Booker T. Washington, Builder o - African American History

Booker T. Washington, Builder of a Civilization. 227
this is not perfectly plain to the Haitians. It would have been worth while, in my
opinion, before attempting arbitrarily to force Haiti to sign the treaty put before
its officials, to have spent a little time and a little patience in informing the
Haitian people of the unselfish benevolence of our intentions. They, in time,
would have understood why it is necessary to intervene in their affairs.
"Another reason, in my opinion, why patience may be manifested in this matter
is that the treaty, even at the best, cannot be ratified by the United States Senate
until it meets in regular session in December, unless the President calls it in
special session earlier. "I confess that while I am unschooled in such matters,
since reading the treaty the Haitians have been told they must ratify, it seems to
me rather harsh and precipitate; one cannot be surprised that the Haitians have
hesitated to agree to all the conditions provided for in this treaty.
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No wonder they have hesitated when they have had so little time in which to
understand it, when the masses of the Haitian people know little or nothing of
what the treaty contemplates.
"The way matters are now going, there is likely to be bitterness and war. The
United States, in the end, will conquer, will control, will have its way, but it is
one thing to conquer a people through love, through unselfish interest in their
welfare, and another thing to conquer them through the bullet, through the
shotgun. Shooting civilization into the Haitians on their own soil will be an
amazing spectacle. Sending marines as diplomats and Mauser bullets as
messengers of destruction breed riot and anarchy, and are likely to leave a
legacy of age-long hatreds and regrets.
"I also hope the United States will not pursue a mere negative policy in Haiti,
that is, a policy of controlling the customs and what-not, without going further
in progressive, constructive directions. In a word, the United States now has an
opportunity to do a big piece of fine work for Haiti in the way of education,
something the island has never had. I hope some way will be provided by which
a portion of the revenues will be used in giving the people a thorough, up-todate
system of common school, agricultural, and industrial education. Here is an
excellent opportunity for some of the young colored men and women of the
United States who have been educated in the best methods of education in this
country to go to Haiti and help their fellows. Here is an opportunity for
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