24 June 1918 to 1919 · Haitianspan
Dartiguenave sets Borno on the Americans and loses the treasury
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The 1918 constitution had removed Dartiguenave's domestic opponents, which left him free to fight the Americans. The cabinet he named on 24 June 1918 gave Finance and Foreign Affairs to Louis Borno, Public Works to Eugène Roy and Education to Dantès Bellegarde. Borno was the weapon, and money was the ground he chose. Haitians held almost none of their own revenue. American advisers were certain that any revenue Haitians did hold would be stolen. Both readings had evidence behind them. Since 1916 the treaty officials had taken the power to hire and fire customs staff, to collect internal revenue, to write the budget and to control what both governments spent. In August 1918 the American minister added a rule that any bill touching treaty matters be shown to him first. In October the adviser Ruan demanded a law barring Borno from approving a voucher without his visa. The Council refused and rejected the budget. On 13 November Colonel Russell ordered the Banque to release nothing without his signature. Borno resigned on 24 November.
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