The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-28
JAMAICA IS
ON THE VERGE
OF ANARCHY
Great Britain Forcing the
Islanders to Open
Revolution.
Special Cable to The Call and the New Yorl
yfs-ald Copyrighted. 1885, o. James Cor
don Bennett.

don Bennett.
PORT ANTONIO, Jamaica, March
27.-This island of Jamaica, British
West Indies, is passing through a Sc
we're crisis. The Governor is afraid to
occupy his residence and if anarchism
does not break out it will be entirely
due to the unequaled loyalty of the
people.
Though the island is taxed to it's ut
most capacity, with a tariff of 60 per
cent on necessaries, a weak govern
ment in order to provide funds to pre-
vent a reduction of it's members sal
aries, has actually introduced a higher
tariff
The salaries of the Jamaica officers
amount to nearly so per cent Of the
revenue collectible. The people, while
willing TO support these officials, have
not the means to do it.
The home government will not per
nit countervailing duties and thus the
sugar industry is crippled. Coffee can
find no market owing to the enormous
output of the world and banana grow
ing is the only industry to which the
people can look as a means of support.
Dependence upon even this article will
soon be impossible. The Boston Fruit
Company, which controls the industry
in Jamaica, is confronted by keen COM
petition in Central America and Cuba
and has been compelled to reduce the
purchasing price of bananas to 80 cents
a bunch, with a possibility of further
reduction If Cuban bananas should be
admitted to the United States free of
duty Under these circumstances the
cultivation of fruit by small settlers
would be impossible and the peace Of
the island would be seriously threat
ened Jamaica then will be driven by
the British Government to anarchism
or perhaps Worse-rebellion.
The island parliament is in session
and the peoples representatives are
fighting hard to throw out the tariff
bill as a measure of relief. AS the
Government side is further strength
ened by an additional four members to
outvote the people it will succeed. The
whole country is aroused and inIIg-
nant. The Governor is afraid to re-
main at his residence. He is always
travelling away from it, and to-day he
is under the protection of the American
flag, being a guest of the president of
the Boston Fruit Company at this
place.
no:.os.o:.o:.o:.o:.o:.~ :ao:3o:.osaoH
lin and the gang during the morning, and
several were severely injured. The cries
of the defenseless men resounded through
the corridors of the City Hall, and the
Election Commissioners sent Deputy
Sheriffs to arrest the thugs. AS soon as
the deputies appeared they were assault
ed or arrested by constables on warrants
issued by County Justice and charging
disorderly conduct AS the noon hour ap-
proached the Commissioners became con-
WINGED that their own lives were in dan
ger, and they sent for Sheriff Magerstadt
and asked his protection.
a conference was held, and as the po-
lice refused to interfere with the thugs
to move the office into the county build
ing. This advice was accepted, and sur
rounded by deputies the Commissioners
and clerks left the City Hall and passed
through the corridors to a room in the
county building. Sheriff Magerstadt act
ing as custodian of this structure, placed
men on guard at the entrances to the
building and prevented further riots.
Tonight the situation was alarming,
and it Is feared that murder will be com
mitted before the Commissioners finish
the reviews of election frauds.
Mayor Harrison and his agents are wild
with rage over the practical defeat of
their colonization plans, and the thugs
and thieves under the banner of a panel
house Democracy stand ready to kill as
soon as the Mayors agents give the word.