New-York tribune., 1902-01-30

they cannot escape It Nature compels II, ana
whether the nominal dominion is British, French,
Danish or Dutch the real dominating power is
the United States. The people in the islands get
most Of their supplies from the United States
and if they are ever 10 have prosperity again
they must find 1t in admission of their products
to the United States. Many Of the Central and
South American goods sold in British Trinidad
reach Port of Spain by way Of New-York. The
food Of St Thomas comes from the United
States, and Jamaicas comparatively good times
are partly due to American enterprise in develop
ing the growth and export Of tropical fruits to
Boston, New-York, Philadelphia and New-Or-
leans. The growing Importance of United States
interests in the American Mediterranean points
to the wisdom of controlling its most central dis
tributing point. That long has been st. Thomas.
In the days of sailing vessels IL the place of
transfer to all the other small islands, and even
with steam, before the development of inde-
pendent lines from Europe and the United States
direct TO the other principal ports the great bulk
Of West Indian imports were unloaded there
and then distributed by smaller vessels. 1t is
still. probably. the chief port OF call and coaling
station of the Lesser Antilles, rivalled only by
Santa Lucia, England's West Indian Gibraltar,
though Brdgetown, Barbados and Port Of
Spain. Trinidad. are now more important COM
mercial centres. The Anegada Passage is the
safest route for sailing vessels to the east from
the Caribbean, and the most direct road for
steamships to Europe from the isthmus. The
Hamburg g-American Line makes ST. Thomas its
West Indian headquarters, has large coaling
docks there. and runs eight regular lines of
steamships into these waters. making sixteen
calls a month going and coming at St Thomas,
besides many extra calls The French Line also
has its coaling station there, and though the
British Royal Mail Steamship Company has re-
moved its headquarters to Barbados Il has an
auxiliary line to ST. Thomas, and maintains
there a floating dock The Red D and Quebec
and other lines also make 1t port Of call. It's
present low fortunes are not peculiar, but are
shared by all the smaller West Indies. the
British islands being the worst of Of them all:
and under the stimulus Of American connection
the Danish islands could be made the most
prosperous of the Lesser Antilles When It is
remembered that while the French were at work
the Panama Canal the business of st.
Thomas increased threefold, the possibilities
Of that island and its Importance in view of the
prospective construction of an isthmian canal
are apparent. st. Croix can raise sugar now
to better advantage than the English islands.
which, in spite of tariffs, ship a large part of
their sugar to us, and with easier access to
American markets it ought to rival its oldtime
glory. ST. John is practically a mere appendage
and good harbor of little commercial use, but
possibly of value for exclusively naval purposes,
though the ST. Thomas people think the navy
get all its wants supplied in their harbor.
What is the islanders side OF the case? I
made considerable inquiry that point, and
sought to get opinions of annexationists and
anti-annexationists. Leaders among the former
are Dr. Charles E. Taylor for many years a
member Of the Colonial Council who recently
resigned to avoid possible inconsistency be-
tween his attitude this subject and his Off
cial position as a member OF the Danish Gov
ernment, and John Lightbourn, Editor of Mail
Notes." Ieafiet which is the nearest approach
to daily newspaper in st. Thomas The mass
OF poor people are enthusiastic annexationists.
The boatmen all are. Their craft have names
like Uncle Sam. Liberty and Olympia, and gen.
orally have American flag shield painted
on the stern. A large majority of the sugar
planters Of ST. Croix also said to favor the
sale. In all the islands the official class and a
few men who have grown wealthy under pres
ent conditions, who were left wealthy by the
old days of prosperity and have no interest in
renewed activity, are. of course. in opposition.
The Governor is reported to be entirely neutral.
The annexationists confidently say that If
vote should be taken it would be for the sale by
a large majority.
asked one merchant what the Island people
had to gain by the sale. He said he hoped for
free trade with the United States, which would
mean everything in the world to them. Even If
they did not get it, but subjected to some
slight impost. such the Foraker law for a
time levied on Porto Rican commerce. the Dan
ish islands would the whole gain. They could
export to the United States on better terms than
at present find a good market for their sugar
and be encouraged to renew cultivation of other
things. Almost everything they consumed came
from the United States already, and they could
trust that Congress would not by any tax on
their imports decrease the market for American
goods, If 1T should maintain the Dingley
United States. So they could not at any rate.
be worse of. and. whatever the tariff, would be
stimulated by American enterprise, private
governmental st. Thomas enjoys peculiar privi-
leges- The import duties there fiat per
cent. St. Croix, however, is not so favored. Its
imports even from st. Thomas, are taxed in
this peculiar manner: The invoice value Of the
goods is increased 25 per cent Duties of 121z
per cent are then levied on the resulting viola
ton. which means an import of little over 151a
per cent fiat on the invoice value of all goods.
Under any probable American revenue system
wines. spirits and cigars would be more heavily
taxed than now. while in turn the general run
OF other goods which would be consumed in the
island, or which could by enterprising men be
exported from the islands, would be relieved
ST. Thomas faces ono dangerous possibility in