, 1884-10-22

ooLOhA NOI1 OLiO ACiSO to D0IIIcn oCCU-
root sugar. The Lawyer certainly, puts this
point last in his proposal, but ! do not
doubt that we would agree that this stand
point is the only one from which with any
hope Of success any efforts can be made.
Let ST. CroiX sugar be treated precisely
the same us Danish sugar, that is all that
with right and reason can be demanded.
The Memorial, on the other hand, express
seS the wish that the position may bt made
by a long way better i'll ST. Croix than in
Denmark, and does this at the same time
that it says star be it from us to wish to
improve our condition at the expense of
the Danish beet root industry" This is
not very logical. When, therefore, the
Memorial in 5 6 hints that it would not be
OF great consequence if the beet sugar
Industry were restricted, and evidently
hopes that it may be so ont Of consideration
for as, then it seems to me that such an
expectation, such a hope, il unintelli gible.
Can there really be any body here who
believes that, ever if the Government and
the Rigsdag had the best will towards us,
a single acre OF land would 90 out of beet
cultivation ont Of consideration for as, that
the private agriculturists ont Of cOnSidera-
ton for as would cultivate next year q less
area! And that is in reality what is wished
and hoped in the memorial.
IteSeemS therefore that the principal
standpoint is this, like treatment for colo
MAI and home grown sugar. Ii we do not
make this the ground OF our hopes and
expectations We shall only reap disappoint.
ment and dissatisfaction.
Lawyer Jennings first position appears
to me therefore to be totally unassailable,
and it seems to me that the subscribers
should take a note of his advice.
The Lawyers second position is this,
that Denmark shall alter her duties on beet
root sugar III such a way that, on the
assumption of the two sugars being on an
equal footing, st. CrOiX may be benefited.
And the Lawyer thinks that Denmark may
be expected to do this "0ut of regard for
her W sugar production and that of
her colony st. Croix." Here [ think
there is a weak point, in so far that
the assistance for us is made to depend on,
not a change III regard to our sugar, but a
change in regard to beet root sugar. That
Denmark might alter the duty on beet
root sugar out of consideration for herself
-certainly-but out OF consideration for
us, that doubt. At any rate | feel GER
tam that the consideration for the home
industry would be in the first rank, even if
| do not doubt thar the Government aud
RigSdag would have the good heart and good
will to have also some consideration for us.
Neither do the Lawyers words seem to me
10 mean anything else than, that Denmark
will feel compelled to do something for her
beet-sugar industry and hence in the sup
position that We are equally we'll placed,
through that also for us. But just here
comes the important question. Will there
be Il change III favour Of the beet sugar
industry, and, in that case, will the change
be OF such a Iature as will benefit us?
Now it is plain that one OF four things
may be expected. LIST, there may be no
change for the beet root sugar, and on the
SuppoSition that we are equally well placed
with Denmark, that would not help us.
2nd. The beet sugar may be granted a
bounty on its expectation, just as in Ger
many for example, say of one cent per
pound. will say at once that it is not
very likely that this would happen, as on ac-
count Of the small amount of sugar export
ed from Denmark it could scarcely have
any Importance, or at any rate not sufficient
Importance, for Denmark. Such a change
would be of very little Importance for us
under our present Colonial Constitution.
For even if we were placed on the same
footing as Denmark with regard to the
treatment of our sugar, it is plain that ST.
C"Oix itself would come to pay the bounty
on its own exported sugars. which means
in other words, since the taxation must
finally rest OH the sugar cultivation, that
the planters would be taking out of one
pocket to put into the other. The only
condition which would make such "A change
of benefit to lis would be that we were
Incorporated in Denmark. in other words