Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-02-22

area or 1S,O45 square miles, and pop
ulation (as estimated in 1889 of &c.
600. The population is composed main
~ of mixed race of the early Span
iards and the aborigines, of mulattoes
and negroes. There is quite mum
Der of whites and Europeans descend
ed, and the Spanish language prevails
In the town French and English also
are spoken.
The capital of Santo Domingo is the
city of Santo Domingo, founded in
1496, located at the mouth of the
Ozama. It has probably $4,000 inhab-
ttants. The chief port is Puerta Plata
and numbers about $4,000 people. The
Roman Catholic is the religion of the
state, other forms are allowed under
certain restrictions. There are in the
republic about 300 schools with about
10000 pupils. In the capital and other
towns several literary societies -four
ish, and some 40 newspapers are pub
ished in the little country.
1t is beautiful and fertile land,
capable of supporting a population
many times that it now contains. But
though rich and lovely land, it is a
much troubled one, civil strife inter-
fering with any long-continued period
of prosperity. The cause assigned for
this disturbed condition is the temper
ament of the people, the climate not
being held directly responsible, it tend
ing rather to laziness and inaction than
bellegerancy. Politicians, leading the
ignorant masses, see to it that ''revo-
lutfons take the place of elections"
and political ambition is the curse of
the nation.
AS rule we speak of Domingo as
twin sister of Haiti. True, the coun-
tries adjoin, but they are dissimilar
in many ways. Divided only by q
sparsely settled frontier, we might
reasonably expect them to be alike in
general respects, geographically and
racially, yet it is racially they differ.
Haiti has q population 20 per cent. of
which is black and the remaining so
per cent. has more mulattoes than
whites Santo Domingo's people is
made up of 40 per cent blacks, 80 per
cent. mulattoes and 30 per cent whites.
The native language of Haiti is French,
of Domingo Spanish.
Haiti and Santo Domingo are not on
very good terms, perhaps because they
are such close neighbors. A fruitful
cause for dissent in the past was the
custom with revolutiQnaries, custom
obtaining in both lands, of crossing the
border and Matching plots on the other
side. Naturally this led to disturb
ances Of friendly relations. However,
official relations Of recent years have
been trifle better than formerly,
OF the two, Haiti has been tie more
VIGOROUSLY unsettled state, but now
seems to be enjoying little quiet re-
spite whilst Domingo has refrigerated,
her industrial progress been inter-
fered with, her government much dis
turbed. When she had at the helm
that strong leader, II despotic. Presi-
d.nt Heaureaux, she enjoyed q consid-
cradle period Of prosperity; but since
his assassination Tin 1899 the land
has been in a most disQuieted state.
.Heureaux, widely known as most re-
markable negro and the most capable
statesman OF Latin America, ruled
San Domingo from 1882 to 1899, and
though he was high-handed and his
financial measures burdened the coun-
try, during his regime San Domingo
experienced a period more free from
revolutions, more prosperous, better
inclined toward outside capital and
enterprise, and more disposed toward
the ways Of modern civilization" than
It had tor long years.