The record-union., 1899-03-01
A Political Crisis Which is Likely
TO End in BIoodshed.
The People to b. Cosreed Into Surrender.
Ing Their Constitutional Government.
A Reduction Of Salaries of All
Petty Officials From Fifty to
Two Hundred Dollars Per Year
Drastic Measures by the Inn.
periaI Government.

Correspondence of the Associated Press.)
KINGSTON (Jamaica), Feb. 21.--This
colony is on the verge of a political
crisis, which may involve bloodshed.
Owing to the treatment of the colony
by the Imperial Government recently,
particularly the manner of marketing
its products, Jamaica, in common with
the other British possessions in the
West Indies, is virtually bankrupt. I'm
able to meet it's growing legal liabill-
ties, the colony necessarily looks to
Great Britain for financial aid, and the
Colonial Office, through Mr.. Chamber
lain, has answered, as it has to Rarba-
dos and the smaller islands, that aid
can be extended solely on condition
that the Imperial Government shall
control the Jamaican finances here
after. That would involve a change of
the Constitution = the resignation OF
representative institutions and the ac-
ceptance of crown-colony government.
This Jamaica is not prepared to con-
cede, preferring to meet its financial
crisis in some other way. That other
way is by a drastic scheme of retrench-
ment I'M the too-expensive Adminlstrat-
i've establishments. The revenue is not
so much depleted that the country
would not hold it's own through the
crisis, if the intolerable burden of over
administration were modified.
As under the present Constitution
the elective side of the Legislature
controls the finances-provided a ma
jority of nine of the fourteen Repre-
sentatives vote is solidly for or
against any financial measure
Government has never realized that
at the coming session this policy of re-
trenchment would be forced upon 1t. TO
meet it it has taken timely action. 1t
has begun a system of retrenchment
that completely set the country by the
ears.
In the first place, the salaries of all
petty officials. including office messen-
gers. Government building employees
and Courthouse cleaners, have been re-
duced 20 per cent, effecting a saving in
amounts ranging from ITO to t4O
year.
Last week nearly half of the State
paid district medical officers, who are
attached to the Civil Service Bureau
(they cannot by practice make a living
in the country districts), were sum-
marty discharged without notice
among them some who have occupied
their posts for more than forty years
Besides this, orders have been issued
to close down several of the district
public hospitals in some of the most
important parts of the island.
Yesterday the Governor issued war
rants converting the Council for March
14th. and at the time he let it be I'M
derstood that his intention is to avall
himself of his Constitutional prerosa-
tive to increase the official side of the
house. so as to give the Government a
clear majority One elective seat thus
vacant. the occupant of another is out
of the island, and a third seat is not to
be occupied this session
Thus the Government is prepared 10
force the country, under pretense OF
constitutionalism, to accept the con-
templated change of Constitution. but
it is not without the gravest slSnln-
canoe that a general mobilization OF
the entire military forces was ordered
simultaneously with this announce
ment The mobilization began this
morning at Port Royal.
This really means that the colony Is
TO be coerced and terrorized into sur
rendering its constitutional Govern
ment. Whether this scheme will sue
coed or not without a grave and hghiy
sensational crisis remains to be SEEN