ment decided to grant licenses to persons of Syrian origin who, residing in Haiti, had obtained another nationality before the law of 1903.

While we were occupying ourselves with the Syrian incident, the question of our frontier limits absorbed the attention of the Department. Desirous above all of establishing on a solid basis the relations between the two peoples that divided the sovereignty of the Island, the present Government manifested from the outset the intention of again taking up the negotiations which were going on at Washington, and that had been interrupted by circumstances. Therefore, it hastened to furnish our new representative in the United States, Mr. Solon Ménos, whom it would be superfluous here to praise, full special powers, and to confer on him the mission of bringing to a good ending the negotiations which had already lasted too long.

The tragical death of President, Cáceres happened to further delay the solution. As soon as this terrible news was confirmed, the President of the Republic hastened to cable his condolences to the Dominican people and to the widow of the unfortunate President. The election of Senator Eladio Victoria to the Presidency of the Dominican Republic and the sending to Washington of Mr. Peynado, the new Minister Plenipotentiary, permits us to hope that the examination of the frontier question will be immediately resumed.

In the meanwhile, it is our duty not to allow any attack on our rights. Therefore, we have occupied ourselves about reestablishing the statu quo before the Pedernales incident. And the Republic of Haiti has restricted itself to re- . organizing the Posts at Bois-Tombé, Tête-à-l'Eau, Bois d'Ormes which have never ceased to form a part of its territory.

While deploring the civil war which is flooding with blood the neighboring Republic, we must not hide from you the sacrifices which we are obliged to impose upon ourselves with a view of preventing any hostile act being committed on our territory against a friendly Government. And we hope that the Dominican Government will finally be convinced that we have neglected nothing to that end.

Besides, the Blue Book, which my Department will publish soon, will give an idea of what we have done to defend our rights as well as to preserve and strengthen the good relations with all the friendly Powers.

These relations we can give you the assurance have remained the most cordial. And it is with pleasure that we particularly thank the President of the United States for having, on the 1st of January last, kindly shown his sympathy for the Haitian people by the telegram that he sent on that day to the President of the Republic. There is in that a delicate attention which the recent visit of Mr. Knox renders still dearer. That visit, of which the country preserves the best remembrance, cannot fail in strengthening the friendly bonds which unite us to the great Northern Republic.

ABROGATION OF THE RIGHT OF SYRIANS TO TRADE IN HAITI. RIGHTS OF AMERICAN CITIZENS OF SYRIAN BIRTH.

File No. 838.111/34.

No. 977.]

The American Minister to the Secretary of State.

[Extract.]

AMERICAN LEGATION, Port au Prince, November 25, 1911. SIR: I have the honor to inform the Department that the Haitian Government has recommenced to attack the foreign merchants located in Haiti who sell at retail, which the law of October 24, 1876, prohibits.

During the Simon administration no effort was made to enforce the law which, in fact, has not been enforced for more than twenty years, though periodically former governments have attempted to do just what the present Government is endeavoring to do. Dur

ing the Nord Alexis administration attempts were so frequently made to enforce the law that, upon request, the Department sent various instructions thereon.

At the commencement the campaign seemed to be directed against Syrians, and the Legation was not interested in it. However, during the last two or three days various American citizens of Syrian origin have been molested and I have promptly taken up the matter with Secretary Léger and have informed him that Americans in business in Haiti, though of Syrian origin, must have the same treatment as any other nationals, and unless the law of 1876 is strictly enforced Americans who sell at retail must not be molested. The law of 1876 prohibits foreigners who are merchants in Haiti from selling except at wholesale and in amounts not less than Gds. 100., today about $23.00 gold. With the increasing poverty of the country this law has not been enforced until now there exist no stores in Haiti which comply with the letter of the law, nor few stores which do not sell at retail as we know it. In fact, practically all the important merchants sell in any quantity in accord with the purchasers' requests.

The stores here run by Americans are for the most part a credit to us. They are large dealers in American products. The fact that most of the proprietors are of Syrian origin is of no importance as they all are registered as citizens of the United States in our consulates by order of the Department. The law of 1903 against the further introduction of Syrians has nothing to do with the prevention of Americans of Syrian origin from enjoying the same rights as might be enjoyed by a native born American.

