Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-04-20
Pres. Alexis Of Hayti Has
Revolution Crushed.
No Ones Life Or Property Safe
Who Opposes Him.
Country In DepIorabIe Condition..
Army Officers Beg.

since the savage shooting OF pO1llcdl
prisoners. vd:iously estimated at from
- TO IS. SEPT the warships of four ma
tons skurryins to Port Au Prince.
Their arrival put the seal .! security
OF the lives and property of foreign
CTS ana Stree then ut least outward
tranquility has prevailed.
While there have been many arrests
oil natives suspected of sympathy with
the la;" revolution AMI political pris-
onerS continue to be brought i'll in
patches from interior points, there
have been no more public shootings
indeed. the government denies that
any more exc, utionS have taken place
This. however. is incredible in view
OF the fact that many persons are
known to have been dragged from their
beds 1T night and that all trace of
them has been lost.
Iii the executions of March Is last
President Nord Alexis achieved the
Guurle purpose OF Obiitelating As many
of his foes as he could lay hands on
and striking terror into the hearts of
those who were beyond his reach.
Since then his name. and that of his
ferocious lieutenant, Gen Gules Alexis
OCicou. who personally directed the
shooting OF the prisoners. including
some OF his own blood relatives, are
only mentioned in whispers. All Hayti
trembleS before them, and as long as
they are in power there is scant prob
ability Of any renewal of insurrection
until any one of the half-dOzen eXiicd
aspirants for the Presidency has raised
the Sinews of war for another at
tempt.
Alexis can afford to regard the move
nltnts of these patriots with inditfer-
ence, but he has made the significant
statement that if he is not permitted
to end his term Of Office unlnolested,
rather then submit to deposition he
will write mis- name on the scroll Of
fame in the blood of such a massacre
as Hayti has not seen since the days Of
Dessalines. once known as Jean JAG
ques |. No one doubts his ability TO
carry out this threat. which is under
stood to be intended as a deterrent not
only 10 revolutlonsts, but to any at
tempt ut foreign interference in the
affairs of Hayti.
With order restored ami their lives and
property under the protection of ships of
Wal, the foremost question in the minds
OF foreign residents is whether the time
has not come for the adoption OF "a final
solution of the Haytien question. All
agree that Hayti. during he: .o5 years OF
indie pendence, has not shown great capac-
ity for selfgoverEment and the affairs
of the island have now reached about the
lowest cbb in it's history.
Americans who have lived for 20 and 30
years. and who have witnessed dozens Of
revolutions. say that the one recently
crushed and even now sm"ulderinS, was
the most disastrous possible, coming as
it did when Hayti already exhausted fl
financially, was least able to endure the
strain of the destruction and waste of
diers beg because their pay. when they
been in such a desperate condition. Des-
titution prevails on every hand: ragged
soldiers swarm the streets, begging pit
eously. and even. officers, dinsy gold and
silver lace cape in hand. are profuse in
thanks for a dole Of five cents The SOL
ders beg because they pay. when they
get it, amounts to less than 80 cents Il
month and what else they are able to Sc
cure is small. a general receives 200
gouldes a month. equal to about 81. SO
that to live he must all to his income as
hest he may.
Similarly all government officials, who
are paid in the debased currency, are
expected to recoup themselves in some
manner. Only when they are immoder-
ate are they subject to removal. 1t is
rumored now that another huge issue of
paper and nickel money is impending,
which will cut the present value of the
gourde in half. making the nominal dol
lar worth about three cents.
The Haytians of the better class
know all this, but in peril Of their
lives cannot openly express their
views. a member of one of the best
families III Hayti, holding position
OF the highest honor-a man of broad
education who has Travelled widely
and is of unouestioned integrity, was
recently asked whether he could name
one Haytian competent to give the re-
public a stable and honest government.
II know no such man. he replied,
and then added, but what is the use
of discussing that. Assuming that we
had one man of exalted patriotism
and undoubted capacity. he could new
er aspire to the Presidency, simply be-
cause he could not offer to his follow
crS the assurance of public plumber
which here constitutes the prime at
traction of public office. The affairs Of
the republic are absolutely desperate
We are like children. unable to care
for ourselves and our only hope lies in
the intervention of some strong power.
which in spirit of humanity will lay
a firm hand on us and guide us along
the path of safety until such time as
we may W force of education, develop
capacity for directing our own af-
fairs
The same views were expressed by
Septilnus Marius justice of the su-
prene court, who recently exchanged
the protection of the French legation
for exile on the island of St Thomas.
SiNty-fiVe Mormon missionaries
sailed from Portland for Europe on
I bo Steamship Canada Saturday t,liar