Evening star., 1902-09-12
IN SOUTHERN WATERS
Commander McCrea Dis
cusses Present Conditions.
DISORDERS IN HA II
PROSPECTS AGAINST THEIR
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
Lieut.. Wright Reviews History of the
Black Republics-A Reign Of
Continued Turbulence.

Commander McCrea, who has recently
been guarding American interests at Haiti,
and, with his vessel, the Machias, protecting
international commerce from unwarranted
interference, expressed himself as follows
today to a representative of The Star re-
garding affairs in southern waters:
The conditions to the southwark at the
present time are most interesting. In Ven
ezuela as well as Colombia the rebels ap-
pear to be gaining not only in territory, but
in organization and sympathy of the mass
es. The capture of Aqua Dulce practically
gives the liberals control Of the isthmus,
though some hard fighting will be neces-
sary before the terminal cities fall Panama
and Colon being strongly intrenched. l
consider it most wise that our government
will send a large force there to insure the
traffic and prevent trouble. The Ranger is
an efficient vessel but quite too small to
furnish landing party and train guard In
1883 some criticism was made regarding the
500 marines sent there-'too many so the
croakers .said-but when our fine men ac-
complShed the work without loss and made
lasting Impression, the detail was ap.
proved.
"As regards Haitien affairs, the disap-
pearance of the only gunbOat removes the
varying factor; 1t is now a question entirely
on shore, which, with energy, might be
settled quickly. The chances are not good
for this, and a long guerrilla disturbance
may result, unless a time is set for the
nnlsh Some such measure might be taken
on the grounds of friendly interference but
that question is always delicate one
A Reign of Turbulence
Lieut.. W. S. Wright, who spent year
on the Island of Santo Domingo gathering
historical data, recently made a study of
the political conditions in the two repub-
lies on the island. They are not repub-
lies in any sense of the word" he said to
a Star reporter. They are military des-
potisms. While a republican form of gov
ernment is preserved. the president is the
sole power The congress is chosen at his
bidding and performs his behests. In the
republic of SantO Domingo for instance
PFesluentlaI electors are chosen to serve
1ouf years. There is an educational quail
hcatiOn by which few vote mostly whites
Europeans. These electors are suggested
as nominees by the candidate for president
from among his supposed friends. There
Is seldom, probably never more than one
set OF nominations; two would mean a rev.
olutIon. These electors choose a president
vice president and a congress, and fill va
cancies during the four years. The con-
gress is suggested by the president also
and starts out sOlidly pro-admnistratiOn in
It's political composition. 1t is entirely
WITHIN the power of president to have as
sasSlnated any congressman or congress-
men becoming adverse to his policy that
the electors might fill the vacancies with
administration supporters. This is an ex-
IRENE proposition, but not an impOssibiIity
under the system of government. The
army and navy are under the control of
the president, are the finances Con-
gress does his bidding, approves whatever
expenditure he may make without an an
preparation and makes whatever appropria-
tion he recommends. When it does not,
when there is dissension in congress- or in
the electoral college, revolution follows
The one man has lost his power and an
other rises out of the chaos who ina gines |
he is able to take his place as a dictator. |
This is not republican from of govern |
ment in any sense of the word. Power thus |
lodged in president is nearly always |
abused He becomes tyrannical, avaricious, |
revengeful, inhuman, unjust, sensual, ac- |
cordlng to the tendencies of his unre- |
strained nature. There are exceptions, but |
the system of government does not encour- |
age them; it rather affords temptation and |
invites excesses. And too often president |
is placed in power by those who expect to |
share with him the advantages which the
system affords. If he did not yield he
would be deposed at once. If he attempted |
good government his adherents would dis
cover that they were mistaken in him.
Dessalines the Dictator.
with the final withdrawal of France in
1906 Dessalines became ruler of the entire
island. 1t was not then called a republic
He proclaimed himself emperor, as did
Christophe, who succeeded him Solique also
declared himself an emperor. Under these
emperors nobility was created, the titles
being selected by the recipients at will with
some grotesqueness, as the Dukes of Mar
malade, Lemonade and Bobo appear in the
blue book. Solique abdicated in 1859. In
the meantime the republic of Santo Domin-
go was organized in 1914 independent Of
Haiti on the west, thus dividing the island
on the original lines when Spain owned the
east two-thirds and France the west one
third. This action on the part of the east
was was resisted. but not successfully, but in
1861 Santana, who was president of the
east, wishing strong power to uphold
him, invited Spain to return. The soyer-
eighty of Spain did not last long as the
people opposed it, and Spain was expelled in |
1863. Haiti has thus claimed to be re- |
pubic continuously since 1859, and Santo |
Domingo since 1863. but whatever the title |
the government has been the same a des- |
potlsm, in both republics. 1t has been since |
1916, however, that the attempt has been |
made at self-goVernment. How successful |
thls has been is best told by the following |
statement of the careers of the various rul- |