New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-05-01

less remarkable for extravaganza and for Z
supreme Indifference to all measures of a progressive
character theIe IS no end OF saaried officers in
these colonies, most of whom are paid very large
salaries for doing little or nothing The Governor
OF the Island OF Jamaica gets a larger salary by
$G2 gold than the President Of the United States
and the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of the little island of
1obago with population of only 1900, gets sal
airy tree times as large ms that paid the Governor OF
the Empire State of this great Republic
The government of the French colonies is vested
IN aGoyeInor, assisted by prvy council, and in q
colonial council the members of which are elected
by me people, The government of the Dutch pos
sessions Is conducted by stakeholder, assisted Ivy
civil and military council and the small Danish and
Swedish colonies are ruled by Germans with the aid
OF councils, selected by themselves. None Of these
head.
The republican form of government prevails in
Hayu. IeTritoTally this island still preserves the
DIVISION that existed in its colonial days There Is
Spanish part and French part-the former, embrac-
ing twO-thirds of the island, long known as Santo
domingo, and the latter, comprising the remaining
ihlrd bearing the original Indian name of the whole
lsland-Hayt The history of the Island of layti dl-
Vdes itself intOwO periods the first being the period
when France and Spain held the island between
them, and the second that extending from the time
when the colored people conquered their indePend-
ence to the present day. The defeat Of their Euro
pean masters by the negroes of Haytl was immedl-
ately followed by the establishment of a republican
form of government in the island and although
attempts have been made by two or three ambitious
Iiaytlan rulers to substitute monarchy for
rs the most notable, instance being the mock
empire of the famous Faustn SOulOuque-that form
exists ut the present day in each division In both
of these republics the Government consists OF
President, n Senate, and Legislative Assembly. In
Santo Domingo the Presidential Office is life office
and it was the same in Hayt till the revolution Of
1863, mt which period a new Constitution was
adopted by popular vote. framed strictly on the
model of that of the United States. and limiting the
Presidency to four years. At present Baez quad
room, is the President of Santo Domingo, and Sal
nave mulatto, is the Chief Magistrate of llayti.
The Eastern or Spanish division Of the island was
formed into separate republic about p years ago.
SOCIAL CONDITION.
The state of society in the West Indies is very
peculiar, ms might be expected from their past, as
well as their most recent history It's most striking
feature is its heterogeneous character. Sucl
mixture of blood have in the Antilles IS per-
haps nowhere else 10 be found to the extent on
the face of the globe. The Latin race, the Anglo
Saxon, the Teutonc, the Celtic, the Scandlnayian:
the African, the MOngOlian and the llndOO, are all
i'll their purity beside which. there aIe
the large numbers in whose veins the blood OF two
or more of these various races cOmmnge IN dliltr-
ent degrees. The introduction of Chinese and Hin
docs in the West Indies is of comparatively recent
date; but many of these immigrants of both races
have married among the black and the cOlOre1
classes, have become converted to Christianity, and
have adopted the islands as their home That part
of the population which is of African dcscent-by
which is TO be understood the people OF African
European blood as well as the backs-ls, as we have
already seen, by far the most numerous; but the
dominant race is the Caucasian which here, as else
where, asserts and maintains superiority over the
other races by virtue of its higher Intelligence aud
its indomitable energy. With the single exception
of Hayt the white man rules everywhere in the
West Indies. The Governorships OF the different
colonies are all held 10y whites. few men OF mixed
blood are here and there to be found on the bench
but, these excepted, tho judiciary and magistracy
are white, and the same remark VIII apply 10 the
different legislative bodies where such exist Most
of the pulpits filed by clergymen Of fair
chants are chiefly whites, the large landed propre-
tors nearly all whites. and 50 are most of those
who practice law and medicine. Next 70 the whites,
in point of social standing come the coore' people,
as distinguished from the blacks. OF late II edu-
cation has done a great deal for tins class among
whom are row 10 be found goOdly and an lncrcas-
ing number of men who have achieved distinction at
some of the first universities of Europe, The colored
people gradually working their way III the British
public and professional life from which not much
more than n quarter of Il century ago, they were
jealously aud ,iigdly excluded and are making
good their claims 10 1aT snare OF me
honors and cmOluments OF the public service. The
blacks thanks 10 Slavery, are everywhere the low
est in the social scale, the "hewcrs of wood and
drawers Of water being everywhere and almost eX-
cusiyely of the African race. In the islands where
Slavery still exists, Cuba and Porto Rico, their
condition il deplorabe: and m the free islands en-
bracng all the other parts of the West Indies they
have not yet recovered from the blghting elect OF
the acuTscd system, although they are steadily
forward in the path Of Improvement
Among the Haytian blacks however, axe to be found
a number of very superior men, possessing
rare talents, highly cultivated, with pol
lShed manners UttuG them 10 hIIc IN INC
highest circles Of society. In all the free islands
popular education is in a very backward state and
the intelligence of the masses Is consequently muCh
below par. n comparatively lew OF them beng able
TO read and fewer still 10 write. Schools, however
are multiplying, and the people are learning 10 app
prcCiate the value Of education. There j. good
deal Of religious feeling among the blacks, but lt
lacks depth and morality is generally at low cbD
among all classes, although the RIGHTEOUSNESS which
WAS universal 80 years ago has of late greatly dtnn-
ished in most Of the islands. On the whole the cause
q moving forward IN the West lu0lcS
IL makes slow progress IL Is true, but considering
what Slavery is, IN its demorazlng, lmbruiing Ell
fCCs, the movement could haIdly DC expected 10 au-
vance at a more RAPID rate.
The facts Just stated calculated 10 correct two
errors very common both in Europe and the United
States The one is that the greater part Of the West
Indies is possessed by the negroes, who exercise
controlling influence over society, ana hOld the Gov
eminent in their hands. The other msconceptlon-
and this arises IRON me hIst-haned OILS l'lI no
civilization worthy of the name IS 20 be POUNDS among
the native population of the Antilles. 1t VIII be seen
that both of these assertions are VIDE OF the truth
The blacks numerically strong are socially anu pc
ltically of but small account as yet; and although
the "barbaTsm of Slavery still makes Itself felt
more or less IN every walk OF life, IN every nsttu-
ton Of society," the purifying and eleyatng influences
peculiar TO Christian civilization are actively ana
successfully at work. sensibly ameOIating the con-
ditOn of the whole people.
INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE.
Industry i'm the West Indies is by no means so null
tform as il is in most other parts Of the civilized
world, being devoted principally to the production
of few staple articles Of commerce. Oh these sugar
takes the precedence next comes coffee, then rum,
and lastly tobacco. The Spanish colonies stand first
in the production of sugar faytl IN cohee, the Brit
ISL colonies especially Jamaica in rum, and Cuba IN
tobacco. Besides these staples, the West Indies
export large quantities OF molasses, Of dye
woods and cabinet woods, and number OF
minor articles such as pimento, ginger arrOwr0ot
cocoa, beeswax, and honey. Previous 70 the Gman-
cipation of the slaves, in 1893, the British colonies
were far in advance of all the others in the raising Of
both sugar and coffee; but that event led TO the
abandonment of a large number of plantations, their
propretOrs not having sufficient capital 20 work
them prOitaby under the system of labor inau-
gurated by freedom, and emancipation being fol-
1.,,ft lRa