HAITI
ITS DAWN OF PROGRESS AFTER
YEARS IN A NIGHT OF REVOLUTION
J. DRYDEN KUSER
BOSTON
RICHARD G. BADGER
THE GORHAM PRESS
Copyright, 1921, by J. Dryden Kuser
All Rights Reserved
Made in the United States of America
The Gorham Press, Boston, U. S. A.
TO MY WIFE
BROOKE RUSSELL KUSER
THE SOURCE OF MY ORIGINAL INTEREST IN HAITI
AND A NEVER-TIRING AID IN THE PRESENT WORK.
INTRODUCTION
Haiti is a country of rapidly changing conditions.Like others, emerging from revolutionand disorder to peace and the pursuits ofpeace, it finds its possibilities unlimited.Furthermore, under the Haitian-Americantreaty, part of the government is being runby the Haitians themselves in the three departments:executive, legislative and judicial; anda portion is controlled by the United States,including the military. In such a two-partycontrol, there is naturally friction and thiscauses frequent and changing disagreements.
Whereas in January, 1920, the bandittrouble was serious, I have just found, duringa brief November trip, that this has ceased tobe an active danger. In its place there hasarisen, not a military worry, but a political one.[2]Haitian agitators, supported by ill-advisedAmericans, have spread propaganda favoringthe withdrawal of the United States fromHaiti. Included in this propaganda have beenthe absurd accusations against the marines ofcruelty toward the natives.
The question of any cruelty or unnecessarykillings has been conclusively disproven by thefindings of a Court of Inquiry sent to Haiti,and which has recently published its findings.As to the withdrawal of the United Statesfrom Haiti—such a course would be a menaceto the world and a sad neglect of duty by theUnited States. Any American acquaintedwith Haitian conditions will agree that themarines would scarcely have boarded theAmerican ships before the entire countrywould be in a state of civil war, the lives andproperty of foreigners endangered, and thepossibility of Haiti paying off her foreign debtwould be lost.
As opposed to this prospect of revolution,we have a bright future for Haiti, if the UnitedStates remains. The country is naturally richin its products and its soil, and labor is able towork for cheaper wages than elsewhere. Thisis a great incentive for American business toinvest its capital, which means that the countrywill rapidly become rich again—as it once wasin the French days. But unlike conditions inthose days, the Haitian himself will share inthe future development and wealth.
J. Dryden Kuser.
Bernardsville, New Jersey.