Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-03
Conditions in the British
West Indies.
LOW PRICE OF SUGAR
APPEAL TO THE BRITISH FOR.
EIGN OFFICE.
Consul Sawtel Says the People Have
Lost Heart and Are Becoming
Sullen and Reckless.


| B. w. L.. has forwarded to the Secretary of
State a copy Of petition from a committee
of the West India Company to MIR. Cham
| berlain of the British foreign office, appeal
| ing for financial assistance.
| The petition which has direct earring on
| the Cuban and Porto Rican questions Is
dated April IS and is as follows:
Critical Conditions.
I'VE have the honor to call y'ur atten-
ton to the critical position in which the
sugar industry of the West Ind IS is now
| placed owing to the fact that the sugar
| bounties convention recently agl eed to at
| Brussels will not take effect until Septem-
| Der l. 1903. We feel it our duty TO convey
| to you to the best of our ability what the
| immediate result Is likely to be, md what,
| in opinion. 1t Is essential should be done
| by his majestys government to enable the
| industry to survive the intervening period.
go. We wish TO say that We have no doubt
| that the convention, If 1t comes into opera
| tion will solve the West Indian problem;
| but in the first place, the convention has
| not been ratified and need not be ratified
| for some ten months to come, so that until
| that time arrives the sugar industry of the
! world, SO far as 1t Is dependent on the Brit
| ish market, will be left in state of uncsr-
| tainty. except regards the European
| beet sugar production. The beet sugar
| crop, which Is about to be sown, will be
| sown with the fun knowledge that it will
| continue to receive the enormous bounties
| which it now receives.
Cannot Endure the Strain.
80. There Is consequently, in our opinion,
| no hope of any improved price for sugar
| in the immediate future; and the question
| to be considered is, whether sugar produc-
| ton of our West Indian colonies can be
| continued under the existing strain until
| September, 1893
| IL. We have no hesitation in saying that
| if nothing Is done this will be impossible.
We admit that there may be certain num-
| Der of rich proprietors, who, in view OF
! the prospects of the convention coming
| into force. will continue to carry on their
| estates but the great majority Of pro-
| prietors will be unable to do So Moreover.
| those who do continue. will reduce the
amount they allow for the cost of produc
ton, and hence, wages will be everywhere
| reduced to the detriment of the estates,
and the working classes dependent upon
them. and consequently to the revenue Of
| the colonies.
Cannot Continue Advances.
| 50. We wish to respectfully point out
what is no doubt well known to you, sir,
| that the effect OF the bounties has been
| immensely aggravated during the last
twelve months by the Cartel systems Of
Austria and Germany. and hence has
arisen the apparently rapid development Of
| a crisis which has been hanging over the
| heads Of the West Indies for the last
| twenty-five years. We have every conf
| dence, sir, that you are we'll aware Of the
| critical condition of these colonies, but we
| feel that we should be falling In our duty
| did we not express to you clearly and de-
| cidedly. our view OF the position. We who
| have signed this letter are mainly instru-
| mental in providing for carrying on the
! estates Many OF Will lose heavily by
| the pre- st nj crop. owing TO the inability Of
those to whom We have made aiva nces for
The crop TO repay those advances. We have
| had. some Of US, TO consider whether I'M
| der the Sc circumstances, we were justified
| in continuing these advances for another
| crop. and have decided that We cannot Go
| so unless some practical assistance Is given
| by our government to make such advances
| fairly safe.
Loss on Present Prices of Sugar.
! &c. Present prices are leaving a loss Of
from f. 20 e. per ton on the sugar produced
and We have. after very careful reflection,
! decided to express to you our conviction
that unless his majesty's government can
see their way to relieve the strain by at
least f2 per ton there will be a material
reduction in the cultivation of sugar in the
| West Indies.
| - 1t is for the government to consider
| what this would mean We have no wish
| to put forward an exaggerated or I'M
| necessary alarmiSt view, but We venture to
| lHlHh Sucn an event IS one Wnlcn no gov
| eminent could contemplate without the
grayest anxiety. and We have ventured to
| write this letter to you, sir, to exonerate
| ourselves from all responsibility, by con-
| veyfng to you our deliberate opinion in re-
gard to what is required to meet the case.
| No one can absolutely predict the future,
| but there is such a thing tempting
Providence 1t is our duty to give his
! maiesty's government the warning. On
them must rest the responsibility Of dealing
| with it. We believe that these colonies are
at the breaking point, and that immediate
relief Is absolutely necessary to prevent
| what We believe would be a serious ca
| lamity.
"8 In these circumstances we venture
respectfully 20 request that you will be
pleased to receive. with the chancellor of
the excheuuer. a deputation of the west
India committee. which may lay before
| you. verbally and more fully, the considera-
| ton indicated In the above brief statement
| Of the situation"
Heart Taken From the People.
In forwarding copy of this petition Con-
sui Sawter says:
1T is fact that the sugar estates in the
British West Indies are in serious plight.
The heart has been taken out of the peo-
pie. the long depression has benumbed
their energies. and they are showing a dull,
sullen apathy which BODIES no good. In
many of the districts a spirit Of reckless
| responsibility regarding the higher rela-
tions of life. immortality Is increasing and
more open, and certainly the recent in
crease of 81 per cent in the illegitimacy
rate gives evidence of this.
I'm recent interview with the clergy at
Antigua they tell me 1t is more difficult to
| do successful work. and many are getting
| respondent. The reason of this indiffer-
| ence Is not far to seek. Everywhere there
Is crushing. grinding poverty and where
people have no money to procure healthy
and legitimate enjoyment they always get
denoralized and resort to low forms of
pleasure.
The Poverty Appalling.
The poverty, especially in Antigua. is
something appalling. 1t Is scarcely mat
ter for surprise then that a strong feeling
of resentment is being created. The pre-
ent heavy taxation is not yielding what it
should; it is diminishing industry instead
of increasing it. and retarding energy and
enterprise instead of stimulating it,
Il append herewith the petition. deeming