Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-02
DISCUSSES LIFE
/ AMONG HA|T|ANS.
Former Ottumwa Woman
Tells Of Missionary Work
in the West Indies
REVOLUTIONS ARE
REGULAR EVENTS
Changes Of Government Ar.
Matter Of Few Months
in Bloody Island

Mysterious and Bloody Haiti" th,
most beautiful of the West Indiea
was discussed at length by Mrs. A. r,
Prieger, formerly Miss Margaret YOUNG
OF this city, during her brief stay here
over the weekend. Pastor" and
Mrs. Prieger are enjoying a furlough
and vacation for the benefit OF the
formers health, which has suffered
from the malarial fever Of the island,
and for few days were the guests ol
Mr.. and Mrs. N. F. Reed and othe1
friends.
Mr.. Prieger Is superintendent of the
Haitien mission of the Seventh Day
Adventists church and has his homa
and mission on the north coast at Cape
Haitien. Mrs. Prieger left this city
nearly ten years ago, after active and
appreciated work in the Open Door
Rescue mission. During their visit hera
both spoke number Of times to in-s
terested audiences, both formally and
informally. The searchlight of intis
mate knowledge Of an almost unexplor-
ed missionary field was turned on
Haiti, for the benefit of many Ottunl-i
vans to whom the island has long
been merely name.
Few White Inhabitants.
Haiti, which is separated from
Cuba by a slender arm Of the Atlantic
ocean, was discovered by Christopher
Columbus, Dec. 6, 1892, the explorer
landing at Mole st. Nicholas. Tho
Spaniards soon foocked in great num-
bers to the new country and extermin-
ated the native Indians. When the
French came later, trouble r arose.
which ended with the Spanish taking
the Santo DOMINICAN side of the island
and the French remaining on the HIATT
ian side. The latter imported hundreds
Of blacks from central Africa to work
in the plantations and gold mines. la
1904 the slaves rebelled and extermin-
ated 10000 whites and they and their
descendants have since been masters
Of the black republic. There are now
about 2,5O0,000 negroes and only 1CO
white persons on the island, owing to
the fact that they greatly resent white
invasion. A clause in the constitution
prevents white ownership of lard
which explains the scattering OF Ger
man, French Italian and American ill
habitants. With the exception of a
Partisan, Mrs. Prieger is the only
white woman resident
Change Officials Often.
Mrs. Prieger says, while the term
of presidential Office Is seven years,
few occupy that position more than a
few months Five men have served as
president during the past two years.
The new official, recently installed, IS.
Gen. Vibron Guillaume, a rather pro-
gressive man who is in favor Of the
United States placing protectorate
over the island. A stable government
would then result, white men would be
made welcome, the safety of missicn-
aries would be insured and marvel-
ously rich territory would be opened
up.
IF could only tell you alive are
so hampered by their objection to pub.
licity," said Mrs. Prieger. Haiti is at
once the most beautiful and the filth
list spot in the world, and its capital.
Port au Prince, the dirtiest, most un-
sanitary hole imaginable. The scenery
is marvellous, of the lavish tropical
sort and we are lucky in having pure