The Republican journal., 1902-03-13


the cloth-bound volume. Address DR..
r. " Pierce, Buffalo, N. "
"a pure white one being rarely seen on
the streets during the heat of the dav.
You observe. too. that there appears to
be great many more women than
men. and that the former make the
most noise and appear to do most of the
work. Many of the Young mulattresses
are really beautiful. with perfect figures
and natural grace that would well be-
come North American young ladies of
fairer complexions One does not Won
der that their blacker great grand
mothers captivated the rough bucca-
neers, or that intermarriages between
the races are still common. Today
hardly fifteen per cent. of the popula-
ton of these islands are white, and the
color line is very lax, if drawn at all.
Some of the blacks are of a superior
class, not only by reason of a prepond-
erance of white blood in their veins.
but because they have always enjoyed
the same rights and privileges as the
whites. The descendants of the slaves
are another class altogether. as differ
ent as the Chinese coole is from the
mandarin. Even these are improving
with every generation. education being
compulsory under Danish rule, the chill
dren of white and black going to school
together. There is also no distinction
OF color in the churches. or in business
circles. Danes and Englshmen recog-
niZe d man for his worth. wealth and
education. and never dream Of exclud-
ing a neiehbor from the same social.
business or religious privileges they en-
JOY themselves on account of difference
in color. In the Colonial Council of st.
CroiX are two black men. and they fill
their places with credit to themselves
and to the satisfaction of their associ-
ates. Not a clergyman on the island
objects to performing The marriage
ceremony between black men and white
women. There is a property clause in
the franchise, restricting voters to citi-
zens who own property or have an an
nual income exceeding five hundred
dollars. At present this gives st. Thorn
as island less than two hundred voters.
Denmark's standing army in her
western possessions consists of $50
men. They are volunteers recruited
from the Veteran Corps in the home
country and sent to the island for
term of six years. They have guard
and barrack duties to perform, but
those who have trades may work at
them when not on duty: therefore the
Danish army in the West Indies looks
more like shoemak ers, bricklayers, etc.
than soldiers. When their term of ser
vice is over they receive free transpor-
tation home, or if they desire to re
main are given positions on the police
force.
AS to the business possibilities of
these islands, under proper develop
ment they are practically unlimited
Last year the imports Of st. Thomas
alone amounted to nearly $50. 900: and
those of st. CroiX, the much larger but
less populous island about $3.50 600.
They consist mainly of food-stuffs and
manufactures, most of which ought to
be produced on the spot. The exports
have long been miscellaneous and
shabby lot, hardly worth mentioning
Those from st. Thomas, amounting to
about S25, 900 per annum. go to the
neighborIng islands, St Croix sends
s215, 600 worth or thereabouts) of sugar
and other tropical products, chiefly to
the United States. Little st. John
Jan IN Danish containing only TWEEN !
ty-one square miles and population of
one thousand-devotes itself to the !
raising of cattle to supply passing yes
sells with fresh meat. The whole island !
is grazing land and all the inhabitants !
are black, except half a dozen govern
ment officials. There is a Danish Judge. |
who fills several other important Of |
master, postmaster, custom officer and |
head of the truant school-a sort of re-
form institution situated on the tinv
island. His police department consists
of two members besides himself. st.
John is only twelve miles off the east
ern end of st. Thomas-a pleasant half
hours sail. Profitable stock farms
might be established here with small
and the possibilities of
fishing and of canning establishments
are great. The water about all these
islands is fairly swarming with the best
fish in the world, and is so clear that the
bottom, far below, may be seen at any
point. At present almost no fishing is
0nnn a ~ l1L ol~