, 1884-10-11
Dear Sir,

ApNhI 8lAJ
The die is east On Saturday last, the
planters Of the Association, with very
few exceptions, signed Il contract to pay
the labOurcr twenty cents for his days
work, good or bad, to take effect on the
18th inst. There were a few who again
cudravOured to put sixteen cents on the
table, but | am glad to say that it was
vetoed 10y the majority, som few threaten
ing to withdraw from the society if any
such foolish Il believe that was the word
uSrdl measure was adopted. | have not
heard what provision was made for exist
ing contracts with immigrants at twenty
five cents.
While / ~strcnuously d-iSrecommcnd the
lowering Of the rate of wages to sixteen
cents. which would be 80 to 40 per cent
less than is being paid on some estates,
while on others it would be 80 per cent
less, yet ! am aware that there are some
estates whose owners, from the poor
return Of the land, coupled with the diSad-
vantage or drawback of poorer n achiucry,
honestly believe that while the price Of
sugar remains at so low a figure, they
cannot afford to pay twenty cents, and
were no doubt among the few, who
advocated the reduction to sixteen cents.
To these few, and | am glad to say there
are hut Il few, the only hope that can he
held out TO them is to jog along with the
wealthy, and en,lcavor, by strict economy.
to keep their heads above water. until
better times come this may be considered
poor consolation, but what better can we
offer ? Surely not the deIuSivc hope that
some of the planters entertain, that the
Mother Country Will abolish the import
duty on our sugar! They must bear in
mind that twenty-five per cent. Of the
amount expended for labor cannot keep
them from going to the wall, if they are
not economical in other respects, and if
the price of sugar does not advance; let
us look at the figures today with labor at
the minimum twenty five cents, their
yearly expenditure for labor does not
exceed $4,000; at twenty cents it should
he $4,000, twenty five per cent of which is
5000; is there an estate owner who cannot
live through the present crisis with such u
comparatively small deficit, if on balanc-
ing his yearly account, any such deficit is
shown? do not believe that any planter
expects in these times to incre aSe his
balance at his bankers, OH the contrary,
lie ought to be satisfied if at the end OF the
year, he has to draw Ouly a small amOnnt
from his account at the Bank ~(rcSultS of
good years. to meet the deficit, until the
prospects will have frightened let him i'll
the meanwhile keep his eye on every item
of Expenditure, and not look to one source
for retrenchments. There is reason to be-
lieve that the stagnation i'll sugar now pre-
valent, cannot continue much longer, and
with the advantage which the manufac-
turer of the c~ane-sugar has over the beet
sugar manufacturer (the latter's immense
factories and its enormous expenses we
have every hope that our difficulties will
be short-lived. En- pareathese, let me re-
remark, that in writing the above, / have
Santa Cruz only before me-, and | take the
standing OF the planters here as my guide,
again in making use of the word planters,
l do so in a general sense, and refer to the
proprietors or e~state.owners. To resume,