, 1872-04-06
HOW THINGS ARE.

this island.
The planters, as a class, have always
felt and exercised the influence which Their
position naturally assigns them and they
have al ways endeavoured to maintain such
a unity of opinion, that a double force has
been always given to their influence in all
matters.
Since the establishment of the Colonial
Council, this influence has been the ruling
power In almost all the deliberations of
that body. They may not be always able
to argue away logically, the importance of
a measure not directly tending to their in
terest and advanced by any other party
in the Council ; but they fully we'll know
the Importance of a single vote in carrying
a majority and thus, by u sort of planter
clique, they have been generally success
tul in swaying matters in their favour.
Further they have always managed,
very a~droi'Iy, to keep up this Influence,
by keeping up the stock of men, who, in
spite of all that may be said to the contra
ry, seem best suited to the carrying on Of
the cultivation of the soil or, at least,
men best suited to the rapid development
of its productive powers but not posses
sing the requisite knowledge for improving
its deficiencies. BY this means, however.
they soon enrich themselves and become
Influential.
But whether the process of cultivation
employed is that which is most beneficial
to the welfare of Agriculture, or not, is q
question and in fact, it may be oplned,
with some degree of safety, that the gene
raj falling off of the crops which used once
m mark tho prOdnctivoDoSc of thiS island
is owing in a great measure to the absence
of scientific agricultural knowledge in the
mode of cultivation. This is no wonder,
however for the generality of those who
are engaged in this work, have for their
main object only their own aggrandize-
ment; for as soon as they come to the is-
land, their way is made clear to them by
their harblnger countrymen ,,who, as a rule,
are generally the importers of these adven-
turers.
Every one learning q trade, has in most
cases to pay his master, either in time or
money, something for the trouble of teach
ing him his business but these newcomers
are Immediately introduced, by the ex-
listing system, to situations where they OBJ
tain all they require for their support, and
Sl33 a month In cash thus the scale is
turned, and these beginners are paid for
learning the business. Soon, very soon,
they become managers-formerIy they
were compelled to serve as overseers S
years-and the lapse of a few years find
them large proprietors, they being able to
save all their salary, and, eventually, they
become our Legislators.
The Government has done more for this
class of citizens than for any other yet we
hear them complaining more than any
other, for the portion of the communal
burden which they are called to bear.
Every facility has been afforded them from
time to time, to enable them to carry ON
the cultivation of their estates. Loans of
money have been granted Immigration
Funds have been raised; a Labour Act has
been established, which has compelled the
free labourers to work for what they are
pleased to give them and very recently
a motion has passed the Colonial Council,
to lend two of this most distressed class of
citizens $4,000 for the purchase of q
Steam-plough. In fact, SO entirely is every
other interest absorbed in this single one