New-York daily tribune., 1865-10-28
A DILEMMA.


willNll error is ever tortuous in it, ways, and
inconsistent with itself. Some time ago, The
World, in combating an assertion made by us,
that in the British West Indies every one OF the
freedmen has all the rights Of white Briton,
contended that in Jamaica the Blacks are p-ac-
:cally excluded from the elective franchise.
And how did he reach this conclusion! Ont of
population Of $500 there were only 5000
voters in 1854 and of these, he says, probably
less than one per cent. were freedmen. we
happen to know better. The Registry returns
Of voters for many years past show mneh
larger proportion Of Black voters than that here
assumed. But let this pass as aside from our
present purpose. The Worids argument is, that
as in tho interests of society, Jamaica legislation
has practically denied the franchise to the freed
men. We in America ought to follow this exam
pie, and take the same precaution with regard to
the Southern Statos. Bat, only few days
after Tie World had published the figures just
given, il comes ont with an article to prove
that Jamaica has been ruined, as it alleges,
because the control OF society there has been
given up to the negroes though investing them
with political power. This is blowing hot
and cold, with vengeance. One day, we are
told that o. measure of security, the
Whites in Jamaica have practically ex-
cluded the Blacks from the franchise.
On the next, we are gravely informed that
society in that island has been disorgani5ed,
and every industrial interest utterly overthrown
and destroyed, because the negroes have been
allowed TO get the control Of the affairs OF the
COLONY! Which Of these assertons-both made
on the same high authority, and with equal
confdence-are we to credit The truth is,
that the decline of Jamaica's prosperity. as a
snfaf.producing country, is owing to causes
altogether independent of tho political and
socinl changes which have taken place IN that
island during the last thirty years-snd we
showed this clearly enough, we think, only a
few days ago. The Blacks there enjoy the
privilege of voting; but their enfranchi,ement
has, from one cause or another, had but little
apprecable effect upon the course OF local
legislation. This, however. may truly be said
Of them: that they have not attempted to use
the franchise for the Acknowledgement Of their
own class at the expense Of other classes. but
have exercised il on the ground OF the fitness OF
candidates. without reference to distinctions Of
color. 1t is true that the conditions legally
required for the exercise of the franchise press
rather hard upon them, (though it must be said
that those conditions are in accordance with
the English policy with regard to suffrnge);
but their conduct hitherto has proved that they
may be safely trusted with their fair share of
political power. At any rate, if Jamaica is
, ruined, its ruin is not attributable to their
political eufranchisement-aud in that The
World is right.
But The Uorid's figures are unfortunate lor
his argument. To illustrate the decadence Of
Jamaica, he quotes the importations into En-
gland Of the principal products Of the colony In
the year 1855, and shows that, as compared with
lrl7, there was an enormous falling off. IL
would have been iairer, we think, to have given
the total exports from Jamaica, instead of only
he importatiOns into England, seeing that Ja-
maica exports produce to other countries beside
England-to the United States and tho British
North American Provinces, for example. But,
allowing The Horld the full bere:it of the figures
he has quoted, just rs he has put them forward,
we contend that, for the purpose he would make
them serve, they are worth nothing. Such sta.
tistics to be OF any use AZ argument in the WAY
they are here employed, ought to make it clear
beyond doubt or dispute, that the decline of
Jamaloas prosperity commenced with emanc-
patton and the granting OF political equality to
her freedmen. But this is impossible. On the
contrary, it is matter of history, as we showed
only few days ago, shat that islands
dccadence, az an exporting country, commenced
long prior to emancipation and had been
steadily going on, decade by decade, from the
year 1907. when the African Slave Trade to the
English colonies was abolished by Act of Parlia.
ment, down TO the year lo3S. when Slavery
itself was brought to an end in those colonies.
1t is unnecessary for Us to travel over the
ground again; but, in order TO show how utterly
worthless is The Worlds reasoning in this
matter, we shall just compare here the exports
OF the three principal staples-Sugar, Rum and
Coiiee-fsom Jamaica for 1917. with those for
1857, one year before emancipation took place.
In 1917, Jamaica exported 1884, tuns of sugar,
and in 1897, 81 500 t,lns--a difference OF ~, 26l
tuns or falling of OF over 50 per cent. In
1917, she exported 4s,776 puncheons Of Rum;
"A. am