266 < 1 I'.A AND l'OKTO KICO 



States of the American Union, yet the constitution ex- 

 pressly provides that every foreigner can Income a citizen 

 by fulfilling the regulations established by law. 



As the origin of the republic, its language, its traditions, 

 the manners and social customs of its people, are essen- 

 tially French, so its laws and forms of legal procedure are 

 based on those of France. Indeed, as far as possible they 

 are an exact copy of those prevailing in France. The 

 Code Napoleon, which has so strong a foothold in all coun- 

 tries of Latin origin, is probably more closely followed in 

 Haiti than in any other of the American republics. The 

 legislative power rests in the National Assembly, divided 

 into two chambers, the Senate and House of Representa- 

 tives. The latter is elected for the term of three years 

 by the direct vote of all male citizens engaged in some oc- 

 cupation ; while the thirty-nine members of the Senate are 

 nominated for six years by the House of Representatives 

 from two lists presented by the executive and the elec- 

 toral colleges. The executive power is in the hands of a 

 president, who, according to the constitution, must be 

 elected by the people, but in recent years has generally 

 been chosen by the National Assembly, and in some in- 

 stances by the troops, and by delegates of parties acting 

 as representatives of the people. The nominal term of the 

 office of the president is seven years. The present presi- 

 dent of the republic is General Tiresias Simon Sam, elected 

 in 1896, who receives a salary of $22,800. 



The divisions of the country are, like those of France, 

 departments, arrondissements, and communes. The gen- 

 eral of the department and the general of the arrondisse- 

 ment are the officers to whom all powers are delegated, 

 although there are hosts of minor officials. These generals 

 are despotic, as a rule, and their dictum is law, as they are 

 seldom called to account for their actions by the superior 

 authority. 



There are five departments, twenty-three arrondisse- 

 ments, and sixty-seven communes. The chief department, 



