The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1898-09-27
HAYTrs eneERTlAn AMY.
Nearly us Many officers Es Prfvaaes
am the Black Republic


fn the Black Republic.
The army of *the free and independ-
entrepublic of Hayti" is unique in that
1t provides chairs fer the use Of its
sentries, lest they should get tired of
standing, like our young lady shop as
sistants. But then one cannot expect a
man, especially if he be a free and indie
pendent republican. to work desperate
Iy hard for two shiIlings week when
on duty, and one shilling when of, par
ticularly when he does net get it, ard
has to provide his own uniform Of rags
and tatters into the bargain. Eut, on
the other hand, there is always good
prospect Of promotion in an army
which, in 1867, required 800 generals
and staff officers ard 1900 regimental
officers TO command 5000 priyates, and
which more recently contained 1900
generals of division" in 5000 men.
Indeed, did not President Salnase
once convert a peuniiess day Iaborer
into a general by mere word? Ere
mics of the republic may argue that it
is also true that the same general was
shortly after caught in the act of steal
forthwith paraded round the capital on
donkey by an indignant policel
There are 10 class prejudices in Hayti.
and even the least can hope TO become
the greatest. For did not Capt Sou
lougue, Of the Life guards. buy brand
new crown for e2,0GO in 1852 and turn
himself into his imperial majesty. EN-
peror Faustin I. and dazzle all Eu-
rope by the magnificence of his court,
with its 50 dukes ard marquises and
earls innumerable. Even his very Sc
rene bighness my lord the president
Christopher, afterl.ard his imperial
majesty, Emperor Henry, with his
40 chamberlairs ard a court calendar
'Avying with our oWn," was once mere
soldier.
True. rot even every general can hope
to become an emperor or even a mere
| president. -Four republics and one king
dom at ore ard the same time in a
country the size of Scotland are as
/ many as even Hayti has ever yet been
able 10 find room for hitherto, though
there may be better things in store for
her in the future. In the meantime. as
there are not republics and empires
enough to go round, the $500 generals
4 have to content themselves with e14C
/ year ard gold lace ad Iibitum. Still
/ a Haytian general need not do so daddy
] even as things are, for who has 4 better
right to act as paymaster to his soldiers
than this general? And if soldiers dc
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
dence to ask for it instead Of patiently
: waiting until it is given to them What
officer (Haytian) worthy of the name
would not fine them at least six weeks
pay for such an unheard-of breach 0.
discipline?
There are not so many patriots il
Hayti but what it is sometimes 1ittl,
difficult to keep a battalion up to ii
full strength, which is, perhaps, thi
reason why one recently paraded onl,
numbered ten officers. IS men and 81,
drummers. But an enterprising colone
! will find an easy way out of that diff
Guilty by periodically sending his men
armed with clubs. into the streets 4
seize volunteers" No enc is ever com
PEELED to DO anything in the free ant
independent republic Of Hayti.
So when parliament meets the signifi
canoe of the gaps in rows of member
is readily understood. and Mr.. Blacl
Rod sent off to the various barracks 4
inspect the bleeding and tattered re
cruits ard liberate the N. p
. among them. The remainin;
/ volunteers may choose between
, serving their country for thei
: love of it and paying the colonel s
) much week to be exempt. As til
) coloners pay is $40 year, he think
/ that the less love of their country Their
is among his volunteers the better, an
| perhaps this is the reason why tn
: party "in" and theparty "oat" are i'm
: porting alien soldiers to decide whic
{ shall be "in" and which tout. "-Londo
! Mail
CLEVER SIAMESE GIRLS.