davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1918-11-03

OF all matters relating to the treasury shalt@
be according to the method established byss
law, but "in case the legislative body is unSss.
able for some reason to act on the budget
for one or more ministerial departments
before adjournment the budget or budgct@S
of the departments interested in force dursES
ing the current budgctary year will be cons
sinued for the budget year following" M
The legislative power is defined by theS
new constitution as consisting of two as~ss
semblies, a Chamber Of Deputies and ~
Senate, which form the Legislative CorpsyS
There shall be one Deputy for every 0.ooe
of population, and until census is takcslss
the membership will be limited under thG%
old system of political divisions into arron ~
dissements. A Deputy must be twenty-hves
years of age, in the enjoyment of civil and@
political rights, anud must have lived as
year in the arrondissement he represcnts.S;
He is elected for a two-year term, and may
be reelected for any period. 81
The Senators, who shall be fifteen in NUNS
Der, represent the departments, but arSS
elected for six-year term by univcrsaIs
suffrage. They must be thirty years of ages
and have lived in the department two yearss@
possessing the other qualifications set forthS
in the case Of Deputies. -
Together these two bodies constitute tho
National Assembly, which shall elect thcM
President Of the Republic and receive hiss
oath Of oeice, declare war on the initiative
OF the executive power. and approve or res
ject peace or other treaties and internal
conventions. But, as already indicated, the
executive power has sole authority TO insti-
tute financial legislation, and neither cham
Der has authority to increase tho budget
prepared. The duties Of the lawmakers are.
IN fact, to register the Presidents wishes.
They are to hold annual sessions
The five Secretaries of State, who are to
have the privilege of the floor in both
Houses. are no longer to be responsible to
the legislative power, as under the old CON
stitution, but will be wholly the creatures
Of the President
The judicial power remains practically
unchanged, the members of the Court of
Cessation being appointed, however, by the
President.
Such. in brief, is the form of government
which must be the Washington administra-
tions ideal, since it was made in the United
States, or at least by and with the consent
Of the American military occupation
The relations of Hayti with the United
States are not touched upon, except AS al
ready noted They amply covered, too
amply, perhaps, by the convention which
places the United States in control of the
country.
New-York tribune., 1918-11-03

~ Near Home


The problem of the Caribbean has been
ever present with Mr.. Wilson, who has
been no less solictous about the dependent
peoples Of the New World, as shown in his
Mobile address, than for the welfare of
democracy in Europe. And there has been
ample time to work out the salvation Of
HaYts and its neighboring erstwhile Re-
pu5lic Of Santo Domingo, which is at pres
emf ruled by an admiral Of the American
navy. its Congress having been disposed of
by sthe United States Marine Corps a wear
before the Haytian lawmakers were dis
missed.
This new constitution for Hayti is one
of the things planned for the American
voter as a pleasant surprise. 1t was first
to be given fair trial, doubtless with a
view of remedying any little defects in
herent in even the best Of constitutions.
and then the work, as nearly perfect as
merely human intelligence might hope to
make it, to be held up to the admiration
of the world.
Although the document bears internal
evidence of having been translated from
English into French, which is the official
language of Hayti, the original is not vet
accessible to the newspapers, which must,
therefore, depend upon the Haytian official
text. This is in some respects as vague
as some of President Wilson's fourteen
conditions: but whereas, according to we'll
informed Washington gossip, both Colonel
House and Senator Hitchcock possess the
New-York tribune., 1918-11-03

