838.51/2576: Telegram
The Minister in Haiti ( Armour ) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 25—1:40 a.m.]
137. Department’s telegram No. 79 of December 17, 2 p.m., my 136, December 21, 3 p.m. I have had a talk with the President who assures me that if the $400,000 credit is made available to the Government and they can begin work as hoped on the Artibonite project when Parliament reconvenes in April next he will resubmit the treaty with certain changes which can be discussed before that date and is confident that he will be able to secure its ratification.
He and Hibbert19 also desire Department’s approval of an advance of $200,000 from cash reserves for other public works, this amount together with $400,000 credit to be repaid from a loan of around $2,000,000 as proposed in the note of November 18 when market and improved credit conditions permit its negotiation. They state that this latter loan would only be negotiated after ratification of treaty and that Department’s approval of it would be used by Executive in forcing Legislature to act favorably on treaty. Foreign Minister has submitted a personal memorandum on their new proposal which I am forwarding by air mail.
I do not believe that the Government really expects that approval will be given to the request for a $200,000 advance from reserves for other public works before the ratification of an agreement respecting future financial administration. I believe that the Government will be satisfied with oral assurances from the Legation that a smaller sum will be made available to start building particularly in the Cayes district sometime before the Legislature convenes provided that a budget surplus appears probable at that time.
- Haitian Minister of Finance.↩