more time in making known to the
Haitians the purposes we have in mind in taking over the control of
their custom houses and their governmental affairs. While everything
that we intend to do, and have in mind to do, is perfectly plain to
the officials of the United States, we must remember that all 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. 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