HAITI AND ITS REGENERATION* BY THE UNITED STATES 



501 



Courtesy U. S. Marine Corps 

 HELPING THE HAITIAN TO HELP HIMSELF: AN AMERICAN MARINE OFFICER INSPECT- 

 ING A COMPANY OF THE HAITIAN GENDARMERIE 



As in the Philippines, the American-trained constabulary, recruited from the better type 

 of natives, has proved highly efficient in the maintenance of order. To assist in improving 

 the health of the Haitians and in the interest of modern sanitation, a corps of native trained 

 nurses has been developed by the American sanitary authorities. American physicians and 

 nurses have found the Haitian women apt pupils in the study of the profession of nursing. 

 In cooperation with local physicians, the Americans have also trained a number of native 

 men who are now filling acceptably positions as health and sanitary inspectors. 



certain families waxed rich and prosper- 

 ous. 



tragedy has stalked in the tracks of 

 Haiti's presidents 



Coalitions of such families would get 

 together, "elect" a president, rifle the 

 treasury, negotiate such foreign loans as 

 could be floated, and fill all public offices 

 with their supporters. Then their in- 

 terest in the government would cease and 

 a new coalition would be formed, which 

 in turn would propose some new "libera- 

 tor of the republic,'' hire caco bands, 

 start a revolution, kill or banish the 

 president at that time in office, and install 

 the new hero. Then the whole perform- 

 ance would start anew, practically all of 

 them coming to the same end. 



Of the twenty-five presidents who held 

 office in Haiti from the founding of the 

 republic to 1903, fifteen were driven out 



1 of office by revolutions, of whom thirteen 

 were banished to foreign lands, while two 

 were allowed to remain in Haiti to die, 

 which they did quite promptly. 



Three died violent deaths in office at 

 the hands of assassins. 



Three more died while in office from 

 cause or causes unexplained. 



One died of wounds received from 

 revolutionists and one. by committing sui- 

 cide, disappointed a successful rival, who 

 had planned to make his death a national 

 festival. 



One of the twenty-five, who must 

 have been a remarkable man. finished his 

 term and retired from office alive and 

 well, to live to a respectable age and die 

 in peace in his bed ! 



Thus the procession of presidents 

 passed. Every new president was hailed 

 as a savior and every ex-president exe- 

 crated as a monster — usuallv with too 



