The Washington times., 1902-07-04
Alarming Conditions Re-
ported to the English
Colon al Office
IMMEDIATE AID ASKED FOR
Critical Position CT the Sugar Industry
Due to Cartel Systems - American
Consul at Antigua Describes Despond-
ency of the People.

An urgent petition, made by commit
tee Of the West India Company, to Mr..
Chamberlain, of the British Foreign Of
fee, was made public by the State De-
partIncnt yesterday.
The letter from the United States con
sui at Antigua and the inclosed copy OF
the petition are as follows:
Consulate of the United States.
Antigua. b. ". l., May &c. 1902
Honorable David J. Hill. Assistant Sec
retary of State, Washington. D. :.
Sir: l beg to submit herewith fer the
information of the department. a petit
tion forwarded by a committee of the
West India Company to Mr. Chamber
lain. of the British Foreign Office. ap-
realing fer hearing, also financial as
sistance.
In a Serious Plight.
1T is fact that the sugar estates in
the British West Indies are in a serious
plight. The heart has been taken out OF
the people; the long depression has be-
numoed their energies. and they are
showing a dull. sullen apathy, which
hodes no coed In many OF the districts
spirit of recklessness has set in, not
lawlessness, but an responsibility re-
garding the higher relations of life. I'm
morality is increasing, and more open,
and certainly the recent increase of s.
per cent in the illegItimacy rate gives
evidence of this.
In a recent interview with the Clergy
at Antigua. they tell me it is more diff
fcult to do successful work. and many
are getting respondent. The reason OF
this indifference is not far to seek Ev-
crywhere there is crushing, grinding
poverty, and where people have no
money to procure healthy and legiti-
mate enjoyment they always get demor-
allied, and resort to low forms of pleas
ure
The poverty especially in Antigua is
something appalling. 1t is scarcely
matter for surprise then that strong
feeling CT resentment is being created
The present heavy taxation is not yield
ing what 1t should: 1t is diminishing
industry instead of increasing it. and
retarding energy and enterprise instead
of stimulating them.
Il append herewith the petition.
deeming it timely, and of interest to our
Government.
Il have the honor to be- sir,
Your obedient servant.
GEORGE SAWTER,
Consul"
The Appeal to the Home Country.
The petition is as follows:
April IS. 1902
"Sir: We have the honor to call your
attention to the critical position in
which the sugar industry OF the West
Indies is now placed. owing 10 the fact
that the sugar bounties convention re-
Gently agreed to at Brussels will not
take effect until September !. 1903 We
feel it our duty to congey to you to the
best of our ability what the immediate
result is likely to be- and what, in our
opinion, it is essential should be done
by his majesty's government to enable
the industry to survive the intervening
period.
"2 We wish to say that we have no
doubt that the convention, If it comes
into operation, will solve the West In
dian 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 It is dependent on the British market.
will be left in a state of uncertainty,
except as regards the European beet
suysr production The beet sugar crop,
which is about to be sown will be
gown with the full knowledge that 1t
will continue to receive the enormous
Lcurtivs which il now receives.
IS. There is, consequently. in our
opinion. no hope of any improved price
for sugar in the immediate future. and
the question 10 be considered Is. wheth-
er sugar production of our West Indian
colonies can be continued under the ex-
lsting strain until September. 1903
"a We have no hesitation in saying
that If nothing is done, this will be i'm
possible. We admit that there may be
certain number of rich proprietors,
who. in view of the prospects of the
convention coming into force. will con-
tinue 10 carry on their estates. but the
great majority of proprietors Will be
unable to do So Moreover. those who
do continue. will reduce the amount they
allow for the cost of production, 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.
Cartel Systems Responsible.
.5. 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 con-
Idence, sir, that you are well aware of
the critical condition OF these colonies
hut ,ro feel that we should he faiIinp in