The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-08
Dear BOnght Quiet.

There is q melancholy suRgestiveness In
the tidings from ~. Thomas that Santa
Cruz is quiet; the laborers have returned 10
work, their wages having been increased
ten cents per day" II this increase IL just,
it is a thousand plties that it was not made
before the famished and frenzled negroes
had wreaked their fury on the haplcss
island. laying it's plantations in ashes, and
Cutting their vengeance with horrible acts
of barbarlty.
Under the old labor act, first-class hands
got but twenty cents n day; the usual
country laborer earned but ten. True, they
had their ration of food, such as II was their
huts, and patch OF ground on which poul-
try could be kept and such few vegetables
raised az their spare hours allowed them to
cultivate. But the abolition Of the labor act
made even these scanty wages precarious,
and threatened the loss either Of the ten cents
or the keep" 1t came also at a time when
the central factory, which employed ma
chinery upon the canes, had just failed,
after very brief existence, thus throw
ing out tho hands. These had been
paid double or treble the ordinary
wages, and now not only felt the smallness
Of the latter, but found difficulty in getting
any labor at all. The laws forbdding the
hands to go off the plantations where they
were engaged, except on written passes, and
on the lst Of October, the annual hiring day
for new contracts, postponed the outbreak OF
discomfort but only concentrated II for
that day, when, ia fact, IL occurred. The
laws preventing egress from the island ex-
ccpt 10y passports, whose terms were raised
beyond the reach OF the negroes, operated
like shutting down a safety valve and kept
ON the island dissatisfied laborcrs that
might have sought work elsewhere. The
theory seems to have been that the passport
fund would be used TO provide for the main
tonance of those found to be public burden
In st. Thomas; but the result was to irritate
| those negroes who could not get away.
In the midst Of this misery and fear OF the
future, when even the hard labor law would
no longer protect them 10y its fixed rates OF
wages. the negroes saw the planters APP
parently in luxury and happiness. As n
fact, many Of them had lived freely and had
mortgaged their estates until they were
| deep in debt, and were distressed to know
| how to meet their interest and pay for the
working Of their plantations; while a sue
ccssion Of years Of great drought, followed
| by one of floods Of rain, had completed their
| disasters. Those who had sent their canes
20 the factory shared 10 that extent In it,
| bankruptcy The negroes, however, saw
only the outward contrasts OF condition
apparent wealth and luxury agoinst misery
| and threatened starvatiun-and In indiyid
ual cases the grievances We're heightened b!
unjust fines, or stopping Of wages for Sigh
offences, 10y cruelty, and by APPARENT,
reckless delays in fulfilling contracts.
How terrible the reckoning was, when i
came the charred ruins Of Frcderksted
the miseries of the homeless, and the wide
spread desolation Of the once beautiful
island show. But il Is noticeable that tn
mob killed but three whites. two soldier
and one planter; whereas their chief atroci
ties fell upon some estate hands who re
fused to Join them. This fact and their lacl
OF arms or Of efforts TO seize them, point 4
a sudden, blind outburst Of pent-up rag
rather than carefully laid plan Of insur
rection. Scores Of rioters were shot by tn
soldiers and volunteer police, with or with
out trial, and Gov. GARDE, in authorizing
court martial, ordered 1t to award n
other punishment than the punishment G
DEATH" cases not appearing TO deserv
death being reserved for civil investigation
Now that quiet has been restored TO tn
hapless little island, we find a step volunta
months ago, might perhaps have ayoide
the insurrection. No one can call such
calamity inevitable