INC qualifications are that candidate for
the Presidency must be born Of Haytian
parentage, must never have renounced his
nationality, must have attained forty years
OF age and be in enjoyment of his civil
and political rights.
Prior to taking Office the President will
take the following oath before the National
Assembly:
Il swear before God and before the ma
tion to observe and to faithfully enforce
the constitution and laws Of the Haytian
people, to respect their rights and to main
tain national independence and the integrity
Of territory"
The President shall appoint and dismiss
the Secretaries OF State. He is charged
with overseeing the execution of the repub-
lies treaties and with promulgating It's laws
under the seal of the republic as prescribed
elsewhere.
He is charged with the execution of the
constitution and the laws, the acts and de-
crees Of the legislative body and Of the
National Assembly, but is without power to
suspend or interpret these laws acts and
DEGREES.
He will safeguard according to law the
domestic and foreign welfare of the state
and make all treaties or international con-
ventions with the sanction of the National
Assembly. He has the authority to pardon
or commute sentences except in the case of
proceedings for high treason or other crime
committed by the executive or the Secre-
taries of State, for which trials correspond.
ing to impeachment and accusation must be
n mt taI h~v<
heard by the Senate sitting as high court
Of justice.
Should the President be impeached the
president Of the Supreme Court (Tribunal
de Csssation) will preside, and thirds
majority Of the Senators is necessary to
conviction. The President is authorized to
accord anne in political matters within
the provisions Of the law, and shall COM
mand and direct the armed forces of the
republic.
If the President finds it temporarily i'm
possible to exercise his functions, they de-
volve upon the Council of the Secretaries
Of State.
This rule applies in the case of vacancy
by death or disability because of inpeach-
ment, and in case of a vacancy the Council
W
ately convoke the National Assembly to
choose his successor for the unexpred
presidential term
All acts Of the President, excepting de-
crees carrying nomination or dismissal Of
the Secretaries Of State, will be counter
signed by the Secretary of State. whose
department is chiefly concerned The
President has no other power than that
formally conferred by the constitution and
the laws by virtue of the constitution. At
the beginning of each session the Presi-
dent by message shall account separately
to each of the two chambers for his adj
ministraton during the year, and present
the general situation of the republics
domestic and foreign affairs
New-York tribune., 1918-11-03

clent Greek and Byzantine) are of Ser
0ian origin; and the capacity of the Serbs
for real culture is unquestionaby higher
While they have not the Bulgar taste for
steady, plodding labor. they have far more
inspiration. The Serbian language is rich
in beautiful literature, above all in poetry.
There is practically no Bulgarian litera-
ture, except the products of few writer's
OF to-day, of no outstanding Importance.
Bulgaria has nothing whatever to compare
with the great traditional ballads Of the
Serbs, probably the finest folk poetry in
the world. The whole viewpoint of the
Serbs is higher, alike in art, in the stand
ards of daily life and intercourse; and
while they have no tendency to force their
views on others, there can be no doubt that
the influence of strong nation of pecu-
liarly high moral perceptions, Of unusual
artistic gifts and great capacity for prog
Sess, may we'll be an important factor for
good in the life OF its neighbors
There has been far too great tendency
in the past to condemn the Serbs as back
ward. Materially it is true that they are
backward in many ways, but by no Leans
in all. 1t must be remembered that from
the end of the fourteenth till the begin
ming Of the nineteenth century Serbia was
debarred by the Turkish rule from ali pos
sibility of progress. The fact Of the mat
ter is that in the short time since they
regained their freedom the Serbs have
achieved a progress which is little short Of
miraculous, and is all the more to their
credit since they have had to do it alone.
If Bulgaria has been the spoiled child of
Europe, Serbia has been he Cinderella.
From any nation that has contr1ved to
keep its end up in the face Of the difficult
ties which have beset the Serbs in the past
hundred years, we may reasonably expect
very great things in the way of progress
when once its freedom and security are
properly safeguarded. Moreover, in one
respect. Serbia is ahead OF all the rest
Of US.
New-York tribune., 1918-11-03

