The colored American., 1903-07-25

er than one would find among the
people or other countries, not except
ing our own land. One should not for
get that these people stand alone in the
family of nations, with none to give
either advice or assistance, but all
stand ready to pluck them at every
opportunity. Yet with all these dis
couragements they have been able to
maintain their independence for a pc
rlod or nlnety-n1ne years during which
time they have not faltered. They
have paid all their obligations, and
this without any outside aid, and to
maintain their present autonomy they
nave been made to pay by nations
much stronger than they, many mil
lions OF dollars that they had no right
to pay. l will not say that this was
done cheerfully, but it was done as a
matter of preserving their independ-
ence- The debt of this Republic today
amounts to about $30,000,000, of which
sum $18,OOO,OOO is held in France for
period of 45 years. They have de-
faulted twice in paying the interest
when it was due, and each of these
times the cause of non payment was
due to serious political troubles inVOlv-
ing a change of presidents. These
contests were severe, many times de-
Wasting whole sections of the country
but upon the return of peace the sue
cessful party Immediately proceeded
to the payment of the same. 1t can
further be said that during the whole
period of the Republics existence they
have never repudiated their debts.
Can many of the older and stronger
countries say the same? The state
mentS made that these people are idle,
vicious, superstitiOus and given to eat
ing human flesh are absolutely untrue.
In this city-Port au Prince-reput-
ed to have a population of 10000, of
which number about 60, 900 are Haiti
ans, the rest foreigners scarcely
hear of crime being committed. One
can walk the streets at any hour Of
the night and will not be mOleSted.
Could the same be truthfully said Of
a city of similar size in the States?
You may send or intrust in their care
large sums of money inclosed in sim
pie canvass bags to be sent in many
instances 80 or 80 miles across noun
tains and rivers, with simply donkey
on whose back the money is placed,
and two attendants. These men will
| travel all night without rest, stopping
but for few moments for refresh
| mentS, and the next day they will de-
| liver their money to the party or par
| ties to whom it was consigned without
/ d seal DIOhen VI d COIu cut CdH one
| point to a similar case in the States
or in any country? Again, l know of
no place where the people are more
| loyal to one another than one will find
| them here. II is true they have their
political eruptiOns similar to those we
| have in the States. There we endeavor
| 20 convince by argument, here by the
| sword and many of them are quite
sanguinary, but when their chief mag
istrate is elected all endeavor to rem
der to him their loyal support.
| | have stated that they are loyal to
| each other. AS an example of this,
there is one place (Jeremi) in this Re
public in which no foreigner is allowed
TO establish business. He may come.
but no one will rent to him house,
| and if he happens to secure a house
or a store they will not buy his goods
nor sell to him their products. In this
way they compel him to leave.
| The more one mingles with them
and learns of their pride in their race
| the more one is forced to admire them
| | only wish we could say the same of
! our race in the States. l am not a
believer in miscegenation, which is
one of the crimes the other race charg-
es against us. You will find in this Re
public not more than 500 white women