The Portland daily press., 1896-12-07
DISCONTINUED SUGAR GROWERS.
Looking to the United States to Preserve
Their Business.

London, December 5-Since the els
patches of the United Associated Presses
in November announced the beginning
dies sugar industry, the matter has ac-
quired large political interest in England,
and bids fair to become an initiative
toward the revival of protectionisin.
The commission of inquiry proposed by
the government is held on all sides as q
mere staving off of subject which de-
mands urgent settlement. In ministerial
circles the agitation is not at all relished
The ministers know that an increasing
body of their supporters are eager to
see the decay Of the colonial sugar in
dustry as leverage toward a revival of
protection generally.
The prediction 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 sugar products is ac-
complished, the British consumer will
find himself in the power of continents
rings which will raise the prices at their
will.
Mr.. |. L. Ohlsen, secretary of the West
India committee, stated that one of the
recommendations of the government COM
mission was sure to he the placing of a
duty of $40 per ton on all foreign sugar
mported into England. The chief con-
sideration of the commission would he
remedial measures for the distress in the
West Indies, ard connected Herewith
the granting of imperial loans (adminis-
tered through the local governments on
certain conditions Of interest, etc., to
planters for improving their estates.
The West India commission were in con-
slant communication with the govern
ment, urging it to call conference, and
had reasonable hopes that the influence
of Mr.. mherlain would be exerted
on their behalf. The committee were also
in communication with prominent foreign
politicians aud commercial bodies.
Regarding the question of the annexa-
ton of the British West Indies to the
United States, Mr.. Ohlsen said he knew
that among the planters there was
strong feeling that they would he better
treated if absorbed by the United States
Touching this subject of annexation
Mr.. Neville Lubbock, when interviewed,
said if the West Indies were to be ruined
and England was determined to have her
cheap sugar, leaving the West Indies to
starvation, there was certain to he much
Iioting and. bloodshed. The educated
Glasses, growers and others, whose money
and interests were in the islands, were
nearly all patriotic Englishmen.
But there was an increasing feeling
among them that in the event of the re-
fusaI of England to assist there was but
one alternative, the annexation OF the
islands to the United States. They would
prefer to remain English II they could,
but not 1T the cost of financial ruin.
The United States would not allow an
industry SO valuable 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 it could not be question
of purchase by the United States. AS
the colonies seemed to be worth nothing
to England, she could not offer to sail,
but must give them to the United States.
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