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National Geographic : 1920 Dec
Contents
501 HAITI AND ITS REGENERATION BY THE UNITED STATES 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 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-usually with too
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