New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-24
THE DANISH WEST INDIES.
BY FREDERICK A. ODER. AUTHOR OF
AMONG THE CARIBBEEs." ETC.


sions than has existed for the last thirty years,
and this interest must be shown in deeds We
must learn what it is that has brought the
islands to their present unhappy state. The
chief cause Of the distress Of the West Indies
is the export premium system exercised in Ger
many. Austria and France. to the benefit of the
beet sugar of those countries. This system IL is
which has destroyed the English islands not less
than the Danish, perhaps more; and we have
done nothing in order TO protect the Islands
against the destruction of this principal means
of subsistence. which these export premiums
cause, for we treat their sugar when it is i'm
ported by quite IL 1t were a foreign
product
Not even the little preference we have given
to our beet sugar industry at home have we
given them; and could surely do 1t without
doing any harm to our industry, as we
yearly import more foreign sugar than our West
Indian islands can export. For the export from
those islands, which formerly was 21.OOOOOO
pounds annually, decreased in the seventies to
14OO0O00 pounds, though the export from Santa
Cruz in recent years has risen to 2SOO0OOO
pounds-a bright feature in the history of the
islands, which absolutely speaks against their
sale to the United States. AS our import of for
eign sugar in good years reach about So
100000 pounds. we could therefore receive the
entire annual output Of Santa Cruz.
MORE MIGHT BE DONE.
But we could also do something more We
could try get for our islands a reciprocal Gus
toms treaty with their nearest market, the
United States OF late years England has pro-
cured these advantages for most of her west
Indian colonies. The preference given in these
treaties consists of a reduction of the American
import duty Of 121@ per cent. and the Ameri-
cans, besides the proper rates Of duty, have lald
a special duty sugar exported with the aid
of the export premium. the benefit is really
larger. Official reports from the British West
Indies thus calculate the benefit attained at
IT61S shiIings a ton. We ought with ease to
be able to procure for our colonies similar facii-
ties as we are officially on the best terms with
the United States. 1t is true that such facilities
must in return be paid for by concessions from
US. but It would be the islands special tariff,
not on DenmaTk's.
But. next to this ought to get clear IN
Outstanding of how we are financially treating
the islands. Formerly they were regarded as
part Of the Danish State, which collected their
incomes and paid their expenditures, as it does
with any other part of Denmark, But when
We some thirty years ago. gave to the islands
the present colonial law. made them in fact
a foreign country. We laid upon these little
islands, less than six miles DANISH square the
burden of bearing all their expenses themselves.
administrative. justice. military. etc, We gave
them the blessings of home rule in order to
crush them under it's weight. Such a small ter
ritory cannot bear the burden Of an independent
state and such neither do the other nations de-
mand from their colonies for order in these Is
supported by police forces aided by ships or war
and not by any military organizations OF their
own.
PRACTICAL AID EXTENDED
The English Government some months ago
Informed the Parliament that the navy is not
md fbp ms
rtne hospitals are following the same course-in
order to aid the colonies by thus giving them the
supply of these State institutions. Is it not pos
sble to create a feeling here at home (oen- g
mark to assist West Indian ISLANDS IN
similar manner? 1t would not be giving them
charity, but the contrary, enable theIh 70
carry their own expenses and the lslano W0uu
surely be more thankful TO us Tot TINS IHdI
they are now, when we throw aims TO them ana
then remind them early and late that they are
nothing but beggars who deserve TO be sold!
This extract from a leading paper in Den
mark shows the attitude of the mother country
toward her little colonies in the West Indies.
One Of the cOonials. a member of the Island
Council, and resident in Charlotte Amalla,
capital of st. Thomas. for more than twenty
For some time there has been growing up in
this community a strong feeling against the
American Government owning this island. You
will remember that years ago the lnhaDltantS
voted. almost to man. for their cessiOn to the
United States but since its occupation of Porto
Rico sort of fear has Crept into their hearts
that. instead of becoming American citizens and
a portion of America, we would simply be an
island dependency legislated for by Washington
politicians and governed by United States SOL
diers Our people reason, and perhaps not UNI
Justly, that if the people of Porto Rico, gov
erned despotcally by Spaniards. lOnged to be
come Americans believing it would be better for
them and have been disappointed, then If we,
governed mildly. justly and hOnorably by the
Danes. should find in the United States Govern
ment an Oligarchy, instead Of republic; fraud,
corruption, dishonest politics and display of
ownership and conscious superiority, born of
prejudice against the colored people, how greatly
should we be disappointed!
FEAR THE AMERICAN SUNDAY.
Il shall not speak of the religious liberation
which exists here. and which, If l correctly
Informed. would be somewhat curtailed should
the Americans occupy this island For instance.
our stores can be opened until a. m. and after
service, on Sunday, at t p. m. Our boys can
play cricket in the field Sundays, a circus
great latitude permitted by the authorities. Who
while possessing the power to make things dis
agreeable, rarely do so to citizen who is law
abiding and respectable. Then, again. there is
the dread of a high tariff being introduced,
that foreign goods to which have been ac-
customed for years would become virtually pro-
hibited to the poor. who all occasions. eS-
pecially holidays. dress neatly and decentIy,
owing to the CheapneSS of Stuffs imported from
abroad. True. American manufactures might
take their place, but 1t is feared that duty
might even be placed upon them far greater
than pay new. But above all this there is
the social question, and the fear of our better
class coored population being relegated TO the
rear.
Still, no attention has been paid to the fact
that only few months ago Porto Rico was
swept by Of the most awful hurricanes that
ever passed over the West Indies, and that, had
I not then belonged to the United States, whose
people SO manfully and Cheerfully stepped for
ward with their millions and their contributions
20 save them, Porto Rico would have been one
Oh Il f,