The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-20
PEOPLE ARE DESTITUTE
 AND LIVE IN MORTAL FEAR
Chances for Stable and Honest Gov. ernment Are Said To Be Hope less, and the Best Educated
 Desire Intervention.

Port au Prince, Hayti April 11-More than three weeks have elapsed since the savage shooting of political prisoners, va riously estimated at from 27 to IS, sent the warships of four nations scurrying to Port au Prince. Their arrival put the seal of security on the lives and property of foreigners and since then al least out ward tranquility has prevailed. While there have been many arrests of natives suspected Of being in sympathy with the late revolution and political prisoners continue to be brought in in patches from interior points, there have been nc more public shootngs. Indeed, the government denies that any more executions have taken place. This, however, is incredible. in view of the fact that many persons are known to have been dragged from their beds at night and that all trace of them has been lost.
 In the executions of March 15 last Pres dent Nord Alexis achieved the double purpose of obliterating as many of his foes as he could lay his hands on and striking terror into the hearts of those who were beyond his reach. Since then his name and that of his ferocious lieu tenant general, Jules Alexis Coicou, who personally directed the shooting of the prisoners, including some of his own blood relatives, are only mentioned in whispers. All Hayu tremhlea before ihe1n. Alexis has made the significant statement that if he is not permitted to end his term of office unmolested he will, rather than submit to deposition, write his name on the scroll of fame in the blood of such q massacre as Hayti has not seen since the days of Dessalines, once known as Jean Jacques l. No one doubts his ability to carry out this threat which is under stood to be intended as a deterrent not only to revolutionists, but to an attempt at foreign interference in the affairs of Hayti.
 Destruction Everywhere.
 With order restored, and their lives and property under the protection of ships of war. the foremost question in the minds of foreign residents is. whether the timr has not come for the adoption of a final solution of the Haytien question. All agree that Hayti during her lO5 years of independence has not shown great ca- pacity for government, and the af- fairs of the island have now reached
  tuition prevails on every hand; ragged sol diers swarm the streets begging pteously, and even officers bedzened in dngy gold lace, beg, cap in hand, and are profuse in thanks for a dole of , cents. The sol diers beg because their pay when they get it amounts to less than 90 cents d month. and what else they are able to se- cure is small. A general receives 200 gourdes month. equal to about s27, so 10 n income as best he might.
 Similarly all government officials who are paid in the debased currency are ex- pected to recoup themselves in some mall- ner. Only when they are immoderate are they subject to removal 1t is rumor.d that another huge issue of paper and nichle money is impending, which will cut the present value of the gourde in half. making the nominal dollar worth about cents The Haytiens of the better class know all this, but under peril of their lives cannot openly express their views. A member of one of the best families in Haytl. holding q position of the highest honor man of broad education, whe has travelled widely and is of unquestioned integrity. was recently asked whether le could name one Haytien competent to give the republic a stable and honest govern ment
 Affairs Are Hopeless.
 "G know no such man. he replied, and then added. but what is the use Of dis cussing that? Assuming that we had one man of exalted patriotism and undoubted capacity he could never aspire to the presidency, simply because he could not offer to his followers the assurance of public plunder. which here constitutes the prime attraction of public office. The af- fairs of the republic are absolutely des-