Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1908-04-08
THE TROUBLE IN HAITI.

Haiti is neither a very large nor a
very important country, but events
have recently been transporting there
which may involve very large and i'm.
portant nations in uncomfortable com
plieations. French, German and Unit.
ed States war vessels have been hur
ried 10 the harbor Of the Haitian cap.
ital, and while no tnreats have been
made, yet their very presence there at
this time has a threatening aspect.
Haiti, like most countries in that
region of the world, is "a hotbed Of in.
surrections. Within the last thirty
years they have had dozens of them.
They are always attended with hidcous
cruclties aud atrocities, and commonly
result in revolution. Alexis, the pres.
ent president, has held power since
1909, tenure Of Office unprecedented
in that volcanic republic. lie is an able
man, and nas succeeded in keeping in
his support sufficient military power
To overawe or crush his enemies. During
his term there have been n good many
bloody Instructions and attempted
revolutions, but so far they have been
put down. He IL now rather an old
man, and holds his place by very pre-.
carious grasp.
For very long time there has been
in Haiti an intense hatred and even a
fcrocious feud between the fullblood
blacks and the mula,toes. The former
are the descendants Of the old slave
population, the latter the product Of a
cross with white races The mulattoes
are greatly inferior in number, but
they more than make up for that in.
feriority by their superior intelligence
and ability. They form the aristro.
cracy or ruling class, and they use
their power without much considera.
tion of scruple. Among the large mass
Of blacks, the spirit Of revolt IL always
smoulderng, and very often IL breaks
out in wild conhagratiOn. In tns last
outbreak, which has just been suppress
sed, there was as usual, much violence
and bloodshed, also "A large number of
legal executions. A number Of the
principal conspirators, however, inelud.
ing General Firman, their leader, took
refuge in the French consulate. De.
mand was made for their surrender in
order that they might be dealt with
by the laws of the country against
which they had rebellcd, and this de.
mand being refused, loud and angry
threats were made Of raids ON all for.
eign consulates, and Of the extermina.
ton of the whole foreign population.
Very likely these threats would have
been made good but for the speedy ar.
rival of the foreign warships. when
these big, grim, snllcn men.of-war
dropped anchor in the harbor of Port.
auPrinee, ready at any moment to lay
the city In ruins, and land a heavy
force Of marines, the situation immedi.
a,ely cnanged. The spectacle gave
sudden pause TO the Haitian authorities,
and they began TO consider their ways.
and TO reflect on what would infallibly
come to them II they attempted AMY
violence on any foreign consulate, or
on foreigners. OF course, this put
prompt and total end to all their fool.
ish threats.
But the incident has raised some i'm.
portant questions Of international law,
or rather Of practice. Can a foreign
consulate be used as an asylum for
eonspirators and revolutionistst IL an
insurrection should break out In New
York or San Francisco, or a revolution
be attempted and the leaders Of the re-.
volt find refuge and shelter in some
foreign consulate in the city, watch
should refuse to give them up on de.
mand, how would Uncle Sam take III
lie would not put up with IT for a
moment. II that could never be at.
tempted AZ against powerful nation,
why should o powerful nation force q
weak one to submit 10 iti A We un.