The record-union., 1896-12-06
Which is Not at All Relished in
Ministerial Circles.
Sentiment Growing Among the Colon
lists That if Great Britain Does Not
Soon Undertake Some Remedial
Measure to Assist the Sugar Trade
and Relieve the Distress, They
Will Ask to be Annexed to 1.-THE
United States.

LOND)N Lee. O.-1 H6 HI
favor of the West Indies sugar industry
has acquired large political interest in
England and bids fair to become an in
itiative toward a revival of protection
ISM
In ministerial circles the agitation is
not at all relished. The ministers know
that an increasing body of their sup
porters are eager to seize the decay of
the colonial sugar industry as leverage
toward revival of protection general
ly. Lord Salisbury, while the last Con-
servative Government was in power,
determined in favor of what was
termed reciprocity" or some system
that would check the destructive inter-
ference of bounties upon the colonial
produce.
1t will be recalled that the London
conference presided over by Baron
Henry de Worms, now Lord Pirbright
decided this question Of reciprocity and
after long sittings arrived at no con-
clusion giving a remote indication Of
how to balance the conflicting interests.
Now that the foreign bounty system
threatens the absolute extinction of the
colonial sugar trade, the Conservatives
want decisive legislative action.
The predictions in English free trade
quarters that the European countries
would get tired of paying bounties to
give England cheap sugar are proving
false. The fear now is that once the
extinction of British colonial products
is accomplished, the British consumer
will find himself in the power of Con-
tinental rings which will raise prices at
their will.
The situation has become so acute
with such far-reaching possibilities of
an alteration in English commercial
policy that the representative of the
United Associated Presses has felt it
advisable to interview some of the chief
men concerned in the agitation.
r. l.. Ohlsen, Secretary Of the West
India Committee stated that the chief
consideration of a Government commits
sion would be remedial measures for
the distress III the West Indies, and
connected Herewith the granting of i'm
perial loans administered through the
local Governments on certain condi-
tions of interest, etc., to planters who
improved their estates. The West In
dia Committee was in constant consult
alton with the Government, urging it to
hopes that the influence Of Mr.. Cham
berlain would be exerted on their be-
half. The committee was also in COM
munication with prominent foreign pol
iticians and commercial bodies. Re-
garding the question of the annexation
of the British West Indies to the United
States, he knew that among planters
there was a strong feeling that they
would be better treated if absorbed by
the United States.
Touching the subject Of annexation,
Neville Lubbock, when interviewed,
said if the West Indies were to be
ruined and England was determined
to continue her cheap sugar, leaving the
West Indies to starvation, there was
going to be much rioting and blood
shed. The educated masses, growers and
others, whose money and interests were
in the islands, were nearly all patriotic
Englishmen. But there was increasing
feeling among them that in the event
of the refusal of England to assist
there was but one alternative-the an
nexation of the islands to the United
States. They would prefer to remain
English if they could, but not at the
cost of entire ruin
The United States would not allow an
industry so valuab BILE to the American
people to be destroyed, and when the
time came for the West Indian colonies
of Great Britain to be taken over by
the United States, as the colonies
seemed to be worth nothing to England
she could not offer to sell, but must
give them to the United States. West
Indian sugar entering the United States
duty free would suit the American peo-
pie and restore the finances Of the
islands to flourishing condition within