, 1875-01-02

by the gentlemen who visited Martinique
for the purpose of gathering information
on the subject,-the system worked bet
ter in Martinique than anybody had ex-
pected. Still, strange enough, Just at
this time voices began to be heard that
the factories would not do as well as had
been believed, and the Credit Association,
which had never been liked, was now in
less favour than ever. All kinds of OBJ
~jections began to be raised against the
change among those who are most inter
ested In the improvement. In q word,
that spirit OF vacillation which has al
ways been an enemy to reforms got com
plete possession Of many who before saw
the salvation of the island in the establish
ment of the factories, and the cry for re-
trenchment again assumed the foremost
place. It is true that already during the
Budget discussions the topic was brought
forward, but it seems that it could not at
first get its old hold of peoples minds.
But, by and by, when the heavy rains set
IN, IN November, which secured a good
crop, Or at least one far superior to those
OF later years, and it was learned that
there was some hesitation among capital
lists to come forward to support the en-
terprise, it would seem that the happy-go-
lucky spirit had become dominant again.
Now the factories were no longer men
toned as the salvation OF the island; that
part was taken over by the rain. "Give
us the rain, and we will do the rest,'' was
commonly heard. 1t will be remembered
also that muscovado sugars had been gra-
dually rising in price.
We hasten to add, however, that this
sentiment was not and is not universal,
which was shown also by the almost unan-
lmous passage of the bills for granting
divers facilities and ~immunities both to a
company for the introduction of factories
and a credit association, although the
clause tor a guarantee of 6 p. CT. was very
dlstastetul to many Z; but it was and is by
far too general for a community which has
passed through such ordeals as ours has,
and where people know as much of the
beneficial working of the factory system as
ours. 1t must here be mentioned what,
tor the rest, every one knows, that, to save
society, to feed the people and prevent
their emigration, the old measure of Bu-
reau advances was resorted to on o scale
perhaps never before known. The sur
plus in the public chest was consumed,
and a loan of $15O,OOO was contracted,
which has afterwards been extended to
100000 to carry us on to the next crop.
Will this system continue, or, if not, who
but the factories, as in the French islands.
will advance the money in time of need ?
To have come as far as we have under the
ord system, ought, we think, to have led
people to doubt its exceIlency, and one
would suppose that every one would have
been glad that an opportunity offered to
obtain a more safe footing, in view of the
competition which the produce has to en-
counter, by adopting the more rational
process which there wa hopes Of attain
ing, at the same time that every move for
reductions that could be made without in
jury to the public veal should have been
hailed with JOY, if even not the very best
according to this or that fraction of the
community /; but not so. Although the
Council had agreed to petition Govern
ment to make reductions, the plan which
Governor Garde brought forward to re-
duce and concentrate the military was re-
ceived in a manner as if we could still af-
ford luxuries, in fact, it seems to be threat
ened with downright murder, without its
being at all visible that the opponents
have any better substitute, which, of
course, would alter the case. Thus, to
IudUn NV tho 1;soa,nor;nx ovoo~;oaoo II