Presidents own written Interpretation of
the fourteen conditions, no one apparently
mas thought tit to amplify and explain the
new constitution of Hayti; and if, in the
ordinary course Of events, this is left to
the court of Cessation of the Island Re-
public, it will be a life job for the entire
bench. Thus Article vi says:
"Tout Ha1tien age de vingt-et-un ans
accomplis exerce les droits politiques, sill
reunit dailleurs les autres conditions de-
terminees par la Constitution ct par la loi"
Does that mean that the sturdy and in
dustrious peasant women of Hayti are to
be allowed to vote? The sentiment of the
Washington Administration on this subject
Is we'll known, but the error is perhaps in
the translation, which certainly does not
include Haytian women specifically. The
Court OF Cessation may strain point and
say "tout Haitien," ETC., means Haytians
without regard to sex; but why when
constitutional amendment on suffrage is
pending in Washington pass the buck in
Hayti?
In framing their own laws for themselves
Haytians were habitually explicit. Thus an
earlier constitution prohibited white people
from owning real estate, engaging in re-
tail trade becoming citizens of the re-
public. A decade ago the political dis
ability of the white race was removed and
it is worth noting that the new constitu
tion expressly grants to foreigners, color
not specified, the right to own land and to
establish agricultural, commercial and in
dustrial enterprises. The Haytians them
selves have long favored a more liberal
attitude toward the white settlers in their
country, but the wisdom Of giving the
whites free hand at this time can only
be justified by the events. Haytis natural
wealth is immense, and, owing to causes
which may be discussed elsewhere, unde-
veloped.
Before giving further consideration to the
new constitution, however, it may be we'll
to note that, having been submitted to a
vote Of the people on June IL last, it was
adopted by vote Of 98,264 to 769. The
figures are illuminating, in view Of the fact
that the election was conducted under the
auspices of the Navy Department of the
United States, as showing that less than s
per cent of the population took the trouble
to visit the polls
Perhaps the most striking feature Of the
new constitution, one in which it is thus
far unique, although it may serve as les
son to the new nations to be erected in Eu-
rope. is headed "Article Special" and pro-
vides:
Gail acts Of the government Of the United
States during its military occupation in
Hayti are ratified and validated.
"A-No Haytan shall be held cvilly or
-.fI.
mitted by virtue of orders of the (Ameri-
CAM occupation under its authority.
"The DEGREES of the court martials of the
occupation which do not each time call at
tention to the pardonng power shall not be
subject to revision.
"The acts Of the executive power, up to
New-York tribune., 1918-11-03
By E. M. Chadwick

TNHE recent unconditional surrender of
Bulgaria was purely military. Po-
Il itical issues were specifically left
for settlement to the final peace
conference. From now onward until the
peace delegates meet, Bulgaria will do her
utmost to bring influence to bear on the
Entente, in order to secure the best possible
settlement of her territorial demands. She
has lost no time in beginning her propa-
ganda--more than one indication Of it has
alreary been discernible in the press here
and, if rumor speaks true, she is not above
trying to buy consideration from the En-
isnte By turning her polluted sword against
her former friends and allies.
Now the predominating influence in the
Balkans will have to be in the future either
Serbia or Bulgaria Obligations Of honor
and Justice alone would make it impera-
tive that we should support Serbia; yet the
Bulgarian propaganda is SO unscrupulous
and so deadly efficient that there is still
danger of wrong being done when the
final settlement takes place unless public
opinion is put on its guard in time.
New-York tribune., 1918-11-03
The Call of the Vine

G. o long as there are Germans left who
~ will pay s1o7 for gallon of wine that
country is evidently not yet in the last
throes of starvation. That is the price at
which a cask of EItviller Taubcrsbcrg was
sold at the recent auctions of Rhine wines
of the 1917 vintage. The total results, too,
of the wine auction for all Germany show
that the people are spending remarkably I
large sums for wine. The spring auctions,
covering mostly wines of the 1917 vintage,
brought in total Of $1s,2oo,ooo, reckoning
at the normal rate of exchange. The sig
nificsnce of this sum becomes evident when
it is stated that the larger vintages of
the years before the war never brought
more than $s,2oo,ooo. 1t is a noteworthy
picture-Germany staggering to its fall in a
military and political sense. vet the armies
of war prohteers are falling over each other
to buy luxurious SinsA
New-York tribune., 1918-11-03
w 7ashington Makes
w the Appointment

