about this
Haytan population is tho pronounced ca
cess OF the female element which has boon
placed by some observers rs high as three
women to one man. and even tho authors eau
tious estimate would put 1t as high as three to
two. No doubt this disproportion of males TO
females has materially aggravated tho teuden.
cy SO strongly marked throughout tho noun.
tain districts 10 revert to tho yolyEamlc habits
characteristic OF tho negro in the country Of
MS origin Al all events We are assured that
III" black peasant proprietor or suuatter of tho
interior has as many wives as he can afford 10
keep aud that al attempts to abolish the nrae.
tlco have been abandoned In despair by ths
catholic priests. whose energies for that mat
ter are ovsrtaxed In resisting the Incessant