The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1898-04-05
HAYTPS GILeERTiAN ARMY.
NEARLY ns Many Officers ms Private.
In the Black Republic.

NEARLY ns Many Omcers ms Prayasen
In the Black Republic.
The army of 'the free and independ-
ent republic of Hayti" is unique in that
1t provides chairs for the use Of its
sentries, lest they should get tired of
standing, like our young lady shop as
sistants. But then one cannot expect
man, especially if he be a free and inde-
pendent republican, TO work desperate
ly hard for two shillings a 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 ra 90
and tatters into the bargain. But, on
the other hand, there is always a good
prospect of promotion in an army
which, in 1867, required $500 generals
and staff officers and 1000 regimental
officers to command 6,O0O privates, and
which more recently contained 1900
generals of division" in 10000 men.
Indeed, did not President Salnave
once convert penniless day laborer
into a 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 a uniform from a tailor's shop and
forthwith paraded round the capital on
a donkey by an indignant policel
There are no 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 92,0oO in 1852 and turn
himself into his imperial majesty. En-
peror Faustin /. and dazzle all Eu-
rope by the magnifcence of his court.
with its SO dukes and marquises and
earls innumerableY Even his very Sc
rene highness my lord the president
Christopher, aftert ard his imperial
majesty, Emperor Henry, with his
140 chamberlains and a court calendar
"vying with our own" was once mere
soldier.
True, not even every general can hope
to become an emperor or even a mere
president. Four republics and one king
dom at one and the same time in
country the size of Scotland are as
many as even Hayti has ever yet been
able TO find room for hitherto, though
there may be better things in store for
her in the future. In the meantime. as
there are rot republics and empires
enough to go round. the / 500 generals
have to content themselves with e14O
a year and gold lace ad libitum. Still,
Haytian general need not do so daddy,
even as things are, for who has a 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
a better right to it than that same gen
eral. while if they DO have the impu-
dence to ask for it instead of patiently
waiting until it is given to them what
officer tIiaytian) 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
liayti but what it is sometimes little
to keep a battalion Up to its
full strength, which is, perhaps, the
reason why one recently paraded Only
ten officers, 10 men and six
drummers. But an enterprising colonel
viii find an easy way out of that diff
Guilty by periodically sending his men.
~ h-SN Nitll ClubS- lIiO the streets 10
seize volunteers" No one is ever COM
PEELED TO DO anything in the free and
republic of Hayt.
So when parliament meets the signif-
canoe Of the gaps in rows Of members
is readily understood, and Mr.. Black
Rcd sent off to the various barracks to
inspect the bleeding and tattered re-
cruits and liberate the NJ. P.'s
among them. The remaining
may choose between
serving their country for their
love of it and paying the colonel so
much a week to be exempt. As the
pay is 6 10 year, he thinks
that the less love of their country there
is among his volunteers the better. and
perhaps this is the reason why the
party "in" and the party "out" are i'm
porting alien soldiers to decide which
shall be Gin" and which t."-London
Mail.