The Wilson times. [volume] (Wilson, N.C.) 1896-19??, 1897-12-03
Germany and Hayti.

attention OF the department OF state al
length has been formally directed tc
the friction that has arisen between
Germany and Hayti, as result of the
arrest by the officials of the latter
country of a half-blood named Lueders
While the department has been unoffi.
cially watching the matter for some
time past it was not until today that
the case came formally before it though
the appearance there of Mr.. Leger, the
min ster from Hayti to Washington.
The minister came to consult with
Assistant Secretary Day and the atti-
tude of Germany in the Lueder case
was discussed.
The intimation was given out at the
state department that our government,
so far, has gone only to the length of
instructng Ambassador White at Ber-
lin to watch developments and keep
this government informed. He will
lodge protest only in the event of the
performance by Germany of some act
that is not consistent with justice and
international law, something that is
not anticipated here. In other words
the state department does not feel that
it has right to interpose SO long as
the demands of Germany for redress
are kept within the bounds of sound
practice in international disputes, fol-
lowing in this the precedent set by the
last administration when it permitted
the landing ofBrilish troopsat Corinto,
Nicaragua, to secure indemnity for
the i'll ill.treatment Of British consular
officers. 1t does not follow from this,
however, that the administration will
look with unconcern upon any harsh
and unjust measures that may be
sought to be put in force by Germany
towards the little island republic.
The department has been Informed
that the statement of facts that has
been made n the case Of Lueder is
somewhat misleading in that it makes
some important omissions. For in
stance, the foundation of the claim of
Hayti that it had the right to punish
the man as it did lies in an assertion
that he was citizen of Hayti. Lue-
der was born in Hayti of a German
father and native Haytian woman
and according to the laws of the repub-
lie that made the child full fledged
citizen oAHayti. Again, as an expla-
nation for the apparently severe treat
ment of Lueders, the Haytian govern
ment is prepared to show that he had
been twice arrested and convicted of
the same offence, namely, resisting and
assaulting an officer. The first offense
was committed little over year ago
and the Haytian law, like that in our
country, in some cases, provides for
much more severe penalty in the case
of a second conviction. Also, as an in
dication that there was no discrimina-
ton practiced toward Lueder on the
score that he was a German subject,
it can be shown by the Haytian gov
ernment that the person arrested with
him, at the same time for the offense, a
native full blooded Haytian, was
subjected to exactly the same penalty
$500 fine and a years imprisonment
that was meted out to Lueder. Alto
gether, the case is regarded at the state
as one that might properly
be adjusted through the regular chan
nels of diplomatic negotiations instead
of through the strong means of demon
strations in force, particularly in view
of the fact that Lueders is now at liber-
ty and in Germany, and the acute
phase of the case has been passed.
The Haytian minister states that the
republic in preparing for any eventual
ty, considering that its honor is involv-
ed in the present trouble and that it
cannot !, ield to demonstrations of force
BY a powerful nation. The minister
says that Hayti's forts are unfortlfled
and that the country has no navy, Dut
has IAN army of fair proport
Naturally it could not expect