Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-08
THE HAYTIAN QUESTION.
A Talk with Ex-Minister Langston on
the Situation.

the Situation.
| AMERICAN TRADE WITH HAYrT-IAcK or PRO-
FICTION TO AMERICAN vEssELs-NEEp OF A
HARBoR AND coALINa EXPERIMENTATION or
A CoMMIssIoN-FREScH INTERESTS IN HAYTI.
1t Is not altogether certain that the appoint
ment of Mr. Douglass as minister to Hayti will
prevent the sending of a commission there, as
Mr.. Blaine contemplated. The situation there
is one Of the utmost importance, and Mr..
Blaine's reasons for desiring . commission in
the first instance were excellent By sending q
minister we recognize the government Of
Legitime, but it is q matter Of grave doubt
which faction will be at the head Of affairs
when the struggle on the island is ended 1t is
also matter Of great uncertainty how far
| Legitime has surrendered to French influence.
American interests certainly seriously threat
| ened. There can be no doubt of the importance
! to us to maintain an influence in the BLACK
Republic" when the value of the trade in the
West Indies is considered. The money we
! spend IN bananas alone amounts to more than
| the value OF our own entire fruit crop. The
fruit trade that is conducted in foreign vessels
| has been growing steadily and rapidly for a
! number of years, until the feet is a feature of
commercial navigation. We spend more money
there than the native banks can take care of,
and all the trade is carried in foreign vessels.
There are some strong reasons for a very care
full treatment of the diplomatic question. The
work it was proposed by Mr.. Blame for the
commission to do was of considerable import
ance.
PROF. LANasroN's OPINION.
A STAR reporter was talking this morning
with Prof. John NJ Langston, who very ably
represented this country in Hayti for a number
of years, until he resigned when Cleveland be-
came President.
There is the greatest need" he said, "of
the exercise Of the best diplomatic skill in
Hayti at this time. Mr.. Blaine saw this when
he proposed to send very strong commission
there. The riches of commerce are in the
West Indies trade, and America alone Of all
the great nations is almost cut out of 1t. The
government is not in a position to protect her
citizens in their rights there. and they are
obliged to yield up the riches Of this trade to
Foreigners. have seen the feet of fruiters in
seven years grow from four little vessels to
thirty magnificent crafts, some of them the
finest steamers that sail the Atlantic. None Of
them are American. They are foreign navi-
gators carrying our commerce. Our interests in
this trade, and. moreover, the transcontinental
canal questions, are seriously involved in this
matter. With the building of canal between
the two oceans and the direction this will give
to ocean trade, we must have some vantage
ground from which to look out for American
interests and protect American citizens in the
commercial contest.
NO PROTECTION.
Zone of the chief reasons we have not large
feet of merchantmen engaged in the West In
dies trade now is that the government does not
protect them in their rights They have not
the safety from fines and interference by for
elgners that the presence of a man-of-war
gives. Why, when / first went to Hayti, /
found five American vessels tied up in one port
and made to pay fines illegally. Almost my
first work was to have these fines refunded,
and to demand that the proper regard be had
for our rights.
NO HARBoR FOR AMERICAN VESSELS.
"Now, do you know. that this government has
not foot of water in which to float a man-of-
war, nor a piece of land on which to keep
ton of coal in all that region2 We have no
harbor; no coaling station. We are helpless to
give protection to our citizens in the pursuit
OF trade. We need good harbor
and coaling station at Hayti, that sec
ton OF our navy may be kept there.
The presence OF a man-of-war prevents oppres-
sion. The British men-of-war we everywhere
to protect the merchant fleet. With all the
talk of Monroe doctrine, with the West Indies
trade and the inter-oceanic canal question. it
Is important that We should have q lodging
place for our fleet, as the English have, at Port
Royal There is such harbor, the Mol San
Nicholas, that this government must own. 1t
Is to the interest of Hayti and to our own in
terest that coaling station for the American
navy should be established there.
FRENCH INTERESTS
"There has been talk Of Legitime's having
made concessions to France that amount prac-
tically to protectorate power being vested in
that nation" continued Prot. Langston. s'But
mark what power France has there already
The Haytian bank is French concern; the
finances OF Hayt are in the hands of the
French. The most important product of Hayti
Is coffee; the coffee trade is entirely in the
hands of the French. The products are shipped
to France and return cargoes are brought from
France. Holding the finances and commerce
OF a country Is pretty nearly controlling the
country.
THE NEED OF A COMMISSION.
snow, here is where Mr.. Blaine was right in
wanting to send a commission to Hayti. if that
was his plan, as said. Sending minister is
the recognition of the government to which it
is sent. We do not know that it is wise to give
such recognition to Legitime. We should first
look into affairs there. We should place the
matter in the hands of a trained diplomat and
au able lawyer. We want to know what the
government is and where il is before recogniz-
ing 1t A commission could very properly ask
to know what Legitime's arrangements with
France are, how much he is indebted to them
for assistance, and how far bound to the
French. These inquiries and others effecting
American interests and the principles of the
Monroe doctrine could well be made by a COM
mission. American interests are largely on the
Dominican side. This may put them with Hip
polyte, Tor 1t is more than probable that San
Domingo is assisting Hippolyte.
America has q moral influence over Hayt
The commercial and financial interests are in
other hands, but the welfare of the republic is of
b r,..w. .rNav