, 1893-02-15

VSIGb ia IOIWdIOlDSJ I'LL CIAdI 'hdO OOAhAA4ItSS
has asked for information on some points from
out here, while in the Diet itself s me tliHiuS
discussion had taken place. But what know
ledge or practical experience can those Members
have of the wants and requirements OF the CO.
lony? Even if they take our budget and 60
through it. what results can they possibly
arrive at, lacking az they do all knowledge
of the circumstances and requirements But
how then. are we to be represented III the Diet
when such ali important matter for us is be-
fore that body? We have at present no
other way than through the Government
here, and when we see what course His Ex-
cellency is bent upon, when @e hear how
His Excellency and through HIM the Minister
Of Finances SO strongly and strangely uphold a
plan, that has been opposed and condemned by
all men here and in St. Thomas when we
sec the Governor and Minister joining to
promote and establish a state OF things which
this Council and taxpayers here ana, II he be
rightly Informed even folks at home, condemn
and reject how are we placed ard what are
we to do? What can We expect? The Min
lister Of Finances has again brought in the
Bill in its original form; this is surely
very serious matter to consider, and it
behoves us to do 80 now particularly in the
face of this extraordinary budget before US;
the Bill is a thing which, if carried, will
entirely ruin the Island as already said this
is the unanimous opinion, even of the officials
next to His Excellenoy and His EXceIlency
the Governor is the only man supporting Jh1
Bill is His Excellency then In Keeping VITA
the colony and It's representatives and lis
interests? He would now ask His Excel
lency if there is any probability that that
Bill will be carried in the Diet? And az in,
he would ask His Excellency, had that Bill
been carried already, what would have been
the consequence in the past year? Here we
must not forget that His Excellency told us
most emphatically, that when we yet that
sort of communal bLdget, we must anI can
never expect any help from the MDth4reoan-
try well, we would now have seem properly
taxed to meet what expenses we could not dis
pense with but is there any 6tna ma aJ 6hi9
time Of the day, who could really suppose
that property here already 50 much oyerbufth-
eneG by taxation that we are unable To exist,
can stand more taxa ion; is there amy man
who thinks really That this Island can afford
TO pay more taxes and meet heavier burthens
beyond those we have? We would have had to
shut up the Hospitals, close the Schools and
left the poor unprovided. Here property
had sunk about IS per cent. and we may
Justly say, if property is saleable al all, il ison-
" at immense sacrifices. Look at the Alison
tee Tax; if he remembers well, it was imposed
in 1917, at a time when prices Of produce
were many times higher than to day with
our q dollars per hundred weight it was
reasonable then to assume that est& es cou'd
pay that tax and yet give t~heirowners returns
but here we see changes Of owners, only
from the sake of that tax, and it is a fact chat
the tax has dwindled down to nothing, and
it is a still more serious fact that Nc capital
comes;instsad money has disappeared from the
Island, hence it is that we see the Absentee
tax in the course Of but a very few years
dwindle down from upwards Of $4,000 t.
02, 500 and sure the half of that will disap-
pear in this financial year. In those DAYS
the absentee tax might have been advis lble
and proper, but it won't do any longer to
keep away foreign capital by that tax, even
if that be but one reason why foreign capital
is being Withdrawn and won't come. And if
we are ruined, can We expect Danish capital
to como here P-Well, Sow, in the face of this
staring us in the lace, and situated as
we are, it must surely appear to every rational
man that it is rather an extraordinary thing to
GENE forward again this wear with a Budget
showing an enormous deficit, without showing
any means Of covering it, and without any
word beyond the customary assurance,
that it can't be otherwise at the same
time we become more AMI more involved and