, 1898-03-30

causes Tor It's depression are TO De 1Ound part
~ in the sugar bounties Of Germany, France,
and Austria, in conjunction with English
free trade, and above all, in McKinley's pro.
tectionist tariff.
The United States is the natural and pin.
cipal market Of St. Croix, and likewise the
factory prices at present are sci by the Ameri-
can market. Before the advent OF pIOleC-
tiopism this worked we'll enough. but now
that prices have had 10 be SO reduced, it has
become extremely difficult even to defray HE
expenses Of production and to meet the taxes,
and if ever the time come, when projections
ism shall have achieved It's aim, aud Amerl-
ca succeed in raising it's own sugar SUI ply,
then the American market will be practically
closed to us. That the planters, under these
circumstances, should look upon annexation
to America as their only hope, is perfectly
n%atura lheil idea Icing that such a CON
neXiOn would mean q freedom from import
duties at both ends, 50 that, for instance corn.
meal salt provisions, lumber and other ncCes.
sarieS, might even be had here duty free.
That sugar would be admitted duty free, no
one could undertake to say with any degree
of certainty, but it is supposed that it will.
Another result which is considered highly
probable is u raise in the value If property,
aud many planters are hoping for this, being
anxious to sell. That the medal has also
its reverse, no one seems TO think of, but
among the not improbable consequences, is
one at least which could hardly crafty the
planters, viz:-an increase in taxes, and
also q pretty considerable increase in wages.
i. Q. increased expenses Of production, not 10
mention political and administrative condi-
tions of q probably less agreeable nature.
Still, we may safely suppose that the planters
for the moment aIe in favour of the sale.
finally we have the 4th class, which to.
gether with the native fumctionaries, and
ditto planters, constitute the real pith and
core of he inhabitunts. They are the right.
full children of the soil, who, by right Of
birth and nature are the true heirs and
owners Of the island, for after all, the
officials, aud most Of The planters are really
only immigrants. This portion then of the
p~opulati m, consisting principally Of colored
people, seems, on the whole, to be tolera.
bly, wide awake to the fact that it is
rather more than questionable whether it
would profit by the exchange. They
know md admit that they now exist
under orderly and peaceful conditions, and
ale by no means wishfuI to participate ac-
cording to "HNrPer,' in that peculiar code If
ethics which is 50 distinctly u feature If
American rule and administration They
know furthermore exceeding we'll that the
first inevitable cOnst quence of American
ownership would be Il keen competition in
trade and otherwise, with new American ar
rivals, and a perfect deluge Of the unem-
ployed, of questionable character and moral
worth. The consequence would be-and this
part Of the population knows it well-that if
even one here and there won by the exchange,
10y far the greater number would go to the
wall, and many tradesmen and industrial
workers who now are respectfully if modest
ly, situated would be ruined
All this is clear enough to this class, and
it knows another thing, which mahes it
anything but DESTROYS of becoming American.
1t has lived all its life under a regime ihat
knows nothing of race distinctions, side
by side with a white population which
knows nothing Of racial prejudice, and year
by year its human cation steadily Incl eases.
AID it knows too that should the islands
become American all that would be changed
at a blow. For there is not Il moIe pleju.
diced nation in the ma ter of colour md
Ince, than the American, SO that under the
American flag these people would be de-
graded and despiAed, and his. coupled with
other wise hardened circumstances would mean
general deterioration.
Under these circumstances there can be
little doubt as to the result of a general vote.
since this fourth class is numerically greatly
in excess. and could easily OutyOty the