, 1894-12-15

luxury. and The pUedUctrS Of Il. in rs bad a
plight, as are now the producers Of sugar.
1t i strange that the idea has lever enter
Ell the minds. or ii 80. That expression las
never been given ~ it rr pluctieal eNpe J.
ments made hy Il e agriculturists ofthis isjai Il.
Of developing the multifarious resources Of
the land. venture to assert. and la thl- |
am confident, tAtt Ii is also the opinion VI the
majority, that no better laud in the tropics
for the production Of yainus foodstufts and
other common accessories Of life exists than
St. CrojS. yet how are these resources ne
elected, and how oft is the sight presented to
our eyes Of cargoes upon cargoes Of foreign
foodstufs and fruit, ali producible III oQr soil
being landed mere aud disposed of at prices
that would quite remuneI8te us, ana III 'iact
give q hlndsOme return 10 local producers.
Whence com $ this failure? What difficulty
Is 1t that exists. 50 hard to be su%rmouuted in
this meter; this is nothing more nor less
than a manifestation of Il thoroughly impro-
yident disposition Of a people. moi backward
in all the leading featares, topics aud fashions
Of the day; it is a want Of energy with re-
gard to the prime duty of our existence, or
worse still a total disregard Of Cots Proyi-
den0e.
Why is it that America, a Land upon which
we have no claim nor that upon us (natIonal-
" nor else), a Government that cares not q
straw for us when ante ing into or concluding
treaties or any reciprocal commercial ar
rangeuenls- why is 1t that that country
should be reapiug continually the benefit If
such an extensive trade as we cary on With
it for some Of the very articles Tat this island
is quite capable Of pr duciug, and is now pro-
ducIng in experimental qu.rotie>? Whore do
we get Our coffee, Cocoa. potatoes, Feauuts,and
many other foodstutfs and common neces-
saries :or our daily use and comfort from,
but from other and foreign places, and those
80 very contiguous t. us, tuat no doubt AN
eyist, but that we must be quite rs favoHra-
bly, situated and are Is naturally adapted tor
their production? Not the least under the
head Of Articles of Food in this island par
t~icularly forming as il does the chief diet of
the largest class Of he inhabitdntsl, Is Corn
Meal. Indian Co"n, from which his is made,
is now being cultivated to u large extent in
several Wost India Islands and Domrrara-
and in tie latter place plants nave been erect
% and arrangements effected by which tho
production Of Corn Meal is prottably carried
ON and the article used for food locally with
every promise Of its developing intoa staple
industry.
Must st. Croix alone be acting as though
its vitality Is lost, "a, though it is at the end
VI us ItsDuItcN1 UtCtlSo Uub WbllN Nf1lilAO1
consume more sugtr, and therefore will not
buy mors, nor pay more for it2 Nay, away
with such a thought, aud at once to work to
obtain support by other means from the land
that Nature has blessed, and that Natures
God has given to man for general use.
I say III conclusion that the time has come
indee, when the West Indies and slumbering
st. Croix particularly, should ay Ike, shake
off dull oIoth, and with energy and skill, not
without deep forethought, having an eye to
the permanent aud every day ecessaries Of
mans Iife-lrise and he doing, or orr friends
and neighbours viii surely have to cast y
look behind at MS while they < allrad d
We may excite their sympathy but may not
obtain their heip.
The critic with no other real motive than to
c%riticise, may take up tho few points that |
have here advanced, hut 10 D, SON really aad
deeply Interested in Gie FIJI ire Welfare and
prosperity Of this isl8nd can oShe. use thnn
throw criticism aside, and look with stern
reality on the actual fiepIorable conditions Of
things. Facing these facts and snleavouring
not topaliate, but 0grapple with the e'ncr-
gencies, let lis work with a stous heart and a
ready willard let those whose province it is
to lsad, not wait until they are rather driven
by utter necessity;-for even let those remem-
Der that there is such a thing as being
too late.
". f.:lf.l1.