The times., 1899-08-20

That Country That Columbus First
Placed His Foot on Western Soil.
A Mixed PopuIntion-History of Its
PeopIe-Its Products and Resources
The bloody and sensational events which
within the last few days have come to
pass in Santo Domingo have brought that
tropical country directly under the public
eye. There are not many persons in the
United States who know much about the
country or the affairs of its government
which of late have figured so prominently
in press dispatches. the columns of news
papers, and the minds of officials of the
State Department.
Santo Domingo's history is interviewer
with that of Haiti. Santo Domingo and
Haiti are political divisions OF the Island
i of Haiti. These divisions resulted from
the settlement of different parts of the
island by French and Spanish eolonists.
Spaniards were the first Europeans to set
tie In the island, and the Soanish-speak-
ing people are in vast majority there to-
day. One of the historic features of Santo
Domingo is that within the boundaries OF
that republic the first civilized settlement
of the Columbian world was established.
The first landing of Columbus on that ISL
and was made on December 6, 1892, on the
coast OF what is now part of the Re-
public of Haiti at a point few miles to
the west of the Dominican boundary
1t was there that the flagship of Column
bus fleet the Santa Maria, foundered, and
out OF the timbers of this ship the great
| explorer built stockade which he called
La Navidad. He left garrison of thirty
men at this place and then set sail for
Spain. This garrison was destroyed by the
natives. When Columbus returned with
party of colonists in 1898 he established
town to the eastward OF the site of the
| old stockade. This town was named Isa-
| bella, was within the limits of the Repub-
lie of Santo Domingo, and was the first
| permanent settlement of white men with
in the new world The natives called the
island by two names, one being Haiti
| meaning mountainous country" and the
other being "Quisquica" meaning vast
country. 1t was named by Columbus "Es-
| pamela"
Uprising of the Natives.
| The natives were soon reduced to alb
| ject servitude by the Spanish, and they
broke out in insurrection against their Eu-
ropean masters. This insurrection was
not suppressed until 1888. and then only at
| the cost of many lives and much treasure
The Spaniards entered into treaty with
Enriquillo, native chief, whereby large
amount of territory was granted tc him
and his followers, who numbered, 1t is
! said, at that time about four thousand
| The Spaniards began the introduction oi
| African slaves in 1905, and in 1920 the
| blacks had become SO numerous that they
| rose against their masters and continued 9
| bloody resistance until 1928.
Some French and English colonists who
| had established themselves on the island
| OF Tortuga gained footing on the shores
| of Ryswick, that part of the island set
| tied by these colonists was ceded tc
France. In 1885, by the provisions of the
| treaty Of Bale, France was given soyer-
eighty over the whole island. Spain for
mally abandoned the island On January
n, 1901, after rule of 257 years. On thai
| date the island was taken possession of il
the name of France by Toussaint L'ouyer.
! ture, the Haitian general.
| A native general by the name of Dessal-
iraes soon after proclaimed himself Emper.
or. He was assassinated in 1906 and thG
Spaniards re-established themselves in tn,
eastern part OF the island, or that par
which is now known as Santo Domingo.
The natives formally proclaimed thei
independence of Spain on December l. 1921
and constituted themselves republic un
der the flag and authority OF Colombia
That part of the island called Haiti had il
the meantime become independent, and it
President, Boyer, invaded Santo Domingo
during a period of civil strife and mad
himself master of the whole island which
he called the Republic of Haiti. This con
querer was driven from the island by
revolution in 1S43 On February 81, 1874
the natives of the eastern part of the isl
and re-established the Repdblic of SAINT
Domingo which has endured to the pres
ent The Spanish Government in 1861, b
a diplomatic arrangement with Presiden
Santana, recovered part of its authorit
in Santo Domingo, but Spain relinquishe
all her claims to sovereignty in 1866. Their
have been local disturbances in the re
public and quite deal OF friction with tn
! Republic of Haiti over the boundary be
tween the two countries.
The Annexation Agitation.
The question of the annexation of SAINT
Domingo agitated the United States i
1870. President Grant favored annexation
and treaty was negotiated with Presi
dent Baez of Santo Domingo. Senate
Charles Sumner led the fight against rat
ification, and the treaty was rejected b
the Senate on June 80, 1870, by vote O
2S to 28, a two-thirds vote being necessar
to ratify. President Grants attitude wa
based mainly on a report of Gen. o. T
) Babcock, who had been sent to Santo Do
mingo to investigate the condition of al
fairs there with particular reference to tn
alleged desire of the natives for annexatio
| to the United States. In 1871 a commits
sion was sent TO Santo Domingo and re
turned a report favorable to the annexa
ton project. The commissioners were l
F. Wade Andrew d. White, and Samu,
, G. Howe. Frederick Douglass, Allan I
! Burton, and Franz Sigel accompanied tn
commission.
; The claim is made by some historian
that the dust of Columbus rests in tn
Cathedral of the old city of Santo Dc
mingo, and that he was not entombed
the Cathedral at Havana. The constitu
tion of Santo Domingo bears date of Nc
| vember IS, 1874, but it was reproclaime
and amended on November Il, 1865, an
again in 1879, 1880, 1881, and 1887.
z The population of Santo Domingo wa
officially estimated in 1883 at 610, 600. 1t
| mainly composed of the mixed race of th