The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-27
UNREST IN THE BRITISH WEST
INDIES

Repeated dispatches from Jamaica leave
no doubt that there is a sentiment there
more or less strong and some sort of a
movement in favor of annexation to the
United States. How strong or how sincere
the movement remains to be SEEM The
latest dispatch on the subject says it is
rapidly spreading and finding general ac-
ceptance as the only visible alternative to
ruin Its promoters are said to be push
ing it vigorously in order to strengthen the
hands of Jamaica's representatives at the
sugar conference to assemble at Barbados
on Sept So If this conference adheres to
the programme foreshadowed it may have
important results. 1t is an outgrowth of
the commercial disadvantages imposed on
England's West Indian sugar-producing
colonies in the form of European bounty
fed sugar in the English market by the
mother country's free-trade policy. First
they lost their coffee trade through the
competition of Brazil and now their sugar
trade is threatened with destruction by the
bounty sugar of Germany and France,
which is admitted into England free Mean
while they have been practically cut off
ally, the United States. by being kept in
leading strings to the mother country The
Barbados congress is called to consider this
state of things. 1t will be composed of rep
resentatives from the agricultural and COM
mercial societies of the British West Indies,
and will adopt an address to the imperial
government setting forth their grievances.
fol, L,
conference says:
The resolutions will demand that an ade-
quate scheme of relief be at once prepared
by the mother country, with the alternative
that the colonies be relieved of their fiscal
responsibilities to Great Britain, if prac
ticable, and, If not practicable, that the col
onies be in the alternative relieved of all po-
litical responsibilities and allegiance, and
thus permitted to go ahead and take such
steps for their own relief as they might find
practicable as Independent commemorative.
Further, that if neither proposal be enter
tanned, the colonies will, although unpre-
pared to offer armed revolt, resort to pas
sive resistance and a moral population of
allegiance and throw the onus of DELHI
crate coercion into acceptance of their Ut
ter industrial ruin on the mother country
conjOintly with an appeal to the United
States and the world at large for moral
support.
1t is evident this situation contains the
possibilities of interesting Developments.
Nothing is more apt to arouse the resent
ment of colonsts than what they consider
disregard of or discrimination against their
commercial interests by the mother country
and eventually such a feeling is sure to
ripen into disloyalty. In recent years. espe-
cially since her experience with the Amer
lean colonies. England has dealt wisely and
literally with such questions. and it is quite
likely she may offer a satisfactory solution
of the present situation in her West Indian
colonies.
The significance of the present movement.
for larger commercial privileges is en-
HANGED by the fact that it comes Just as
Porto Rico has been acquired by the United
States. If England's sugar-producing COL
ones in the West Indies were handicapped
before this event they will be far more so
hereafter. Under American rule and the
stimulus OF our demand for the commodity
Porto Rico will probably produce 10000 tons