Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1906-01-24

"ASo OClAS approximately cQudI W LHdt
Of the State Of Pennsylvania The
island is a tropical Switzerland, cut
by half dozen interesting mountain
ranges, whose peaks reach 10000 feet.
It Is the loveliest land in the world.
Those whose idea Of the possibility of
natural beauty is founded on knowl-
! edge Of the Bay of Naples, the fords
Of Norway or the soft Italian lakes,
would revise all their notions after a
view Of the Gulf of Gonave from the
Sierra de la Lelle, or Of the Vega Real
! (the Royal Plain Of Columbus), from
the Cibao. Nowhere else has nature
contrived such jubilant and glorious
The island Is a paradise. Columbus
esteemed it above all lands he had
seen in all his journeyings; founded
his own city upon 1t, built his own
home there, named it after his father,
and desired his bones to rest there
as indeed they undoubtedly do to this
day in sealed chest in the cathedral,
whose time-stained walls are still one
Of the chief glories Of the Western
| Hemisphere.
The natural wealth Of the island Is
! inestimably great. Mr.. Bill, of the
United States Geological Survey, de-
clares that no spot Of earth Of equal
area contains within itself so many
elements Of prosperity, worldly success
and happiness" There are fortunes
| for thousands In coffee, cacao, cotton,
tobacco, rubber, sugar. fruit, spices,
mahogany, dyewoods, gold, silver, cop
per, asphaltum, sulphur, salt, phos-
pilates and guano All these springs Of
wealth lie untouched. Time was when
this island poured riches into the laps
Of Spain and France; to-day it lies in
AFFECT poverty, swept by the fire and
sword Of intermittent civil war.
The island is divided between two
so-called nations-the republics" Of
San Domingo and Haiti.
San Domingo occupies much the
larger and richer portion Of the island.
Its people are whittier than the Haitians.
They speak Spanish, the language Of
! Haiti being French. The Haitian ne
| gro is simply an African savage, his
country a beautiful but completely de-
generate land, abandoned to misery
and barbarism; serpent worship and
cannibalism are commonly practiced.
But Hayu has four or five times the
population Of San Domingo.
The population Of San Domingo Is
glibly estimated, both at home and
| abroad, at 100000 Half that number
would be nearer the fact. You may
travel fifty miles a day through large
portions Of the interior and hardly see
a hut or an inhabitant The popula-
ton Of the capital city is given as 90
900. It would be hard work to find
$4,000 people there.
The bulk Of these 100000 or 100000
people live contentedly In the most
primitive fashion in PALM hatched
huts little different from those of cen
trail Africa. The country people cult
vate a few yams and plantains, have
a few pigs and chickens. The more
ambitious have little plantations Of
cacao or tobacco.
The entire population is barefooted,
and half Of it naked. Naturally. the
Dominican Is amiable and hospitable,
but he is more than half savage, and is
capable Of the blacklist treachery and
the most utter cruelty. He Is common
ly not black man, but he Is never
white. His skin Is always dark, and
his hair kinky, but the latter may be
yellow in color and his eyes may be
blue. There Is no Dominican type. The
population is mongrel, and does not
constitute a race. Now and then the
product Of the amazing mixture Of
blood is a man Of unique nobility Of
physique or girl of interchangeable
beauty.
The chief asset Of the country, from
an international point Of view, Is the
Bay of SANTANA, which Is one Of the
most magnificent harbors in the world
and which Is so situated as to be of
enormous strategic advantage. This
bay may be regarded as the key Of the
Caribbean Sea, and especially consider
ing the prospect Of the Panama Canal,
it's possession by any great power
would mean the mastery Of Central
American waters.
A republic in theory, San Domin-
go is a military despotism SO far as
it is under any government at all. So
ciety here Is, in fact feudal. Every
valley harbors a chief, with ragged
band Of followers, owing allegiance to
a provincial chief, who, in turn, sup
ports one Or another presidential eau
didate or becomes one himself.
1t is mistake to suppose that Do
ninican revolutions are opera-bouffe
affairs. AS rule, the slaughter Is
great. Except that the leaders are
much given to promulgating constitu-
lions and appointing cabinets, cam
paigns on the island are much like
raids Of wild Indians, Zulus or Kaft1rs