Abstract

A Study in Tropical Finance

There are few more striking eases of financial imperialism than that of the National Railway of Haiti. A concession for the construction of a railway between Cape Haitien in the north and Port an Prince in the south was obtained as far back as 1905, but this was used by the Philadelphia group which secured it for the purpose of fleecing investors in the U.S. rather than for the construction of any line. The American occupation of Haiti has performed some real services in building roads, reducing disease, collecting the revenues honestly, and in putting down robber bands. But this use of military power to force the Haitians to accept a contract conceived in sin and begotten in iniquity, the ultimate effect of which has been to give a large profit to American interests, cannot be excused.