The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-08-17
TURBULENT DOMINICAN REPUBLIC CELEBRATES
 FEAST OF FREEDOM

The sixteenth of August which falls this year on Sunday. is the Indepen- dence Day or ssF.east of Freedom of the Dominican republic, the negro na- ton which occupies the eastern and | larger part of the island of Haiti or Santo Domingo. Like it's neighbor. Haiti, the Dominican republic has re- gently been fconyulsed by revolution Such condition of affairs is normal rather than otherwise, however, Fl : though the Donainicans have in the past shown a little more capacity for self government than the Haitians. Uncle San's effo&s to straighten out the tang1e of Dominican finances have resulted in a sort of receivership for the republic. The agents of the United States have found that the receipts of the government are abundant for the payments on the interest and princi- pal of the public debt, as well as the ordinary expenses of government. ana that it is the expense of suppress1ng rebellions that keeps the black repub- lie in bankruptcy.
 The history of EIaiti the isle of un- rest, proves pretty conclusiveIy that the African race is incapable Of self governme ent=a1though, in view of re- cent events. the proud white race is hardly in a position to cast stones at the 4black brothers The second lar
 
 the richest and most fertile of couf1- i tries, and stable government and mod ern machinery and methods in min ing. agriculture. Iumbering and other industries would be productive of vast riches.
 | Columbus discovered the island of Santo Domingo on his first voyage. and ehristened it La Isla EspanoIas or Hfspano1a, because of a resemblance to parts of Spain. It is alleged that the remains of Christopher Columbus rest in the city of Santo Domingo, and a movement has been started to raise
 a. fund of $500,000 to erect a. Pan American tomb and memorial to the 1 discoverer in the capital city of the Dominican repu blic% The people of the 1 twenty-one republics of tie New World and of Canada, Jamaica, New ions have been asked to contribute,
 but recent events have put a tempo rary stop to the movement
 The project for Columbus tomb 1 in Santo Domingo originated with the government officials Of the Dominican The scheme progressed so far that a beautiful site in the southern por- ton of the city, on the Caribbean's s 1 coral coast, was dedicated and chris tened Plaza Co1unnbina It was
 planned that the money should be
 raised by a special tax. but a revolu- l ton put stop to the project. A mar
 bIe nauseleum was built in the santo Domingo cathedral. and there rests all l that is mortal of Christopher Co1urn-
 bus. The movement for the Pan- American memorial was inaugurated 9
 little more than 8. year ago by Will
 liam B. Pullman, then Uncles Sam s | receiver general of Dominican GUS toms.
 When the island of Haiti was visited
 by Columbus he found it divided into
 five Kingdoms. The Indian inhabitants Izwere peaceful and inoffensive, and
 wars were unknown until Christianity
 and civilization were introduced
 among. them. Under the Spanish regime the city of Santo Domingo be
 came the metropolis of the Spanish
 possessions in America. The natives were forced into abject slavery, and under the harsh treatment accorded them fby the conduistadores they died
 in large numbers. The introduction of
 negro slaves began about four centur- l ies ago, and the descendants of these k-Africans constitute the present popu-
 lat:on of both republics.
 France and Spain fought constant- l ly over the possession of the island, 1 and each nation was in turn victor tous. In general, however, the Span l ish inuence prevailed in what IS now | the Dominican republic, and the l French influence in Haiti. and these I influences are still manifested in the I language. customs and habits of the
 negro population of today.
 The Dominican republic. after brief
 periods of independence. and Haitian
 and Spanish domination, finally
 achieved it's absolute independence
 ffty-one years ago, on August 16, 1883, a date ever since celebrated, us-
 ually by the beginptng of the annual revolution.
 InUxEnrDArc CATN