And under the terms of the convention
between the United States and Hayti the
chief OF this armed force, like the receiver
OF customs and financial adviser, is ap-
pointed on the recommendation Of the Presi-
dent of the United States. The chief at
present is a highly popular marine officer.
Colonel Williams, son Of the late Police In
spector Williams Of this city.
The national sovereignty is vested in the
whole body of the citizenship, according to
Article XVII, and the exercise of that
sovereignty is delegated to three powers:
the legislative power, the executive power
and the judiciary power. These form the
government of the republic, which is "es-
sentially civil, democratic and representa-.
tive"
Each power is independent of the other
two In those functions which it exercises
separately, and none can delegate nor pass
the limits of its fixed authority
The legislative power which is given pri-
ority in the fundamental law, may be con-
sidered logically after the authority Of the
President has been defined, because of the
unusual nature Of the duties confdcd to
the Chief Magistrate.
The President Of the republic will be
elected for four years, entering upon his
office, except where the election has been
held to fill vacancy, on the 18th Of May,
and in the event of special election i'm
mediately the President may be returned to
Office for two consecutive terms, and may
have third term after a four-year inter
val, but citizen who has been thrice elect
ed President is no longer eligible for office.
New-York tribune., 1918-11-03
The Fascinating Game Of
l. Discovering Bulgars

What makes the Bulgarian imperialism
the more deadly is that it is invariably
covered up with the cloak of retaliation of
national unity" Wherever Bulgaria desires
territory she "discovers" Bulgars. One of
the leading Bulgarian papers has even gone
SO far as to state that "if one undertook to
search for the origin of the Rumanians and
the Greeks, one would find that 75 per cent
Of them were of Bulgar origin" ("Kam-
bana," October 81, 1916) She was trumpeted
aloud for years her claim on Macedonia on
the same ground of national unity" yet on
October 20 of last year her Minister of the
Interior sent out circular to the projects
in the occupied districts of Macedonia
which stated:
"It is for the organs Of the adminstra-
tion to purify the Macedonian provinces of
all foreign elements, in this way creating
an essentially Bulgarian atmosphere, even
at the risk of the complete depopulation Of
these countries"
Is this legitimate realization of Bulgaria's
national unity, or is it barbaric imperial
ism?
Those who have followed only superfcially
the Balkan unrest of the past and have
lately heard much talk Of the necessity for
enlarging Serba's borders may wonder
whether in the matter of imperialism there
is much to choose between the two. But
to any fair minded student of the subject
there is all the difference in the world be-
tween Serbia's irredentsn and Bulgaria's
Imperialism Serbia, ever since she freed
the first yard Of her own soil, has been
possessed of one great desire: the release
Of all her brethren from alien domination
Through all the ups and downs of her
stormy history this aim has never been
lost sight Of, though at times it may have
seemed even to the most optimistic Serb Of
them all to be impossible to realize. Serbia
has been the rallying point for all her op-
pressed kindred. She has suffered for her
own race; she has fought for her own race;
but since the early days Of her history,
when every people lived by Imperialism and
national existence matter of "eat or
be eaten," she has shown no desire for
wars of conquest. Even in the matter of
rescning her fellow Slavs she has not indi-
ca any wish to annex them. Federation
IN one form or another has always been
her plan; and-this is a fact which is by
no means as generally realized as i. should
be-she has evinccd broad-minded and gen
erous readiness to bear, IL need be, the
lions share of the trouble and responsibility
without by any means asking the lions
share of the reward!
Agaih. against Bulgaria's notorious in
New-York tribune., 1918-11-03