In presenting the cases of the American merchants to Secretary Léger, while I have been courteous, I have nevertheless been firm in stating that I would insist that American merchants have the same treatment as French or German ones without reference to parentage or racial affiliation, and I have been promised that the matter will be regulated to my satisfaction.

I have [etc.]

File No. 838.111/41.

No. 989.]

H. W. FURNISS.

The American Minister to the Secretary of State.

[Extract.]

AMERICAN LEGATION,

Port au Prince, December 19, 1911.

SIR: In further reference to my No. 977 of November 25, 1911, I have to say that the assurances given me by Secretary Léger as reported therein have not been realized. Instead there has grown out of the affair a very serious condition which necessitates the prompt attention of the Department.

Complaints of citizens of the United States of Syrian origin were so numerous, both by personal visits to the Legation and by telegrams from the more remote places, as to necessitate frequent visits to the Haitian Foreign Office to adjust matters. In some instances Americans were cited to appear at court to stand trial for selling at retail, in other cases armed guards were placed before stores and

those entering to make purchases were arrested, and in still other cases our merchants were fined and sentenced to prison, but happily these judgments were not executed. As soon as I had arranged for the abatement of one kind of prosecution another kind was initiated and I was kept quite busy arranging affairs.

In every case I insisted that Americans be accorded the same treatment as the most favored of other nations. As Germans, French and others were selling at retail I insisted upon like privileges for my nationals. It was evident, however, that the campaign was being directed against only those of supposed Syrian origin.

On the 9th instant I called at the Department of Foreign Relations to inform Secretary Léger that the branch store at Gonaives of Messrs. Zrike and Company, American, of this city had been closed by the local government of that place and the custom_house at Gonaives had refused to permit it to withdraw perishable merchandise. Secretary Léger said he would at once telegraph the officials at Gonaives to remove the restrictions. In the conversation which followed I stated that the campaign against foreigners selling by retail was very detrimental to the good name of Haiti and the annoyances to which the Americans had been subjected was very vexatious and caused an immense amount of unnecessary work for this Legation; that as he acknowledged it was impossible to force universal compliance with the law of 1876, in fact from the standpoint of the masses it was not desirable to do so, I hoped that the campaign would soon end, but that until it did end I could stand for no discrimination against Americans.

Secretary Léger stated that the Government had decided to stop further prosecutions and that an effort would be made in the coming Congress to modify the law so as to make it less onerous, if enforced.

I told Secretary Léger that I had heard the Government intended to refuse the licenses of those of Syrian birth. I reminded him of our naturalization law with which he is acquainted and of which he said he has copies. I stated that the fact that a man had been born Syrian was not taken into account by the Legation, neither was the fact that a man obtained his citizenship by naturalization of any importance; that all citizens of the United States were equal and when their citizenship was certified by our consulate the Legation must protect them. I stated that there are a number of Americans in business in Haiti and I would have to oppose the Haitian Government if an attempt be made to force them out of business solely because it is thought they were Syrian born.

In further conversation Secretary Léger also said that it was his recollection that when he was Haitian Minister at Washington he had an understanding with the State Department, after the passage of the Syrian exclusion act of 1903, whereby the Department agreed to admit the right of the Haitian Government to exclude even Syrians naturalized Americans. He thought I would find this in my archives. I stated that I had recently read everything from the Department subsequent to 1903 and had not noted it and I felt sure that the Department would not consent to discrimination as to birth of those who are now full fledged citizens.

I had arranged to call on President Leconte on the 11th for an informal talk. Before leaving the Legation the official gazette, "Le

Moniteur," was handed me and I noted that it contained a long list of those who have been refused licenses and who must liquidate their business within an appointed time. I enclose here wtih copies of the same. From this it is noted that there are included numerous American firms scattered over Haiti.

I stated to the President that this Legation had nothing to say as to Syrians, but that I should have to insist that all Americans in Haiti be given the same chance as is given to other favored nations. The President seemed to be impressed and said any objection to the denial of license would be considered by the Cabinet if addressed through the Department of Foreign Relations.

At the request of the British representative I, as Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, called a meeting on the 15th instant to consider what action, if any, should be taken relative to the refusal of licenses to our nationals. At the meeting the sentiment was strong against the attitude of the Haitian Government.

