, 1884-09-13
To the Editor Of the est. Croir Aui8."
Dear Sir,

When we learn of the establishment of
an association, like that which has lately
been formed, with the prefix "PlanterS",
We are led to hope that the "Sinews" of
the ~Island-the planters-have come toge-
Their, forming an association, having for its
object the welfare of the Island generally;
we cannot criticize their motives, until we
have learned them; and as we lave heard
of no resolutions, the adoption of which
warrants criticism of any kind, we must
read with regret, your correspondent San
Observers" letter in AUiS of 9th inst
we say, with regret, as in his attempt
to be ~witty-which, by the by, is a pos
thumOus One-he has preached a subject
which should have been left to ADLER pens
than his, and to others who are better
acquainted with the subject, than he
apparently is; he has interfered in a most
hurtful manner-hurtful when we remem-
Der that the class to whom he refers as
being deprived of the privilege of becoming
independent, is an Ignorant one, and will
conclude, that the sole object of the
planters Association" is to deprive them
of their natural right; they will not know
that the remark has emanated from the
mind of an unthinking individual, who
apparently has no interest in the welfare
of the Community, nor of the labourerS
themselves; but will only remark to each
other, as they generally do, when they
hear of anything being in the Newspaper
which concerns them, "The Newspaper says
so and So"
What right has your Correspondent to
assert that "the planters are not wiShful
that they (the labOurerS) should become
independent, without proofs to sustain
such a sweeping charge? Has not the
planter the right, in justice TO himself, to
give no more for labor, than the result of
said labor will permit? And when we
note the low prices everywhere of the
produce of the Island, is any planter iusti-
fed in giving thirty to thirty five cents for
a poorly executed days work at the best,
the result of which barely warrants twenty
cents! We are all aware that the exceed
ing advance in labor, which has been
current here within the past few years, has
been %ruinouS, and should, and could have
been avoided; and if tley-the planters
have at last found out the i'll of competi-
tiOn, what right have we to criticize or
slur their motive before it becomes palpa-
BILE? Rather let us turn our eyes on the
bane of every community, -Rum. and
worse still, cheap rum-and not blame the
planter for paying only that which he can
afford especially when we remember that
the labOrer, prior to 1879, with his ten cents
a day and his food, was far better off
than he is today, with his wages ranging
from twenty five to thirty five cents per
day; then he worked more, and was furnish
ed food, which he ate, and was more
healthy, while today, with more money in
his pocket, instead Of sustaining his
system, he INDUCES too freely in that
poison which l referred to above, and
which helps, far more than all other forces
combined, to ruin our laboring population;
and an agitation which will tend to it's
exterminatiOn, | am confident, will meet
with universal approval.
Your correspondent turns the attention
of the planters to the houses OF the "poor
labourers"; filthy, wet novels he calls some
OF them doesn't this show that he knows
nothing of what he writes, nor of the pro-
positions Of the planters, one of which
deals with the laborers' houses; and whose
fault is it that they are filthy, the owners
or o~ccupants7 May | ask your correspon-
dent If he can compare our Estates
villages to the mud novels inhabited by
the Irish peasantry, or to the tenement
houses of London and other large cities,
where squalOr and filth abound? Does
your correspondent know that the laborer's
working day is not as long here, as in
many other countries whose sun is as hot
as ours, {f I may use the phrase) and
whose pay is not moref
/ am confident there is a good deal more
to be said on this subject, and it would be
well that it were said; that there be a
thorough sitting of the relation between
the planters and laborers, their duty