The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1913-10-16
FROM HAITI
Hon. NJ. r. Smith, Minister to Haiti,
Tells OF His Trip and Other In.
teresting Matters.
AMERICAN LEGATION
PoRT Az PRINCE, HAITI
October /, 1913.

o'SISihuhu, one OF the best ships ui
the Hamburg American Line, and
with one of its best Captains, Cap
tain De Wall, from New York Thurs.
day, the 18th of September, and ar.
rived in the harbor of Port-nu.
Prince, Haiti, on the evening of the
2Jrd, and anchored for the night,
landing and discriminating Wednes.
day morning, the oath of Septemb"r.
The voyage covered about g days.
The weather was delightful, could
scarcely have been better. The dis
lance from New York to Port-au-
Prince is ,34S miles, almost directly
south, veering few degrees east.
enjoyed the trip immensely aud
particularly that part passing
| through the Bahama Islands aud
the bay of Port-au-Prince, one NJ
the most beautiful in the world, as
told by travellers.
As usual, mt such times, and In all
countries, the landing OF i sea GO
ing vessel, and particularly Il foreign
vessel, attracted to the docks IA good
" number of people, all of whom
were more or less Interested in some
fashion or other; some to see tn"
boat, some To be seen, some there
out OF mere curiosity, and others to
meet passengers. | was met by
several who were interested In my
coming-menbers of the Legation
and business men. An automobile
was placed at my disposal, which
soon delivered me to the Metropoli.
tan Hotel where ] am yet stopping.
Port-au-Prince has "A population
of at least 10000 people and is stu.
ated on a very beautiful bay of the
same name. This il an old CITY.
settled by the English and about
which l will have more to say IN the |
future.
The American Minister preceding |
me, and my predecessor, Honorable
Henry w. Furniss, had sailed be-
fore ! arrived. 1t was given out |
that ! was to reach Haiti about the |
18th and he had made all arrange.
ments to go and could not conveu-
iently await my arrival. The Secre-
taries of the Legation have been
attentive and obliging, not
only around the offices of the Lega-
ton, hut in other matters affecting
my personal comfort. So, the first
Impression Is good one, and ! have
no doubt ii will be retained aud en-
phasized AS time flies. At least |
am we'll pleased, and | am sure /
will like the work, of which there is
more than l had anticipated. The
quarters of the Legation are at.
and commodious and well
lifted up for work and comfort. The
climate without doubt Is good and
but as expect to write n
series OF letters to The Times | will
not enlarge on any special feature
Of the country In this letter. 4
Back, and southwest of the city,
Is mountainous, in fact, the Island
Is very mountainous. The word
Haiti means 1.-The land of noun
talns", the name given it, according
to history, by Columbus, its dscov.
er. BY far the larger part of the in
habitants are black, or colored
" ould be better description of its
people, as great numbers of them
are mixed with French and the blood
Of other white people. Many of
them are quite able--good lawyers
and doctors are among them as you
will find anywhere, and men distin.
yulshed as statesmen are to be
found, giving their time and abili-
ties to the affairs of the government.
The country Is not advanced like
ours in civilization, along any line,
and this is no surprise to anyone
who knows the history of the coun-
try, which ! cannot now undertake
to give. The customs of the people
are insular and provincial, and their
ideas of the outside world are not
broad as they ought to be for the
welfare Of the Republic. II the
Haitiens could but understand that
the age of conquest, worldwide, is
over, that the banners of peace are
floating over four-flfths of the peo-
pie of old earth, and that In addition
thereto they are under the aegls of
a great Republic that guarantees to
them peaceful destiny, they would
throw wide open their gates to out
side capital and enterprise, and In
vite them with open arms to come,
and sow, and reap of the marvellous
resources Of their highly favored is