Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/1089

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HAITI.

(Rl^PUBLIQUE d'HAITI.)

Constitution and Government.

The Republic of Haiti, formerly a French colony, was proclaimed indepen dent January 1, 1804, and is now governed under a Constitution of October 9, 1889. The legislative power is vested in a Chamber of the Communes of 99 members (1 for each Commune) chosen for 3 years by direct popular vote, and in a Senate of 39 members chosen for 6 years (renewed to the extent of one- third every 2 years) by the Chamber of the Communes from a list made out partly by the President and partly by the electors. The President is elected for? years by the two Chambers in joint session. Members of both houses are paid by the month during session, (representatives 300 dollnrs, and senators 150 dollars).

President of the Republic. — General Tancrede Auguste ; elected August 8, 1912.

The administration of the Republic is carried on, under the President by six heads of departments. The President receives a salary of 4,800Z.

Area and Population.

The area of the Republic, which embraces the western portion of the island of Haiti — the larger but less ])opulated eastern division forming the Republic of Santo Domingo — is estimated at 10,204 English square miles. The inhabitants were estimated to number 960,000 in 1887 ; the ecclesiastical estimate, based on parish registers, in 1909 put the number at 2,029,700. The majority of them are negroes ; there are also great numbers of Mulatto Haytians, the descendants of the former French settlers. There are about 5,000 foreigners of whom about 10 per cent, are white. Capital . Port-au- Prince, with 100,000 inhabitants, situated on a large bay, and possessed of an excellent harbour. Cape Haiti has a population of about 30,000; Les Cayes about 12,000 ; Gonaives, 13,000 ; Port de Paix, 10,000. The language of the country is French, though most of the common people speak a debased dialect known as Creole French.

Religion and Instruction.

The religion is Roman Catholicism. There is an archbishop with 4 suffragan bishops. Public elementary education is free, the country being divided into 15 inspectors' districts. The sum allotted for public instruction amounts to nearly 1,000,000 dollars annually, but the educational system is still very imperfect, especially in rural districts. In 1910 education was made compulsory. There are 400 national schools, besides private schools, and 5 public lyceeb. The Deutscher 8chulverein of Hamburg opened a school here in April, 1912.

Finance.

The revenue of Haiti is derived almost exclusively from customs, paid in American gold on exports and imports. The largest portion of the expen-