cupation of the Peninsula showed pre-
cisely the same democratic spirit that un-
dcrlies their national life to-day. Stephane
Dushan, the grand ruler who established
the mediaval Serbian empire, compiled
code of laws (the celebrated Zakonik)
which for liberality was only equalle& at
that period by Magma Charta. The same diff
ferences in the character of the two peo-
pies persisted throughout the long period
of Turkish domination. While the Bugars
lay passive under rule which was always
tyrannical and often inhuman, the Serbs
were never reconciled to the loss of their
independence. The story Of the preserva-
tion of the spirit of liberty in Serbia
through five centuries Of Oriental rule is
one of the most inspiring and at the same
time one Of the most romantic things in the
story of the world. There is certainly
nothing in Bulgarian history to compare
with the perpetual efforts Of the Serbian
Haiduk chiefs for the protection of their
people. The tale Of the last hundred years
shows still the same tendencies. Serbia
won her freedom for herself, unaided-
Bulgaria waited till some one else would
take the necessary trouble for her. Ever
since the independence of both countries
has been achieved the contrast persists
The Serbian constitution approximates
more nearly to the true democratic ideal
than any other in the world, and Serbia
lives by her constitution. Theoretically,
Bulgaria, too, has constitutional govern
ment
In practice, ever since 1878, she has been
,lofp
and since his fall by Ferdinand of Coburg.
The mere fact that Ferdinand has at last
overreached himself and abdicated in panic
does not affect the fundamental character Of
the Bulgarian people. In tolerating his rule
so long they have only followed the way that
has always suited them best They may be
on the eve of change of heart, but, all
things considered, we can hardly be ex-
pected to believe in that until proofs are
forthcoming.
If we wish to insure government by the
people for the people in as large part Of
the world as it lies in our power to in
fuence, our course in the Balkans is plain:
to strengthen the hands Of those who al
ready practise the principles we ourselves
believe in, and to take away from those
who follow contrary methods all power to
enforce their views on any people outside
their own borders.
1t is not in the interest of future world
security to assign & position of any in
Ruence, in any part of the world, either to
a government which rules by autocratic
methods, or to a nation which, like the Bull
garian, readily allows itself to be so ruled.
Such nation is not only in danger Of
being cnticed by its leaders into ways Of
aggression, but 1t Is liable to be made use Of
by other autocratic powers for similar pur-
poses.
Bulgaria, moreover, has shown plainly
that while she does not care about ruling
herself, she wants to rule others, and her
imperialistc tendencies cannot be tolerated
In the world which we are fighting to build
UP on tho ashes Of the old.
u 10 Of no use for her to declare. as
New-York tribune., 1918-11-03

~ NV between friends ?"
" To the time honorcd po-
litcal question the equally
.;mc honored reply is, Nothing"
But to the body of a free people, whether
xritten or unwritten, the constitution is
no less important than certain vital organs
to the human organism, which function with
such mechanical PERFECTION that the indi-
yidual becomes aware of their existence
only when they become deranged and the
doctor is called in to diagnose the trouble
and alleviate the pain.
We, the American people, are conscious
d possessing Constitution because we
have been called upon to amend it more than
dozen times. But the lawyers are our
physicians. We are prone to avoid discuss
ing the fundamental law ourselves, and we
are distinctly afraid to tinker with it, or to
apply the old-fashioned remedies of common
sense and free discussion
Just now the Senate OF the United States
has shown mild interest in it's joint re-
spcnsibility with the President in making
treaties. Democratic Senators like Mr..
Gore and Mr.. Lewis are ready to abdicate
this right, to shirk this responsibility, not so
much for themselves as for their Republi-
can colleagues, and that small minority Of
Democrats in the Senate who sometimes
manifest an inclination to think indepen-
dertly and aloud.
w'aat Is the bar to giving Mr. Wilson this
ina sovereign authority?
fhe Constitution.
What prevents Colonel House from be-
ing pro-consul for Europe as we'll as the
Presidents trusted friend?
The Constitution
The present Administration has made US
all aware that our Constitution, poor old
thing, is quite inadequate FOR our present
necessities. We have outgrown it. 1t has
been in constant use for a longer period
than any other existing great powers con-
stitution. Fortunately, the Administration
has provided US with model setting forth
its own ideals of executive power and con-
stitutional guarantees of independent, if CO.
ordinate, share in government by the legis-
latiys and judicial branches. The Admins
tration is trying it out nrst in Hayti, and
may be ready with new draft, modified to
meet slightly different conditions on the
American mainland when the opportune mo-
ment arrives.
Hayti it may be recalled, was once q
French colony. One hundred and fifteen