The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-03-28
SULLEN BLACKS.
COlOred Population of Barba-
does Out of Work
And Suffering For Food Set
Fire to Plantations.
RACE RIOT LIKELY.
Nightly the Blaze of the Cane
EioIdc ipb4e 4I,o Ho,;1on
A Move to DepOrt the LabOrers
to st. Lucia Isle.

little island of Barbados is at present |
in the throes of grave social difficulties.
Barbados is 81 miles long by 141a miles
in breadth. It has an area of 166 square
miles, which represent about 106,470
acres, 100000 of these being cultivated
1t is estimated that there are at pres
ent 100000 Inhabitants composed as
follows: Whites, 10000; mixed, $4,000;
blacks, 1900 This population repre-
sents about 1,204 persons to the square
mile. An idea of the density of the
population may be gathered from the
fact that while in England and Wales
the average is AS to the square mile, in
Barbados it is nearly three times this
number. Nowhere, except possibly in
China, is the population so dense. OF
course it goes without saying that in
a country over-populated the bulk of
the people find it very hard to live. And
this is especially so in Barbados, where
nearly all the land is taken up in the
cultivation of sugar cane. The sugar
planters practically own the island and
only here and there are small private
aIlOtmentS to be found Barbados
might truly be described as being one
large sugar plantation about as extern
Sive in area as one parish in Jamaica.
Sugar and only sugar is produced there
and all rich and poor, black and white,
are dependent upon this industry for
the means of living. If sugar fails.
general distress is the result The
white planter looks to his field of cane
to supply him with the means of living
luxuriously and sending his family to
England for a summer holiday, while
the black laborer looks to the products
of these same fields for the means of
purchasing his frugal fare of Goldfish
and sweet potatoes, and the ''shoddy''
with which he fixes himself out on
Sundays. This being so, it can readily
be understood that a fall in the price
of sugar means distress and privation
To no ir7h Tlfc of ha iG11
Consequent upon the operation of the
European sugar bounties, the West In
dian sugar industry has suffered very
much and but for the pluck and indOm-
liable courage and resource of the Bar
badian planter. the industry would have
ceased to exist on that island. But in
face of all hardships, he has perseVered
and kept up the cultivation of the cane
with hardly the smallest margin of pro-
fits on which to live. Great Britain, the
mother country, has done nothing to
assist the West Indian sugar planter.
1t could not be expected that under
the existing circumstances high wages
could be maintained, or that all the
blacks of the island could be employed.
The result has been that the laboring
| class of Barbados has suffered very
much want and is still suffering. OF
| course this condition has been aggrava-
ted by the redundancy of the population
/ With ! 204 persons to the square mile
/ and no work for many of them it will
| readily be seen that the situation IS
/ alarming. The West Indian royal COM
| missionaries of 1897 took this view They
said that if the sugar industry were de-
] StrOyed the negroes, not having the
/ means Of support, would break out into
| open violence. True, it has not yet come
/ to this, but it must sooner or later.
| Within the last month incendiarism
| has been rampant in Barbados. The
/ blacks have set fire to a large number
| of plantations and every night for
weeks cane fields illuminations have
! been frequent
The Agricultural Reporter, of Bar
BADGES. the leading journal of the island
says:
"Cane fires have not been quite so
frequent this fortnight. For only one
| night could we boast of three at time,
| but those three were SO simultaneous
| that we could not but be aware that the
| spirit of deviltry is still alert, still ready
for mischief, still willing, in it's own
! despite and without cause, to imperil
| and shriveI with fire the struggling,
| handicapped industry of our island.'
| Such, then, is the condition of things
| in Barbados. What is to be done with
| the redundant starving population?
| One answer to this question will be
| found in the suggestion to send the
| Barbadians to ST. Lucia, and it is be-
| lieved this suggestion is bound to be
| adopted in the near future 1t is at
present receiving consideration at the
hands Of the government.
The Barbados Bulletin contains the
following promising that st. Lucia is
in need of agriculturists and will be
only too glad to receive her suffering
fellow cOlOnists:
THE soil of st. Lucia is known to be
rich and the large tracts of uncultiva-
ted land are said to be able to accom-
modate an immigrant agricultural pop
ulation OF 10000 with ease and comfort.
The development of the extensive re-
sources of that place would operate di-
rectly towards the progress of st. Lu-
Ella and give it considerable higher
lift above the respectable position on
which it now occupies among the lesser
Antilles. Roads are opened up penetrat-
ing the the heart of the country, and by
the joint use of railways the lands
which today are clothed with forest
trees can be converted into prosperous,
smiling villages.
I'VE believe that this subject is one
which should be taken up by the gov
eminent of this country in the interest
of the teeming population, which can
not long hold out in the struggle for
! life, if relief in some way or other can
not be afforded them. The question OF
feeding such a population as we have
| is not light one. 1t has been and is
still of perplexing nature But a
streak of light has again been thrown
| upon the problem of what must be done
to save the people from starvation when
we find st. Lucia opening her arms
to welcome powerful contingent of
agricultural laborers who are willing to
| work with the prospects of their settle
! ment upon land equitably proportioned
in lots under easy conditions, BEING
cloudless and substantial The pressure
Of the people of this colony is immense
and it is now that the last efforts of a
brave but contented people are being
made to keep the wolf from the door
therefore any means whereby they
could more freely breathe life would be
acceptable to no small portion of the
unemployed labor of this colony Mer
are willing to work but where to get il
at home can not be found. Why should
they stand idle in market TDIa0eS xu17
they could be sent to the rich Vine
yards Of our sister colony where they
many find plenty to do? The grip OF
poverty has been felt in this community
~ =.