The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-03-30
COLONIAL TAXES.
Are Once More Making TroubI g
For England.
jana lea is on the Verge of a
Revolution
a MNGn IT'LL HRnNHN
THE GROWN
On Account of High Handed
Methods of the Governor.
Tariff ont Necessaries and
LuXuries ON Free List.

| Correspondence of Associated Press. ]
! Kingston, Jamaica, March 30.-The
| political crisis in Jamaica, that was
] foretold IN the Associated Press dis
! patch Of February 81, has developed.
| The colony entered the acute stage yes
terday evening, and what the next week
or day may bring forth 1t would need a
! wise prophet to forecast.
The legislative council met on March
IA and the governors address proved,
! apparently, a most conciliatory mani
festo to the people. The papers accepted
1T with joy. Within twenty-four hours,
however. it turned out to be waste
paper. At the next days session the
government introduced new tariff bill
making drastic innovations, tax ng
many necessities and putting on the
free list many luxuries
The elective house declined to discuss
the bill, of which they had no notice,
and by unanimous vote threw out
the first reading. By q, bubble the gov
ernOr ruled that the bill from that mo-
ment went into operation, adjourned the
council until today, and instantly con-
vened the privy council, which sustained
his ruling, and ordered the new tariff in
immediate operation concurrently with
the existing one, which expires
March 81.
This act caused commotfon in COM
mercial circles. The general public was
not less excited. The newspapers, in
Guiding the Cleaner, perhaps one of the
most conservative and non-committa1
papers in the British colonies, raved and
prophesied no end of evil.
1t was understood up to yesterday
that the elected members had deter
mined unanimously to block all further
business until the government yielded
to their constitutional right to accept
or reject financial measures and with
draw the outrageous ruling, as they eX-
pressed it, by which the new tariff had
been forced on the country. The gov
ernor yesterday evening took steps to
block this programme. He issued a
proclamation prorogufng the council and
another converting it to meet today at
o'clock. At the same time he issued
manifesto declaring that with concur
renee and under the instructions of Mr..
Chamberlain he would by this step be
enabled to reintroduce the tariff bill and
carry it through, taking such steps as
by the constitution to take to secure
that object.
This means just what was forecasted
on reliable information in the dispatch
of February 81 and toward which the
government has been working. That is,
at the numerical increase of the official
side so to outVote the electives and
force government measures against
which the representatives are unan1-
nous.
The tariff bill thus passed, a crown
colony bill is expected to follow, to be
similarly forced through. To meet this
crisis, it is this morning reported that
at a. private meeting of the representa-
tives held last night it was unanimous
ly decided that il the government brings
in new official members and declines to
withdraw the new tariff altogether, they
will resign their seats in a body, thus
compelling an appeal to the voters.