, 1888-03-07

HCdHty ldooul IOIC ny INC UlopplhS On oL
5, 6, from estates in the centre of the Is
land to 90 in for Factory work.
The Governor said that .e was a friend
of immig cation carried out in such IA way
as to benefit the planters mos in want of
opposed to TIL original draf, and still more
SO to the amendment proposed.
He would distinctly give his reasons,
they were:
That the whole immigration fund
would quickly be exhausted, rs a demand
for immigrants from all sides would b
raised, and as the cost of importing IN
immigrant at present is $50, VIII lie the
immigration fund is about Sl6,0Oa, J33
Immigrants only could be imported.
These immigrants would nave To be-
distributed to all sugar and 5 ock estates
in proportion to the area in cultivation on
which immigration tax is paid.
AS there are 10000 acres in cultivation,
all paying l0ctS per acre in immigration
tax, all would be equally enttIed 10 heir
share of the immigrants.
That would not be more than l immi.
grant for 50 acres in cultiYaIo ION, and for
a sugar estate of SAY 800 acres il c|ultiva-
ton, it would consequently not be more
than 81 immigrants.
What would the consequence be3 The
estate owners in want of more immigrants
would either not get their wants sltisf ii,
or would have to come to an agreement
with other estates in order to induce them
to give up their right.
They wOuId then have to pay private
parties instead Of now paying to the
immigration fund, and they would most
likely have to pay more than they do now,
while the money would go into private
pockets and be LOST to the immigration
fund.
The Governor could not see how that
result could very well be avoided, for it
appears clear hat it would not be possible
to undertake a just distribution Of the
immigrants imp0rted under the rule
proposed, evcept by admitting the same
right to ali taxpayers in proper ion to the
area on which the tax was paid 10y those,
provided they ask for immigrants, and thy
will be sure 10 ask, because i'm the fist
place most estate owners can use a few
IabOrerS on ytHIty contract, and in the
next place ii they don't want them, they
will quickly see hat they can make money
out OF their claim and IN that way get the
immigration tax refunded, at least in
part.
It Appeals then that the new system
would not b. so beneficial to the estates
III ant OF Immigrants IN the existing
system, but the Governor was afraid that
it would not even benefit the island ut
large in any durable way because Immi-
grafton if exaggerated p.ovokes emIgra-
ton.
The COmmiree APPEARS to think that the
lab0ur markel here can by immigration
he filled to such an extent as 10 compel
the laborcrs to acc PIT cheaper terms and
to work better. That is to say to bring
about in these island the same state of
things AS in Barbados.
He was afraid it was a mistake. Such
an advantageous state Of things can NOT
be created 10y immigration or other artif.
cial meln bui only in a natural way when
our own native la5Our population increases
by the number Of births exceeding the
number of deaths, and when children Of
the county become so attached to the soil
that they do not care to leave the island.
We know from sal experience that
immigration ctn not produce that result.
The large sum 3lS $50 expended years
ag', from 1860-1869, in order to import
1920 imlnigran S, has not LETT any increased
lIbour population; on the cpnfrary many
Of our native laIOurer| left during the
immigration, and most Of the Immigrants
left also after the time WAS OUT for which
they had bound themselves.
I'M 80 ~