Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-01
A DEPRESSED ISLAND.
How the British Rulers Impose on
the People of st. Christopher.
,GROUNDDOWN BY GRIEvOUSTAXES
Mr.. Kearney Was Forced Out of the Country
and Joined the Yankees.
HE BOUGHT A BIG FARM AT GRAPEvILLE

James hearney, a w eSI lHulan PLANTER,
and his daughter are registered at the Cen
trai Hotel. Mr. Kearney halls from the
st. Christopher Island, one of the group of
Ieeward islands owned by the English. 1t
is about 12 hours sail from the Danish
Island of st. Thomas.
Mr. Kearney by birth is an Irish
man, by profession an engineer, and
he went to St. Kits SO years ago.
In 1873 he didn't like the change
made in the Government, and he
came to this section and bought
farm at Grapeville. A granger's
life was not agreeable, and he re-
turned to his island home where the
climate is delightful, not varying more
than 100 all the year around. His daughter
has been studying painting in New Jersey
school, and several of her pictures will be
on exhibition at the Exposition this fall
Mr. Kearney is well educated, and in a long
talk he said:
A BANKRUPT POPULATION.
"Our little island is badly depressed, and
the people are bankrupt. The population
is about 80, 900, and of these not more than
1000 are white. The natives make good
laborers, but they have to be Kept down.
Masons are paid 60 cents day, carpenters
so and farm hands 25 cents. The govern
ment is in the hands of few English, and
they have taxed the country beyond all en-
durance. The taxes, indeed. are so heavy
that / don't know where l can get the
money to pay them. Fine estates are be-
ing sold constantly to relieve these Gov
ernment burdens We are in the same po-
sition as your colonies were when you were
taxed without representation. The English
engineers built lot of roads and bridges at
great expense. With the first heavy rain
the water came down from the mountains
and washed their work into the sea. All
this must come out of the peoples pockets.
The Governor has urged the natives to go
into the fruit-raising business, and before
we have fruit to ship he subsidies a steamer
to carry it to this country. He has also
subsidized another steamer for So, 900 to ply
from Antigua, the seat of government, to
various places in the island, carrying him
self, family and officers. This is a useless
expense, but we have to pay for it.
HOME RULE NOT ALLOWED.
eve petitioned the Queen for home
rule, but it was returned simply marked
'disallowed.' We had sent numerous CON-
plants to England, but as they passed
through Governor Smiths hands, he put
veto on them before they were mailed. The
last petition was presented to the Queen by
Labouchere, but it was no good. What we
need is home rule. Gladstone has promised
it to us, and we are hoping and praying
that he will be elected. l think the old
Man will be successful in the next election
when we look for better things.
''To add to our financial troubles, the
price of sugar has dropped since the Nc
Kinley bill went into effect. We are worse
off than we were before. The price of sugar
shipped to the United States used to be SIS
per 100 pounds with duty of 50 40 added.
Now the tariff is removed, and the price
has gone down to cents per
pound. This is what it is rated
at in the London market. Sugar is
our mainstay, and you can easily see how a
reduction in price would effect the people.
own sugar plantation, but L lease it out.
Most of the money of the sugar planters is
consumed in buying machinery for refining
the cane.
NOT MUCH ON TOBACCO
''The planters have not tried to raise to-
bacco to any great extent. They don't
understand how to cure it. Right here l
want to say that such thing as a real Ha-
vana cigar is not sold in the stores of
America. All these fine cigars are be-
spoken long before they are made. The
nobility of Europe and the American mil
lionaires buy up all that are manufactured.
When 1 was in Cuba some time ago
the managers of the factories assured ne
there were no Havana cigars for sale.
They have orders far ahead of the supply.
Cuba, by the way, is another badly op-
pressed island, and it will never amount to
anything until the people govern them
selves or it is sold to the United States.
''When first went to st. Christopher
the people elected members to the House
of Assembly. They had a voice in the
Government. In 1873 delegation of En-
glish, armed with authority, came to us and
said the government must be changed
They intended to introduce the crown colony
system. High positions were offered to
influential men to conciliate them and get
their help. An honor was held out to me,
but protested vehemently against change
which robbed the people of their franchise.
incurred their bitter enmity, and they
made me private in the militia. They said
they would make me serve, and knew by
the law they could force me. Then L
got disgusted with the island and went to
Grapeville and bought farm.
NOW AN AMERICAN CITIZEN.
ST took the oath of allegiance to this
country and am now an American citizen.
My health was not good, however, and
returned to st. Christopher. Through
the friendship of the Chief JUS
tice and the Attorney General, L escaped
serving In the militia. Nobody knows
down there that am an American citizen.
They want me to run for the Assembly, but
under the circumstances L am debarred.
The Assembly, as made up at present, is
nothing but machine worked by the Gov
ernor. If a member protests against
measure, his place is promptly given to an
other who will acquiesce, of course.
wouldn't belong to a body were
was only mere fgure-head-
These abuses must be corrected. The
evils of the crown colony system are becom-
ing unbearable. L wish the American
newspapers would roast the iniquitous form
of government.
St. Christopher was named after the dis
coverer of America. Columbus, is supposed
to have landed there first, but history is
doubtful on this point Mt. Kearney
claims it is the oldest white settlement on
the American continent.
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