Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-04-15
BROADENING Of
| MONROE DOCTRINE
IS FORTS PLEA
Former Governor Speaks on
Trade Possibilities in South
American Republics.
NEW JERSEYS ELECTION
IDEAS ARE TRIED THERE
Conditions in Haiti and San Do
nningo Are Described by
Al Speaker.



Nhe Newark Board of Trade last night
Of the trade possibilities in the repub-
lies of San Domingo and Haiti. His
address was largely a report of the
work of the commission of which he
was chairman and which was aD-
pointed by President Wilson to bring
about peace in San Domingo.
Mr.. Fort emphasized the need of
broadening the Monroe Doctrine as
bearing on the relations of this coun-
try with its neighbors.
The subject cannot be discussed
too far at this time" he said. "but in
1898 the United States established a.
doctrine which should be followed to-
day. Wherever nation that is a
neighbor of ours should treat it's
people in a manner revolving to hu-
manity we should stop 1t. We owe
this to the people themselves and to
the peoples of Europe who have their
Investments there"
The former governor also talked in
timatelyeof the work of his commits
sion in San Domingo and of the
methods adopted by him to obtain an
honest election.
We applied New Jersey methods in
some instances" Mr.. Fort told his au-
dience "As result the election was
orderly in the extreme. We would
permit no 1oitering within 100 feet of
the polling places. Just as soon as a
man had voted he was moved away.
Their provisions for the qualif1ca-
tions of an elector are somewhat diff
ferent from ours. Any male person over
eighteen years old may vote and any
male person who is married. A great
number of the men are married be-
fore they are eighteen, and they have
the right of franchise. There was but
one polling place to a city and this
gave rise to complications. In one
polling place alone 5000 votes were
cast. This occupied three days.
There were four candidates, and
as we had established booths we
we're at first puzzled to know how
TO make the balloting secret A very
great number of the people are illit-
crate. about 10 per cent. being able
to read and. write. We had TO pro-
vide for those, and,did So by giving
to each of the candidates q fcolor.
One candidate chose green. another
red, another blue and another wfiiita
At the hustings the candidates dis.
played their colors, and all the men
knew when they saw the election
emblem. which was q rooster, for
whom they were voting. The elec-
tion was entirely secret, the paper
being thick enough to disguise the
color.
Marines on Guard.
.Then we had either two marines
or two American citizens at each
polling place to see that order was
preserved. One thing that bothered
us at first was the possibility for re-
peating. But q geni&s solved this.
AS l told you, it took three days to
cast the vote. Before we took
charge of the election they had
counted the vote at the end of each
day. and when after that count was
made it was found that any one of
the candidates was ahead he was apt
10 disappear suddenly. So we put a
stop to that. We made them count
when the vote was all IN
But about our cure for repeating,
said the speaker amid general
laugia5eh after man cast his vote
he was taken to counter where
there was q pool of indelible ink. He
was made to dip the fingers of his
right hand in the ink, and If on the
second and third days he showed up
and tried to cast another vote he
was promptly thrown out Of the poll
ing place"
Mr.. Fort, in his address, also de-
scribed Haiti, which, he said, occu-
pied territory about the size of New
Jersey, while San Domingo, occupy
ing the other end of the island, is
about twice as large. In Haiti, Con-
gress must ratify the peoples choice
of president, while in San Domingo
the president is chosen by electors
designated by the people as in the
United States.
In Haiti the government is entirely
controlled by the negroes, and all citi-
zens must be of African blood. Only
natives can own real estate. Even
Haitian mother married to a for
eigner cannot own real estate.
s'The language of the country is
French, the legacy of French rule in
the past. Haiti now has about $780,
900 population. Santo Domingo has
about 600, 600. Mr.. Fort gave a brief
description of the topography and
fertility of the island. Nature" he
said, has done everything for the
island and man everything against it,
He went on to say:
"The possibilities of the island
have not yet been touched. The diff
ficuIty is the constant fear of revo-
lutions. If peace could be assured
In the island and capital protected
there would be almost limitless possi-
bilities. If government maintains
ally successful one."
violent Political Changes.
Mr.. Fort instanced the frequent and
violent political changes in Haiti in
the past four years.
President Lecomte became presi-
dent in 1911, and on August 8, 1912.
he was blown up in the palace with
200 citizens. Upon his death Congress
proceeded to elect one Tancrede Au-
guste to succeed him. He served
until May 2, 1918, when he died. The
belief is that he was poisoned.
Michael Oreste was elected president
on May 4, 1918. He abdicated, under
pressure, on January 27 1914, and fed
from the country. He was put ~out
through revolution. Oreste Zenar
then had himself elected president.
In November, 1914, he was over
thrown by revolution Davilmor
Theodore, who was a senator, was
elected president on November 10,
1914. He fed about March LIST of this
CONTINUED on Page 6. Column s.)