François C. Antoine Simon
Encyclopedia
François C. Antoine Simon (aka Antoine Simon) (1844 - 1923) was President of Haiti
from 6 December 1908 to 3 August 1911. He led a rebellion against Pierre Nord Alexis
and succeeded him as president.
, Haiti. He was originally from the town of Savane near Les Cayes and initially worked as a municipal police officer before joining the army as an officer.
In 1883 he was appointed commander of the troops in the Southern Department, a post he held until 1908. During his military career, he was promoted to colonel in 1887. Between 1896 and 1902, we was aide-de-camp of the President Tiresias Simon-Sam and was later promoted to general. It was as a general that he led a military revolt against President Pierre Nord Alexis.
One of his first policy decisions was to an appeasement policy allowing exiled Haitians to return. This set the stage for some stability during the early years of his mandate. President Simon strove constantly to improve agricultural production. He also had the intention of building a nationwide railway network. To accomplish this required several contracts with American companies including the so-called "MacDonald Contract" - a contract to build a railway line between Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien. Embedded in these negotiations was the cultivation and export of sugar and bananas by HASCO
. However, these contracts were poorly prepared leading to criticism from intellectuals and politicians alike. On the other hand, these contracts led directly to the paving of streets and electrification of Port-au-Prince. As a result of the modern roads, there was an increase in the presence of cars in Haiti.
To satisfy American banana plantations, Haitian companies were taxed resulting in unrest by small landowners who ultimately paid the price. Small farmers in the north (Cacos) then began to revolt in June 1911. General Cincinnatus Leconte, a former Minster of Public Works and Agriculture under Simon Sam took advantage of the situation to lead a coup d'état against Simon.
Leconte's initial campaign failed, but a subsequent attempt in August 1911 succeeded to capture Port-au-Prince. Simon was ousted from power by supporters of Cincinnatus Leconte
, who was his successor as President. Simon went into exile for several years, but returned to Haiti where he died in Les Cayes.
President of Haiti
The President of the Republic of Haiti is the head of state of Haiti. Executive power in Haiti is divided between the president and the government headed by the Prime Minister of Haiti...
from 6 December 1908 to 3 August 1911. He led a rebellion against Pierre Nord Alexis
Pierre Nord Alexis
Pierre Nord Alexis was President of Haiti from December 21, 1902 to December 2, 1908. He was son of Nord Alexis, a high-ranking official in the regime of Henry Christophe, and Blézine Georges, Christophe's illegitimate daughter. Alexis joined the army in the 1830s, serving President Jean-Louis...
and succeeded him as president.
Biography
Francois C. Antoine Simon was born October 10th, 1843 in Les Cayes and died either January 10th or March 10th, 1923 in Les CayesLes Cayes
Les Cayes , is a town and seaport in southwestern Haiti, with a population of approximately 45,904 people . Estimates from 2008 place the population at close to 70,000 people...
, Haiti. He was originally from the town of Savane near Les Cayes and initially worked as a municipal police officer before joining the army as an officer.
In 1883 he was appointed commander of the troops in the Southern Department, a post he held until 1908. During his military career, he was promoted to colonel in 1887. Between 1896 and 1902, we was aide-de-camp of the President Tiresias Simon-Sam and was later promoted to general. It was as a general that he led a military revolt against President Pierre Nord Alexis.
Presidency 1908-1911
On the 6th of December, 1908, he was appointed successor to President Alexis. Although he had little formal education himself, he assembled an advisory group consisting of influential men. On December 19th, 1908 he announced his six-member cabinet and took the oath of office before Senator Paulin , .One of his first policy decisions was to an appeasement policy allowing exiled Haitians to return. This set the stage for some stability during the early years of his mandate. President Simon strove constantly to improve agricultural production. He also had the intention of building a nationwide railway network. To accomplish this required several contracts with American companies including the so-called "MacDonald Contract" - a contract to build a railway line between Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien. Embedded in these negotiations was the cultivation and export of sugar and bananas by HASCO
Haitian American Sugar Company
Haitian American Sugar Company, S.A. was an American business venture which sought to produce and sell sugar and other goods in Haiti and the United States. The company was registered with a capital of five million dollars on 5 August 1912 in Wilmington, Delaware, by Charles Steinheim, John A...
. However, these contracts were poorly prepared leading to criticism from intellectuals and politicians alike. On the other hand, these contracts led directly to the paving of streets and electrification of Port-au-Prince. As a result of the modern roads, there was an increase in the presence of cars in Haiti.
To satisfy American banana plantations, Haitian companies were taxed resulting in unrest by small landowners who ultimately paid the price. Small farmers in the north (Cacos) then began to revolt in June 1911. General Cincinnatus Leconte, a former Minster of Public Works and Agriculture under Simon Sam took advantage of the situation to lead a coup d'état against Simon.
Leconte's initial campaign failed, but a subsequent attempt in August 1911 succeeded to capture Port-au-Prince. Simon was ousted from power by supporters of Cincinnatus Leconte
Cincinnatus Leconte
Jean-Jacques Dessalines Michel Cincinnatus Leconte was President of Haiti from August 15, 1911 until his death on August 8, 1912. He was a great-grandson of Jean-Jacques Dessalines—a former African slave who briefly held power as Emperor of Haiti—and an uncle of Joseph Laroche, the only black...
, who was his successor as President. Simon went into exile for several years, but returned to Haiti where he died in Les Cayes.
Family
President Simon's daughter, Celestina, was a voodoo priestess who famously married and divorced her sacred goat.Weblinks
- Biography in rulers.org
- Haitian Presidents
- Chapter XXIX, Haiti History Chapters, in: Haitiwebs.com
- Biography in Haitianmedia
- Fearon, James D./ Laitin, David D.: "Haiti", Stanford University, 2006 (PDF-Datei; 259 kB)
- "Decades Of Instability, 1843-1915", Library Of Congress, 1989
- World History: Haiti 1859-1915