The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-08-18
rangement. shutting its eyes to the ul-

Innate results.
AS June is approached, however,
bringing with 1t the election of depu-
ties, the government cannily decided
that IL might be well to let its people
see O. little ready cash, to disburse, In
fact, a months pay. Yet, as the mer-
chants and money lenders held paper
covering all arrears, 1t was patent that
they would claim the entire issue
promptly. In order. therefore, to in
sure the employees In actually touching
| their douceur, the issue, when made,
was specifically designated as "for an
unknown month";" which well-consid-
cred phrase has enabled the treasury
officials thus far to battle all outside
| claimants.
1--WE are very sorry; but our books
have become unaccountably confused.
| Until they are cleared up we can allow
| no such claims as yours, for fear OF
paying for the same month twice."
| The device Ia childish. but so is the
| people, whether in its cunning or In its
stupidity, and the typical official, with
his shallow trickery, hopes only to out
wit his rivals long enough to fill his own
! pockets. One government Gusts an
other BADLY for the spoils. Hyppolite
| Is yet remembered with some kindness
because. with all his monstrous thefts,
| he yet performed after a fashion one or
| two of the works for which he levied
taxes. Sam stole consistently, con-
| stantly, without limit or interruption,
| and is classed by his countrymen as no
worse than the rest
Foreigners Secure.
All this Notwithstanding. the property
OF foreigners resident in Haiti remains
secure, and a foreigner, always pro-
vided that he knows how to handle and
to fortify his interests. may even en-
joy steady protection from successive
governments that are steady in moth
ing else save thievery.
The terror of the Haitian, whether
president, senator, or man in the
street, Is foreign warship in the har-
Dor. Display your flag, be it Ameri-
can or European, and the most threat
ening mob will take to it's heels. 1t is
to the foreign ministers or consuls,
and by no means to his own magis-
ates, that the Haitian turns when he
believes his life in danger. Let a riot
be feared in the town, and you shall see
|
ond window.
With the fear of violence and retri-
button in the air, each quaking citizen
tries to recall that he Is not really
Haitian at all, and that his great-aunt
or his wife's cousin came from St.
Thomas or Martinique. Or, If he cam
not establish that plea, then he runs
to some consulate, begging protection
on the ground of mere humanity. The
plea, it may be added, is always heard.
Every consul or minister in troubled
times has brood of refugees under his
wing: indeed. if it were not so. much
more blood might really be shed in the
revolutions" of Haiti.
If, as foreigner, you have at any
time to complain of damage done to
your property, your price will be paid
with dispatch and foreigner must
be very much in the wrong before gov
ernment will take action against him.
His country's guns are always thrust
ing shadowy muZZles over his shoulder
and, lest the shadows become solid,
government will recognize with alacrity
claims of size truly amazing. a fact
occasionally played upon by the un-
scrupulous.
How the Trick Is Done.
No small factor in the unuuestioning
acceptance of such claims lies in the
opportunities for middlemen's profits
that their payment affords. The cabi-
net minister through whom a demand
is presented merely doubles the sum
named by the claimant enters the SEN
ate with request for CLOSED DOORS"
tn Ia
that the claimants government re-
quires instant satisfaction on pain of
shot and shell, and that only by his
own mingled prayers and statesman
ship was the sum reduced to it's pres
ent SIZE
The legislators recognize the force Of
the argument and appropriate the
money required, half of which more
than satisfies the claimant, while the
rest goes to repay the ministerial eXer-
tions. The news quickly becomes pub
lie, perhaps even gets into print the
successful claimant laughs over the
story in the streets. every one makes a
mental note for future use, and things
progress as before.
Meantime the foreign business men
here, most of whom are Germans,
make fortunes quickly, and that chiefly
in deals with government. Govern
ment, always in need of ready money,
must borrow at rates exorbitantly high.
And for whatever dubious end a sum
may be required, resident foreign capi-
talists familiar with the tricks of the
trade will always lend willingly and
eagerly on the security of the customs
receipts.
Haiti taxes both her imports and ex-
ports, end all customs moneys must
pass through the national bank, a
French institution, before being avail
able by the government itself. The
bank pays off all secured claims before
recognizing the governments right to
use the fund, and therefore loans and
contracts made on security of customs
are held 10 be as safe as they are profit
able. So easy means of obtaining
money is we'll calculated to appeal to
the negro's short-sighted recklessness,
and the customs are already In pawn
to 80 per cent. of their volume.
A Rich Country.
Not the least striking of the conclu-
sions induced by consideration of these
facts and of other equally patent is
that of the wonderful richness of the
country. Here is population of only
100000 idle, poor, and almost savage.
Here are no organized industries, no
thrift, no progress, no development of
the country's natural wealth. But scat
tered on the hillsides by patches are
small fields of coffee, and spreading