The other diplomatic representatives were very desirous of knowing what would be the attitude of this Legation on the different points. I explained that as no emergency existed, after full presentation of the case, I would await instructions before taking any decisive action. It was suggested that a joint note be sent to the Haitian Government. I stated it would be impossible to take part in a joint note without the consent of my Government, but that I was willing to send an identic note if such could be agreed upon. My suggestions as to the matter of the note were accepted, as was also the suggestion that the French and Dominican Ministers should draft the note for presentation at a subsequent meeting of the Corps which was set for the 18th instant.

On the 18th the Diplomatic Corps met and considered the note as presented and with a few alterations the note was accepted. The German, French, British, Dominican and Cuban representatives used the French text, copy of which is enclosed, while I used the English text, copy of which is also enclosed.

The only question of doubt in my mind is as to the status of such Americans of Syrian origin as may have been naturalized subsequent to 1903 and have come here. Relative to such I request instructions. It would appear to me that once we recognize a person as a full fledged American citizen he should have all the rights as such.

I am also desirous of knowing if the Department came to any understanding with Mr. Leger when he was Haitjan Minister at Washington, whereby the Department consented to the exclusion of Americans of Syrian origin arriving in Haiti subsequent to the act of 1903, whether naturalized Americans prior or subsequent thereto. I have [etc.]

H. W. FURNISS.

[Inclosure.]

The American Minister to the Secretary of Foreign Relations.

AMERICAN LEGATION,

Port au Prince, December 18, 1911.

SIR: There was published in the official gazette “Le Moniteur" of the 9th of this month a notice from the Secretaries of State for Finance, Commerce and

1 Not printed.

Interior, making known to the persons named therein that the renewing of licenses requested by them for the fiscal year 1911-1912 have not been accorded them and enjoining these consignee-merchants to liquidate their commercial interests in Haiti as soon as possible within the time fixed.

This extreme measure is brought about by a series of acts for sometime successively undertaken by the municipal authorities against a certain category of foreigners, systematically done with the object of excluding them from exercising commerce in Haiti.

Such a decision, as severe as unexpected, creates for the American citizens to whom it applies a disastrous situation; it is of a nature to cause the ruin of a certain number of my nationals who are established in the country and have exercised therein for a long time, more or less, their profession, under the protection and with the assent of the Haitian Government; it is at the time causing much apprehension as to the interests of third parties, other nationals, who are supplying them with merchandise. Your excellency will permit me finally to observe that such an exclusion, if it is put in practice, will not conform to the spirit of justice and equity, neither to international treaties and usages which tend more and more to facilitate on the basis of an amicable reciprocity the commercial relations between people.

For these reasons and considerations and in view of the legitimate support of its nationals, it also becomes necessary for this Legation to render an account of this affair to the American Government, and I am obliged to request from your excellency the reasons for which the Haitian Government has decided upon the suppression of the commercial establishments of the Americans referred to above. Your excellency's attention is called to the matter in question and this Legation desires to point out to the Haitian Government the propriety of not maintaining the decision referred to and permit those interested to enjoy conditions which have existed up to the present, all of which will contribute to maintain the good relations so happily prevailing between our two countries. Please accept [etc.]

H. W. FURNISS.

File No. 838.111/50.]

No. 1012.]

The American Minister to the Secretary of State.

AMERICAN LEGATION, Port au Prince, January 16, 1912.

SIR: In reference to my No. 989 of December 19, 1911, I have the honor to enclose herewith copies of further correspondence with the Haitian Government relative to the refusal of licenses to certain American firms.

There is also enclosed copy and translation of a note on the same subject which, under date of January 3, 1912, was sent to the Haitian Government by the representatives of Great Britain, France, Cuba, Santo Domingo, Austria and Italy.

I delayed sending my note until the 8th in the hopes that the mail from the States arriving on the 7th would bring me definite instructions from the Department.

I have [etc.]

H. W. FURNISS.

[Inclosure 1.-Translation.]

The Haitian Minister for Foreign Affairs to the American Minister.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

Port au Prince, December 26, 1911.

MR. MINISTER: I have had the honor to receive the note of December 18 current by which you advise me of the notice inserted in the "Moniteur" of the 9th of this month, relative to certain merchants who, being refused licenses,