, 1884-10-11

already we hear of bankruptcies of beet
sugar manufacturers, and fears are enter
tanned that others will follow it is true,
We hear OF bankruptcies of cane-Sugardeal-
CrS, but these are mostly spectators the
result of the former will be. that the stock
Of sugar will Nlacken. beet growers will
turn their land III the cultivation Of some
other staple, and rs the sugar from the
cane commands Il reader sale, there will
arise Il demand for the article, prices will
look up, and planters will then be on their
legs again this may be taken as too san.
guinr Il view of the case, but we see SINH
lar changes in other staples, why not in
sugar. Again, another avenue is open to-
us, to Indicate which. | beg to suhioin two
extracts taken from the american Exporter,
which plainly show that the American PEG.
pie are willing to form reciprocity treaties
with producing countries and as it ap-
pears that such a treaty with the United
States is our only SteadfaSt hope, let us
appeal to the Home Government to inter
cede for IFS, for If San Domingo has sue
ceeded we do not see how Denmark can
fail. To countpract the loss in revenue
accruln& from American imports, a tax
equivalent to about Onc-half of the import
duty paid ON our sugars in the United
States, say one cent per pound of sugar
exported can be levied on the said sugar.
which could then be easily borne: and not
only the planting element would be bcne.
fitted by such treaty. but the community
at large, for the necpSsarieS Of life would
then be brought into the country ut Il
much cheaper figure. thus beneliting the
poorer classes especially. But to return 10
The lab0ur question. 1t is to he taken for
granted, that on the signing Of IL contract
entered into between the planters of the
island, among whom are included some of
the influential ones. it is to be considered
Il bona tfde instrument, signed in good
faith, and with every intention to adhere
to every stipulation but the question
arises, cW and can the planters adhere to
the covenant which they have entered
into ? / Have they taken into consideration
the circumstances over which they have no
control Have they forgotten that the la
b0urcr had no hand in the advance Of
labour from twenty cents to the ~ruinOus
rate hitherto paid :? Had the honest plant
err in his minds eye, when he signed the
contract, his canc-tieldS OvercrOWded with
weeds, his gangway full Of canes from
which he is fortunate if he get Z 10 50
sweet, while his willy neighbour has all tile
labOur he can command, regardless of the
cost, providing the young canes are free
from weeds, and his liquor shows 100 ut 100
sweet. 2 Which Of our planters can be cOgni-
Zant of the price paid for labOur on anOther's
estate, without seeming to pry into the af-
fairs of the other, or worse still, to subject
himself to the cunning Of the IabOurer9
And how many loopholes are there not in
the way Of perquisiteS, Qualifications sc.
that the clever planter will find to avoid
the 500 penalty a penalty doesn't
this show II want Of confidence at the onset,
if not, whence this sudden and mistaken
confidence
| do not say that any one of the planters
has signed the agreement with the full in
trnti0n Of not keeping it, but when circum-
stances arise, and difficulties, which must
be S%urmOuntcd, or he loses his name as q
planter, it is no more than can be expected
Of Il manager, who is human, and who has
not signed the contract, if he breaks
through, having his employers interest at
heart, and daubS his man, saying Etmum is
the word, Sambo'. There are many stun
bling blocks in the taking off of a crop,
which only IL manager, and in some cases
an 0Vcrseer has to overcome, which, with
his hands ted by his employers act, he is
unable to Surmount; we must therefore
leave him free to act honestly, not only
towards his employer, but towards his
n%eighbOr, and to assist him, we must de-
wise a plan that will work tremendously
with the days pay,-task work for instance
"a method far more systematic than that
HOW in vogue here, and one that is adopt
ed in almost every other country, resulting
to the satisfaction Of both parties concern