New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1916-05-13
UMUS MAY GET POSITION.
Continued from Page 4.

which they are based.
The central fact in Haitian ii
nance is the so-called Barlu(
Rationale de la Reprbli.iut
d'IIaiti, with its central offices al
Paris, branch at Port-arl-Princc
Haiti, and another branch in New
York City. This institution con
trolls practically the entire $50 per
cent foreign debt of Haiti,
amounting to 1921, 100000 gold.
Fifty per cent. Of its stock is held
at present by French interests. 40
per cent. by nominal American
stockholders, and 10 per cent. by
the German Disconto Gesell
scaft, of Berlin. Scattered spo-
radically throughout this list Of
stockholders are about twenty or
thirty Haitians, each one Of them
owning a small amount.
Up to 1910 this institution was
entirely French, under the name
of ala Banque Rationale d Haiti"
originally established in 1875. 1t
was a badly managed affair and
in 1910 it was thoroughly reor-
ganized with the two central
ideas of establishing monetary re-
form in the Black Republic and
of obtaining joint administration
of it's customs. With these ends
in view it was deemed advisable
to admit German participation
and, as a political safeguard to
the reorganized bank, it was con- !,
sidered wise also to include
American investment.
The transactions incident to
this reorganization are exceed
ingly interesting. In 1910
Haitian commission went to Paris
to assist in the reorganization of
the bank at it's central offices. At
the same time some other inter-
ested Haitians went into conclave
with German mercantile interests
at Port-au-Prince, and this group :
made emphatic representations
through the Haitian agent of =
Thalmam & Co.. which has a
branch office in Paris. The New a
York office of this German bank !
ing company is Ladenburg, Thai :
mann & Company. II
The German-Haitian group did y
not at first want American par .
ticipation. Whatever the French :"
stockholders might have done in n
The premises was defeated by the :
emphatic attitude of the French -
not to allow German =
participation without the inclu- r
ZION of American capital. This
Fact throws an interesting light
npon that phase of the Monroe
Doctrine which is staged in the
Caribbean.
As at present constituted. then.
here are no German. individual
Ihareholders in the National Bank
# Haiti, the German block of
took. only about $500 out of a
otal Of 10000 shares, being all
leld by the Disconto Gesellschaft.
he individual shareholders are
II Frenchmen, Americans, and
iaitians, but the character of
ONE of the American sharehold-
RS may or may not throw some
light upOn the
mall proportion Of the total
took held in Germany. The chief
american SHAREHOLDERS are Lad
nburg. Thalmam & Company.
'peyer & Company. Hallgarten &
company, firms Germanic in their
and the National City
|ank.
Responsive to the international
lignment of the shan eholders is
he board of directors, which in
(udes the following gentlemen:
[essrs. Casenave recently elected
resident of the bank, Mallet.
'osquet. Poisson. Girode and
ere; and Messrs. W|ehrhane, Nc
'oberts, Rosen. and Davis, Of
lew York. M. Casenave. sent |
ere by the French Government.
,oether with NJ. Paul Santall;er.
irector general of the bank. has
cen for some time comforting in
'ew York y-ith Mr.. r. L. Farm
am. of the National CITY Bank.
nd the last-named American rep
Of the board of direc-
'rs.
According to the regulations Of
le bank the board of directors
ould normally have twelve men,
RS. The German representative
ctfully resigned at the begin
ng of the war. The New York
rectors meet in New York sep
ately from their Paris col