Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-10-25
THE JAMAICAN "REBELLIoN."
Whole Trouble Arises Out Of Present Aqri
cultural State Of the island.

Correspondence of The Associated Press.)
Kingston. ia. Oct. lS.-For the last
two or three weeks the attention of the
outside world has been specially direct
ed to this island by the incipient con-
dition of rebellion said to have been
reached by the alleged Maroon tribes
men, who inhabit the mountain fast
ness of the eastern and western ends
of the island. The formidable noun
tain tribesmen of Jamaica are nothing
but mythical survival of an historic
people that practically ceased to exist
generation ago.
After the suppression in 1895, of the
Maroon rebellion. the Maroons were
assimilated with the other inhabitants
of the island. the only difference be-
ing that they were to be held on re-
servations for the purpose of restraint
Retiring to their reservations and
keeping themselves aloof from the
common negroes" the Maroons be-
came in time almost forgotten peo-
pie. The elders chung together; but
the younger assmilated by degrees
with the surrounding populations.
In this way the Maroons were grad
ually mixing with the people of the
island when the negro rebellion broke
out in 1863. This brought them again
to the front. They assisted the govern
ment forces and saved the day 70,
them. For weeks. these people, the last
of the Maroons stood between law and
order on the one hand and read riot,
pillage and carnage on the other, until
the English troops could be got into
action. For this service some addi-
tional grants of land were made to the
tribe.
Since 1868. the last survivors of the
original pure Maroons stock have died
out. The younger generation, while in
heriting the tribal characters, are es-
sentially only ordinary Jamaican peas
ant proprietors and citizens, without
shadow of special privilege, but the
traditions die hard and the tradition Of
the Maroon tribe. aided by a few geo.
graphical names and the concentration
of property survived the tribe and this
not only in the popular mind but in
the mind of the government as well,
SO that it took the government some
time to realize the exact facts of the
case.
This brings matters up to the recent
trouble. which is no more or less than
the old land question, raised to an
acute crisis by the deplorable industrial
condition of the island. Owing to the
success of European bounty fed beet
sugar in killing the West Indian cane
sugar industry-for which Great Brit
ain is clearly responsible--nearly all
ha l,a II
Fruit cultivation has been substituted
| to a large extent; but this cannot
support a teeming population of 100000
as the sugar industry did and could.
The result is that the island is, today
overrun by thousands of unemployed
and for the most part starving laborers
negroes of course.
| 1t is quite true that no one need starve
in this tropical paradise, where the land
answers profusely to the mere tickling.
But that presupposes possession of the
land, and just here the trouble comes in.
The land-the available land. at least
is held by the landlords and cannot be got
by. the working people. The peasant pro-
prietary form comparatively small
class of the population. Many Landlords
will neither sell nor rent lneir lands.
| Those who agree to do so impose the con-
dition that bananas~are not to be culti-
waited, as their cultivation might glut the
market. where the landlords now enjoy t,
monopoly. And. as nothing else that has
a quick growth finds market in these
days. the people decline tastake up land
on such terms.
It is inevitable that such condition of
affairs should create widespread popular
satisfaction. The. landlords are held
Immediately responsible. the. government
remotely so. On the whole therefore, the
island is ripe for the old popular dis
turbances.. But the ability to bring this
about is lacking. and SO is the oppor-
the popular notion that the so-called Ma
rooms are sensitive on the subject of their
alleged rights and privileges, certain ar
| den. and irresponsible spirits have taken
the descendants of the Maroons to make
preposterous claims and commit tres
passes in the hope of attaining some per-
sonal gain.
| Most of the dissatisfied negroes are
only too glad to encourage these tactics
| benefit may result to themselves or that
at least an opportunity may arise to pill
lage the property of landlords and others.
| This is what nearly happened at Annette
Bay, a fortnight ago, wnen the would-be
| "Maroons" raided Fyfe's Pen and actu-
any successfully resisted the police for a
| time. Any prolonged success would in
evitably have precipitated general negro
uprising, but the appearance of strong
reinforcement, backed up by white troops,
settled the matter.
| The irritating condition, however, re-
mains unaltered, and there is little doubt
| that the price Of the maintenance of peace
and order in the island for some time to
come-until the disturbed industrial con-
d1tlons have quieted down-will be con-
slant vigilance and prompt action on the
part of the government.
1