Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1898-05-09
HAYTrS GILBERTIAN ARMY.
Nearly IN Many Officers as PrIvntes
In the BLACK Republic.

In the Black Republic.
The army of "the free and independ-
ent republic of Hayti" is unique in that
it provides chairs for the use of it's
sentries, lest they should get tired of
standing, like our young lady shop as
sistants. But then one cannot expect u
man, especially if he be free and indie
pendent republican, to work desperate
~ hard for two shillings week when
on duty, and one shilling when off. par
ticuiarly when he does not get it, and
has to provide his own uniform of rags
and tatters into the bargain. But. on
the other hand, there is always good
prospect of promotion in an army
which, in 1867, required $500 generals
and staff officers and 1000 regimental
officers to command 5000 privates. aid
which more recently contained 1.5OO
generals of division" in 10000 men.
Indeed, did not President Salnave
once convert n penniless day laborer
into n general by a mere word? Enc
mics of the republic may argue that it
is also true that the same general was
shortly after caught in the act Of steal
ing uniform from tailor's shop and
forthwith. paraGed round the c"Cital on
a donkey by an indignant police!
There are 10 class prejUdices in Hayti
and even the least can hope to become
the greatest. For did not Capt. Sou
louque. of the Life guards. buy brand
new crown for e2.OOO in 1852 and turn
himself into his imperial majesty. EN-
peror Faustin l. and dazzle al Flu
rope by the magnificence CT his court.
with its 50 dukes and marquises and
earls innumerabler Even his very Sc
rene highncss my lord the president
Christopher. afterv.ard his imperial
majesty. Emperor Henry. with his
40 chamberlains and a court calendar
"vying with our own" was once a mere
soldier.
True. not even every general can hope
TO become an emperor or even n mere
president. -Four republics and one king.
dom at one and the same time in n
country the size of Scotland are ns
mar as even Hayti has ever yet been
able 10 find room for hitherto. though
there may be better things in store fer
her in the future. In the meartir,r. =.
there are not republics ard emr.rcY
enough to go round, the 1900 general.
have to content themselves with G1!0
year ard gold lace adj libitum. Sill.
lIaytian general need not do so daddy.
even as things are, for who has better
right to act as paymaster to his soldiers
than this general? And if soldiers 90
not come and ask for their pay who has
better right to it than that same gen.
eral, while if they do have the impu-
Gcnce to ask for it instead of patiently
waiting until it is given to them what
officer Claytian) worthy of the name
would not fine them at least six weeks
pay for such an unheard-of breach of
discipline?
There are not so many patriots in
Hayti but what it is sometimes a little
difficult to keep battalion up to its
full strength, which is, perhaps, the
reason why one recently paraded only
numbered ten officers, 10 men and six
drummers. But an enterprising colonel
will find an easy way out of that diff
Guilty by periodically sending his men,
armed with clubs, into the streets to
seize volunteers" No one is ever COM
PEELED to do anything in the free and
independent republic of Hayti,
So when parliament meets the signifi-
canoe of the gaps in rows Of members
is readily understood, and Mr.. Black
Rod sent off to the various barracks to
inspect the bleeding and tattered re-
cruits and liberate the NJ. P.'s
among them. The remaining
volunteers may choose between
serving their country for their
love Of It and paying the colonel so
much week to be exempt. AS the
colonel's pay is e40 year. he thinks
that the less love Of their country there
Is among his volunteers the better. and
perhaps tbs is the reason why the
party gin" and the party "ou," are inn
porting alien soldiers to decide which
shall be e." md which "out. "-London