Waterbury Democrat., 1901-05-14
IRE ON TIE ANXIOUS SEAT.
People of West Indies Awaiting
 Result of Conference.

Newspaper Correspondents Can Get
 Very Little News-The St Thomas
 Negro is Watching Events in Porto
 Rico--It is, a Rare Thing to Meet a
 White Man in That Country.
 St Thomas, Danish West Indies, Sunday, May 5.-While the people here are doing a great deal of guessing on the annexation question and are eyi- dently anxiously awaiting develop ments of the Copenhage gen Washington negotiations, they are extremely retl- cent and refuse to express an opinion to foreigners, particularly should the visitor chance to be a newspaper cor respondent. But it has been ascertain-' ed that the merchants would be we'll satisfied with the change, provided this port remains free as at present.
 The better informed islanders (and that means seven-tenths of them, for. the St Thomas negro is probably bet ter informed than any other man of his color1 are watching movements in Porto Rico and, in fact. all legislation in the United States which affects Por- to Rico.
 Excepting bay rum and bay oil the exports of the islands are practically nothing. In the adjacent island of St John about 900 persons obtain q scanty living from Burning charcoal for St Thomas. The one resource of the island is the trading interests, the daily bread of nearly all the inhabit- ants depends upon the shipping in the harbor. The dry dock, owned by British syndicate, does a good business nd fl,apsa o ,.c caxraro1 eI,fn oh a ndlops, of good rating. The merchants consider it inevitable that the islands must some time come under American con trol They do not seem pleased at what they hear of American progress in Porto Rico. Such thing as tar if is unknown here. With a closed port, the concensus of opinion seems to be that the islands would be worse off than now.
 The Hamburg American steamship line recently established coaling sta ton here, which it would have to give up should the port be closed. The French line also has a coal dock. These steamship lines are the heaviest pur- chasers of supplies here, and it would be a great loss to the island to lose their trade.
 After the question of free port, the next objection is the race question. It is an exception to meet a white man here. The average American is sur prised at the intelligence Of ese col ored people. Many of ther7 nave been graduated from French, English or German universities, and their gen eral knowledge of world affairs is as tonishing. It is not rare to find St Thomian who is linguist, speak
 
 fish. French, German and Danish.
 If we come under the American flag how will we be looked upon by the American people?'' asked promi- nent merchant, who is one of the first in this little commircial world, al- though he is a negro.
 We are naturally anxious to know what our status will be. Now we can send our children to Europe to be edu- cated, and they will be received with the respect due them. We are colored but we have the refinement and the education of the white man, and we feel their equals. We go to England. or on the continent without embaf- rassment. Can you mention q hotel i'll New York or. any other American city where we would dare to register?
 If we come under American rule, our trade must be with America. Could we go to the United States to purchase our stock without being humiliated?" Very little American news is re- printed in the two little Sx10 local dailies. Should the United States ac- quire these islands she will have diff ficult problem to solve in the race question: As a rule, however, the residents here seem to expect annexa- ton and are prepared to meet the in eyitable.
 The government officers are now mostly held by Danish subjects. On account of their color the St Thomian does not expect to succeed the retiring Danes.