New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-08-09
JAMAICA.

COOIIR UiMIGRATION-WHAT 1T HAS COST THE
CoLONY-POOR RETURNs-THE TREATMENT
OF THE COOLIES BY TIE PLANTERs-FIuGHT-
Full MORTALITY AMONG THE IMMIGRANTS
"A NEW SCHEME TO BE TRIED.
KINGSTON, ia, July 20.-l see by the New
York papers recently received here that project on
foot for introducing Chinese aborers In large numbers
into the Southern States. am not aware OF the cOhd
tons on which 1t is proposed TO carry out this scheme
nor whether contemplation that tho United states
Government shall exercise any control over the move
mept but IL strikes that IL may not be altogether Win
out its use for me 10 furnish THE TRmUSE at this time
with a brief history OF 'ooiie Immigration In THIS Col
opy. promising however that the great bulk OF our
immigrants are natives OF India not more than eight
Der cent OF the whole being Chinese.
CoOlie Immigration commenced here In lA5, seven
years after the complete abolition OF Slavery in the
British West Indies The scheme projected by tho
planters osensibly for the purpose OF supplying tho
alleged lack OF labor caused by the withdrawal OF large
numbers OF freed people from the plantations IL re-
ceived the sanction OF the Imperial Government and an
act was passed by the local Legislature embodyng tho
conditions upon which 1t TO be carried ont. Tho
chief provisions OF that That the Coolies
were 10 serve under for 1--WE years after andng
on the Island that their employers should DO poun "
give them constant employment at hxed rate o "Ab'
that each estate on which Coolies were employed shouu
have proper hospital accommodations for the immigrants
and Give Them proper medical attendance ana care IN
sickness; that at expiration OF perod Oh seven
years from the date OF their arrival In the country
| all Coolies who had faithfully served their
Term OF indenture desiring to return homo
might claim free passage back TO INDIA
and that while under ndenturc they should be subject 20
certain police regulations among which was one forbid
ding the emgrant going beyond the limits OF the estate
upon which he located, without permit from the
manager or ms Gsp my sebems should he borne 6y
the public For two years emigration was pref
OF s7 suddenly ceased there being at the time about
five thousand Coolies In the island The cessation was
fia In he m
act providing for the gradual abolition OF the dlerehal
duties ia favor OF British Colonial sugars entering the B
sh market; which greatly dlsheartened the
planters that numbers OF them abandoned their pana
tons IN dsspa Inc ACT 10 70 nh The SS
tura interests Of the West Indies Hs had been apehend
| cd and CoOie immigration might have been resumed
after the lapse Of two or three years but for the fact that
by that strong public sentiment had begun TO mani.
ss scheme IN Of the scandaoasy n6ua1e
manner 10 which Immigrants had beeu treated; while In
e SS P the S2
the planting interest For the question OF resumng
planter papers colony seconded by English papers
ike The London Times, yehementy urging resumption,
Ike British 2%HSiartry Bep5rer, warmly opposed Il
AT length the Jamaica House Of Assembly 1883 passed
immigration act, containing provislons Of much
stringent character for the protection OF the imm
grants than the previous act and requiring at the same
| time. that the planters to whom immigrants might DO
allotted should pay in an annual capitaOn tax upon tho
concessions the received the OF the I'M
peral Government and the importation Of Coolies was
resumed In 1900 period Of thirteen years having elapsed
the former immigration had ceased. In the four
years from s6O 10 1868 inclusive only 1858 were landed
for the next three years 1864 TO 1896 inclusive
landed, in consequence partly OF severe drouth and
partly OF the amentable disturbances OF 1865 Since
1867 immigration has taken fresh start. aud arrange
| mcnts have just been completed by Sir John Grant
whereby the stream may In future be kept constantly
The system introduced byOur present Governor is
decided Improvement In every respect upon that
tabhed by tho act Of 1885, relative to the operation OF
which latter Sir John Grant that the information
acquired by him since his arrival In Jamaica had
Nlnceu MIN tnd Old things such that III
could not have clearly the way practical reform
OF the system 1t would have been his duty Gro now TO
Jamaica The history Of tbs immigration as hitherto
conducted may be briefly summed up In two words
failure and disgrace. The experiment has added close
upon gold to the public debt the interest upon
%nch sum Is not Tar from $4,000 per annum. And what
Tor poor country like Jamaicai Let figures answer
In he SIX years OF entire freedom from 1889 1874 when
We bad no Coolies the average exports OF our principal
staples stood thus Sugar 4OI5 hOgsheads Rum l3759
PnncheonS Conee gls uerces In S45 Coolies first
the plantations enjoyed the benefit OF services the
average exports showed increase OF only 795 hogs
heads Of sugar and 3iOO puncheons OF rum while coffee
showed falling on OF nearly 5000 erces. This increase
export over 200 hogsheads year That in rum con
tn1es, owing, however not TO Coolie labor, but
gard to coffee stand at present just about where we
stood "a years When you look at the lavish outlay
OF the peoples money here presented aud at the beg
carly return for that outlay, you fine illustration
OF the wisdom aud foresight with which planter House
OF Assembly legsated for this colony In years past
But bad the economic aspects OF the question
they are by no means Us worst features Morally
sdered the system Of COOle immigration In Jamaica has
been most abominablo In giving the employer OF the
Immigrants control over hm, which practically
tte less than absolute and almost wholly irresponsible
the system was virtually slavery under form. In
nine cases out OF ten tho Government regulations
tended 70 guide the planter IN his cement OF the
Coolies deliberately set aside and IN many instan
ees IT came TO light that the officers employed by the
tons systematically neglected their duty, allowing the
planters TO 90 lust what they pleased with the Coolies
Tor example, the regulated hospital diet OF SICK aud
therefore AOAdDOTng CCOc estimated 10 cost about