The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1865-08-02
Emane;nation il the west Indies.

Emancipation in the West Indies.
Few examine the results Of emancipation, while
many in general jubilee of rejoicing, look to as
grazd philanthropic measure TO command the appro-
baton of the world Yet the experiment has been
tried and the results are anything but of gratu
ation or rejoicing.
There are now in the West India Islands $50 600
souare miles of the productive land in the most
salubrious climate in the world, lying fallow, desert
waste in consequence of this Of emancipation
The freed negro basks in dleness and degradation in
land Of Towering beauty and frutulness comparable
to the garden of first parents. Broad ports, III
which navies might ride, deserted and empty.
Beautiful fields over which abundant sugar cane foated
in plentiful laVishness, grown rank with weeds
The coffee plantations deserted and the precious
bean grows wild in the places where it cult
waited. On every side there is the mark of ruin and
desoation The wild grains are signs of past pros
perity; the degraded negro the successor of the enter
prisng and vigorous white. This is extent of ter
rory equal to Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi Cuba
takes off 40 200 square miles and Cuba, where slavery
still exists s prosperous. With other deductions there
will remain $4,000 square miles almost, if not entirely,
uncultivated.
In 1894, when emancipation took place. a brilliant
career Of prosperity was foretold. Let see what
have been the actual results.
In 1900 the West Indies exported II o00, 900 lbs.
Of cotton and the United States ii 789, 500 lbs They
we're at this time it will be seem nearly equally pro-
ductive.
Let uF however, examine one island, Hayti, where
the results Of emancipation best seen. This island
is 406 miles in length, with maximum width OF los.
The number of square miles 81 $50 of which 10 09l
are comprised in the HaYtien negro republic and
the balance In the Dominican. It's population
estimated at from $50 900 $50 900. Its climate and
soil is incompatible The earth abounds in jewels in
precious minerals. Gold silver copper, iron tin sui
phur, rocksalt, jasper, marble are found
The islands sit like jewels in golden The tall
and nalr, lie frinued DlHins of
Verdure starred With rare flowers. The spreading ma
hogany lays ts darks shadows velvet grass that
bounds the borders of fair, bright rivers Birds with
rare brilliant plumaEe, fash Ike beams OF light among
the scented foliage. Broad, fertile lagoons shine
among the groves Of orange ctron and coffee, and
every hill and promontory is rounded into graceful
outline of beauty To describe the scenery to
be revelIing in descriptions of poetry and romance
Plantans bananas, yains mangroves, miet, oranges
maize pine-apples, melons, grapes grow in Wild IN
cultivated abundance Cultivation produces coffee,
cocoa, sugar, indigo, cotton and tobacco.
In 1890, Hayti supplied half of Europe with sugar.
It was French colony, with population of 100000,
OF which $50 we're whites and 28 $40 free negroes
The remainder we're slaves Under the fever of the
French revolution spirit similar to that our country
now feels the doctrine of liberty and fraternity
applied to the colony.
In 1898 HAITI was freed. There have been seventy
years Of experience with the most disastrous results
If the negro has any capacity for free government 1t
ought to be shown in Hayti
Let US make statistical comparison and the re-
suits. In 1890 the value of the exports we're S27,
828, ooo, the principal productions being follows:
Sugar-lbs ..................l63,4 05, 22o
Cohec-ios .....-.........-,. be,Io4il So
Cotton--lbs. ....,............ 6,206,126
Indigo-lbs... s50,0l6
Let rs take view nearly forty years after when this
was to yield such splendid return to
world In 1926 the figures stood thus
Sngsr-lbs, .....,............ 1885,
Cofee-lbs. ...............,..s2 IS, 1S9,7S4
Cotton--lbs. Communications. 620972
Indlgo-lbs... ................. None.
At this day there is no sugar exported; coffee and
ogBood being the only exports The coffee is gath
cred wild from the mountains and the abandoned |
French plantations all that is required be done ie
o cut down the tree and carry it to market The |
cultivation has ceased. The statistics of 1s49 the
attest published, are Of expectations:
S0ear-lbs Observation-Disclosures. None.
Coffee, Observation-Disclosures. 30,6o8,343
ssG5gg tt 6qPn summit n II, 644,6l6
xports Of Hayti at 1853, OO0 and Mr. Sumner is IN
bolitionst. III 1890, the exports $27 1925 900.
Vas such spectacle of decay witnessed before?
Iayti, which serenity years before supplied half
europe with sugar, is now supplied from the United
;tates, or rather before the war
Let US now turn to Jamaica. 1t IS about $50 miles
ong, by 30 in width. Its area is about 81 900 square
niles. The last census was taken in 1874 when the
population stood as follows: Whites, 1879; negroes
99, Is; Tnuattoes, 69, 629 The white population is
lying out through the blood of the negro.
The negroes freed in 1888 to servo Eve years
apprenticeship. The planters paid $4,000, 600
or the loss of ecrvice.
Tho value of exports published in Harper &
irothers' Cyclopmdia Of Commerce. before aud since
is as follows:
BEFORE EMANCIPATION.
Years Value of Exports.
1909 G3, 033 234