, 1891-02-11

90 10 LQ0 Ol6t IuAL No naQ on L0r06 OCCASIONS
endeavoured to bring about a moro satefso-
tory condition of affairs by Drafts Of Law
prescribing that the State should tase oTer
the military expenses, but that the FoIketing
had rejected the measures. The Minister
then proceeded to describe the Draft ar3
stated that it had been referred to tho two
Colonial Councils and that their reports both
advise adversely, which would certainly not
surprise the Folketing. lie then proceeded
to give ? sketch of the Councils reports
(Which had been printed, andlaid before taeDet
along with the Draft) and concluded By re
commanding the measure to the favourable
and serious consideration of the members.
The matter was not proceeded with further
on that occasion.
The first discussion OF the Draft came of on.
tie 29th Of November.
The first speaker was Mr. CIausen. He cha
racterlsed the balance in the Colonial funds
which the Draft sought to attain as 1not a
natural balance It was simply that the
State Treasury was to pay all that the Colo
NAL treasury could not pay. To bring about
natural balance, it would be necessary first
Of all to think of what could be done to i'm
prove the resources of the island, secondly it
would be necessary to introduce a sensible and
strict economy, and thirdly to enquire wheth-
or new taxes, copldnot be imposed or whether
those already imposed could not be increased.
he asked what the Administration had done
IN these three directions. What were the
labour relations since the abolition Of the
"Labour Law? What influence had the
factory exerted? He asked, how about tree
planting, which the Royal Commission had re-
commended? How about tropical fruits, for
st. Croix had been called the Garden of the
West lndies) which could be disposed of all
the world over? In regard to reductions he
quotes the St. Thomas Councils statement.
tnat reductions had been urged in vain, and
describes this as being "as sharp a complaint
as is possible against the administration"
lie thinks, In regard to the 3rd point, that an
income tax could be imposed and an excise
duty on rum established, ard considers in
regard to the latter that it would be no in
justice to the labourers to charge them q tax
which would be easily paid by q little more
industry on their part. He thinks that the
Military force could be reduced provided the
police force were strengthened, which he
considers should be done from among the
native population. He concludes by blaming,
the administration and does not think the
Draft can be amended so as to pass.
The second speaker was Mr.. Baier, whose
suggestion was that it might be possible to
come to an understanding with Germany
such that the West Indian question and the
North Schlesvig question could be settled
at one and the same time.
The Finance Minister replied at length to-
these speakers, saying in reply to the latter,
that the question raised was outside the Draft OF
Law and that there would be no advanta GO
in his giving an opinion on it. In replying to
Mr.. Clausen, the Finance Minister pointed out
that illusions had prevailed about the West
Indian colonies, first that they were gold mines,
later that they could be self-supporting.
These illusions had to be abandoned and the
difficulties met. The decline of prosperity
in st. Thomas was due to the island having
ceased to be the depot, as formerly, for Cen
trail America, and also having become less of a
resort for ships. St. Croix, on the other hand,
had suffered from the severe competitionof beet
sugar. In regard to an income tax he point
ed out that the trade tax in St. Thomas was
something similar. IF there was TO be an ex-
else duty put on spirits in St. Croix, it must be-
remembered that it would be necessary at the
same time to introduce a whole new machinery
for collecting it. In regard to the reduction OF
expenses he thought the gentlemen had allowed
themselves to be misled by what was said in the
report from one of the Councils, but that if t@ey
would compare this with the report Of the Coun-
oiPs Proceedings they would see that it was not
to be taken literally. The Minister argued for
the separation of the two classes of expen SEES
and incomes as giving the municipalities more
interest in regulating their own income and.
expenses, and urged that the whole relations