Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-09-15
Island Of Jamaica,
Fate of Annexation Move
ment Sealed.
Movement Inaugurated Having for
Its Object the ACQUISITION Of the
Island to Canada.

The fate OF the movement Of the
annexation OF Jamacla to the United
States is sealed, says the Kingston,
Jamacia, correspondent OF the New
York Times. For week or two the
matter has been talked over; talked
to death and allowed to drop.
This has not been owing to the
lack OF sympathy from the better-in-
formed colonsts and those whose ma
terial interests are involved in the
future Of the island. 1t may safely
be said that these, 10 man, favored
the proposition. Otherwise, indeed,
It would never have reached the i'm
portance that 1t did at the outset.
But the color prejudice proved too
strong, and even those who realized
most clearly the magnitude or the
crisis and the completeness of the So
luton that annexation would afford
dreaded TO face the personal antagou-
ism that their support Of the move
ment would invoke. Hence, when
the full strength OF popular opposi'
tion was felt, open sympathy promptly
| vanished.
The gravity of the crisis remains
unaltered, however, and the darkness
or the shadow OF industrial gloom
cast oyer the island by the prospective
annexation of Cuba and Porto Rico
into the United States is in no way
relieved by this concession to ar un-
reasoning, popular prejudice.
In best-lnfOrmed circles 1t is felt
that, facing demand for annexation
to the United States as an alternative
no representations that the Barbados
conference may make to the imperial
government will produce the least
effect on the policy of the home au-
thorities. For this reason there is
already on foot an alternative annex
alton proposal which, while notfnearly
so promising as that for admission 10
the United States, yet holds out some
prospect for relief from the crisis
that surely threatens the island.
The proposal now is to seek admis-
sion into the Canadian Dominion
While the sugar market there is not
so large as that OF the United States
IL is better than none at all. On the
other hand, there will be no change
, in nationality, and the color question
would not be touched. There are two
cardinal points at issue, and 1T migh'
oe that Canadian annexation woulC
now assimilate them and reconcile al
3 conflicting interests as TO be the mos
I practicable solution obtainable. OI
this there seems to be an agreement
Of popular sentiment.
1t is not proposed, however, to taxi
!, any definite steps In the matter until
0 the Barbados conference has proved
4 its unity or otherwise, And no idei
/, of the outlook can be formed her
until mail adyices are received of th'
course Of the deliberations OF the con
< ference. This will not be until th'
end OF this week, for, although Their
. is telegraph line to Barbados, TIN
tolls are so prohibitiye as to preclud
y It's use.
= That the Dominian government ant
n the people OF Canada are favorabl.
n disposed. not only to the annexation
. of Jamaica, but of the British Wes
:, Indies as a whole, is a strong point II
II the propaganda; and the Canadian
a agent here, one OF the brightest AM
Q most popular business men OF Kings
e tou, is just the sort of man TO wor
I'D the movement.