Mr. Terres to Mr.
Hay.
Legation of the United States,
Port au Prince, March 7,
1904.
No. 1382.]Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith a
protest handed in to this legation by Mr. George Schwedersky, an
American citizen largely interested in business in Haiti, with the
request that same be forwarded to the Department of State at
Washington.
I called on the minister for foreign affairs with Mr. A. Battiste for the
purpose of finding out the reason why the patent was refused.
[Page 385]
He seemed not to know the
cause for the refusal but promised to furnish me with the information,
which has not been done up to this date. This shows a very alarming
situation for Americans doing business in Haiti, and unless some means
are taken to stop same will result in their utter ruin.
I am, etc.,
[Inclosure 1.]
Mr. Schwedersky
to Mr. Powell.
Port au Prince, March 2, 1904.
Sir: I wish to bring to your notice the
inclosed letter received this day from the Haitian minister of
finances, and desire that you forward the same to the Department of
State at Washington for their serious and immediate
consideration.
I am one of the principal partners of the old and honorable standing
firm J. Dejardin Th. Luders & Co., of this city. The firm of
Dejardin has been existing here since the year 1830. I have been
connected with the firm as partner since the past eleven years.
Yearly the foreign houses doing business in Haiti apply for a patent
to conduct their business, which patent is granted by the President
of the Republic. As customary, when called upon by the mayor of the
city last October, we paid over to him the amount of taxes for the
patent for the ensuing year, as well as in November to the
Government the amount of the new license tax, established by the law
of 13th August, 1903, and made the customary demand by letter for
the patent. Not receiving it during the month of January, I wrote
again requesting that the patent be granted. As none of the foreign
houses had received theirs I concluded, as others, that it was mere
neglect on their part, as has been often the case in former years.
To my great astonishment I received the letter mentioned.
The firm has large investments in Haiti, we do a large banking
business, are also heavily interested In a city tramway and a
railroad extended to the plains, which has only recently been
completed. We are also heavy investors in a tobacco plantation and a
cigar manufactory, besides being large owners of Haitian securities,
upon which they have lately placed a repudiating tax, which is
entirely contrary to their binding contract to pay in full for
same.
This letter, as you will see, states that a reasonable delay will be
given to liquidate our business. There is no possible plausible
reason to be given for the highhanded, arbitrary demand on our firm,
and it would be utterly impossible to comply with this unwarrantable
demand without being very heavy losers in all the enterprises in
which we are engaged, and besides we would surely lose our entire
outstanding debts, which are very heavy, if we are forcibly thrown
into liquidation by this highhanded proceeding of the Haitian
Government, especially as a firm which is not in possession of its
patent can not carry on any lawsuit.
As an American citizen I most earnestly protest against the arbitrary
right of the Haitian Government to impose any such ruinous demands
upon the firm in which I am engaged, and I most earnestly request of
the United States Government to take such action in the premises
that will secure to me my rights and to avoid my being a heavy loser
if this decree is allowed to be put in force.
Yours, respectfully,
[Subinclosure.]
Mr. Biyou to
Messrs. J. Dejardin Th. Luders &
Co.
Port au Prince, February 29, 1904.
Gentlemen: I acknowledge receipt of your
two letters of 26th November, 1903, and 3d of this month, the latter
confirming the former, by which you
[Page 386]
request me to obtain from His Excellency the
President of the Republic a license for you as consignee merchants.
Your demand was accompanied by the voucher of the bank, establishing
the payment of the license tax, amounting to the sum of $150.
I hasten to announce to you that His Excellency the President of the
Republic by his dispatch, of the 27th of this month, has informed me
that he has decided not to grant your demand of license, has left to
me the care, in notifying you of this decision, to reimburse the tax
paid to the treasury, and to accord you a convenient delay to
liquidate your commercial affairs.
In consequence I hold at your disposal the 150 gourdes, which will be
paid over to you by the paymaster of the department against receipt
in duplicate.
As for the delay which is granted to you, my colleague of the
department of the interior will notify you of same, this question
being for his determination.
Receive, etc.,
[Inclosure 2.]
Mr. Schwedersky
to Mr. Powell.
Port au Prince, March 3, 1904.
Sir: Referring to my letter of protest of
the 2d instant, I beg to add to same that I have omitted to state
that, besides the interests mentioned and owned by my firm, I am
personally largely interested in important mining concessions
obtained from the Platien Government, for the exploration of the
mining concessions considerable money has been expended.
Yours, respectfully,
