The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-05-16
Colonial Experiments on
Island Unsatisfactory.
TOO SMALL AND TOO FAR OFF
Same Troubles Encountered as Those
With Which Spain Met in Management
Of Territory in the Western Henri
sphere-Commerce With United States.

dian Islands, partially devastated by the
volcanic eruption CT Mont Peiee. have not, /
according 70 the publication OF the Treas
ury Bureau of Statistics. Colonial Admin
istration,'' been altogether satisfactory
While many of the French colonies have
been successful and prosperous. those of
the West Indies. by reason CT their small
area and distance from the mother coun-
try, have proved not only a burden fnan-
cialIy but somewhat unsatisfactory in the
demands which their representatives have
made and continue 10 make upon the
mother country France has tried the ex-
pertinent, as did Spain, Of giving TO certain
colonies representation in the legislative
body Of the home government and, accord
ing to quotation made in the Bureau Of
Statistics publication from N. Leroy
Beaulieu that experiment has been unsat-
isfactory.
The French colonies IN America, as is
well known. consist Of Martinique and
GuadeIoupe with their adjacent Islands
forming part of the chain of small ISL
ands which stretches in a semicircle south
easIwardIy from Porto Rico almost 10 the
coast OF South America On the mainland
of South America near the southern ter
minus Of this semicircIe OF islands just
mentioned is another colony Of France,
French Guiana. while farther north Just
of the southern coast OF Newfoundland is
the remainder Of French colonial America,
the islands OF ST. Pierre and Miquelon.
Area of Martinique.
Martinique has an area Of $81 square
miles and a population OF about 10000
Of which number about 5000 are laborers
brought from India and over 5000 laborers
from Africa; also about 500 Chinese i'm
migrants The remainder Of the popula-
ton is largely native negroes. the white
population numbering in all about 10000
A large share of the interior OF the island
has never been brought under cultivation,
although 1t has been occupied by the
French almost constantly since 1886, pc
Rod Of 26I years. the only interruption in
French control being the period from 1874
to 1902, when the island was held by the
British Slavery existed until 1873, when
il was abolished in this, as well as in
other French colonies. Notwithstanding
the fact that a large part Of its interior
has never been brought under cultivation,
the island is described by Reclus as "One
OF the most denseIy populated spots On
the globe; on the arabic lands people are
packed as closely as in such industrial
centers as Lancashire, Flanders. or Sax
ony."
Character of the Government.
The government OF Martinique consists
CT local legislative body. composed Of
natives, which has the power 10 pass laws
applicable to the exercise of political
rights. the regulation OF contracts, mat
ters relating to wills, Iegaeies, and sue
cessions, the institution Of juries, Grim
inal procedure, recruiting for naval and
military forces. and the methods Of elect
ing local officers in the cities and towns
The governor and other officers are ap-
pointed by the French government, which
also makes the tariff laws OF the island,
as is the case with reference TO its other
colonies This and the other American
colonies Of France have, as already indi-
Gated, a much larger share OF self-gOy-
eminent than any other Of her colonies,
and are each represented by q senator and
two deputies in the French legislative
body corresponding to the Congress of
the United States These large powers Of
self government and of participation IN
national legislation are The subject Of
open criticism by French economic writ
eFs- Leroy BeauHeu, perhaps the most
distinguished Of French writer's Of the
present day upon economic subjects. IN
his "CoIonlsation Chez les Peoples Mod
ernSs," says. AS regard politics, We have
introduced French liberty into our colo
MES, we give them civil governors. admit
their representatives into our Parliament.
and while ali these reforms are excellent
in themselves, II IS unfortunately 10 Be
feared that they viii in practice result in
abuses. and that unless the mother eoun-
Try is very watchful those very powers
which she has granted 10 her colonies viii
beeome-pewers Of oppression The depu-
,-r=-
ment serve only TO represent the malice.
prejudice. and ignorance of the blacks.
The weak executive power in France al
lows itself to be intimidated by these
deputies and sends out 10 the colonies
ceEaFdIy and incapable governors. whose.
5ndecisfon Of character feeds the u.~re or
less barbarous hopes Of the native popu-
1ation OF the island"
Sir Charles DiIke's Views.
Sir Charles Dixie. the weII-known Brit
ISL legislator and writer upon colonial
governments. does not join IN the pes
simIstic views whieh the French writer's
express regarding the experiments which
the French have made in the encourage
Inent OF local government in their
West Indian colonies In his Problems
Of Greater Britain" he says: Some who
think the negro untitled for self-govern-
ulent point TO Haiti; bat they might re-
feet that in the French Islands Of Mar
Unique and Guadeloupe power is in the
hands Of the col0Ted people while the ISL
ands prosper. The experience, indeed, Of
those islands in which the negroes and
'coIoured' people have been entrusted with
large share in government and the use
which they make Of representative instf-
tuTions seems 10 show that their detFac-
tors are in the wrong. The friends Of the
negro are now able to point TO the prog
ress effected by The West Indian peasant
propriet0rs. to the spread Of education,
10 the undoubted rise in the standard Of
comfort, and 10 the prominent place al
ready taken by individuals OF the African
Yace. The example Of Martinique and
Guadalupe goes to show that il is time
that we Cthe Engiish) should make trial
OF a more liberal system.
The Race Troubles.
1T IS eontended that where representa-
tiFes Of the people are elected by man
hood suffrage, as is the case in the French
islands Of Martinique, Guadalupe, and
Reunion. the result has been a recrudes-
cence Of race hatreds and the political
subsection Of the whites TO men Of color
While We have certain contempt for the
French. conside ID as a colonizing people
eYeFy English writer OF the subject ad-
naiJs that the French have been more