The professional world. (Columbia, Mo.) 1901-192?, 1902-07-25
LIFE IN MARTINIQUE
DISTINCTION MADE BETWEEN
WHITES AND BLACKS.
Caste Distinctions Are Made Prin-
cipally on Differences in
Wealth.

merchant, and his wife were not at st.
Pierre, Martinique, at the time Of its
destruction. They were in the West In
dies and intended to visit st. Pierre,
but on account of the Martinique quar-
antine, came straight to New York in
stead, arriving a week before the erup-
ton.
In speaking Of Martinique and its
people, Mr.. Everstadt said:
an Martinique there is no color line,
no race distinction, and doubt if there
is any other place in the world where
this great question of race color differ
ence is as lightly considered, and yet
where there are barriers of class dis
tinction in other lines which are insu-
perable, the class distinction between
money and poverty always remains.
and is as closely drawn as is the color
line in the United States.
Another characteristic is the self-re-
lance Of the people of Martinique.
Some years ago the hurricane wiped out
crops, homes, houses, churches and took
many lives. Then, for the first time
in her history, Martinique appealed to
the outside world for aid.
"The French chamber of deputies
generously voted 5000, 900 francs for
the relief Of the stricken colony.
Strange to say, Martinique never got
one cent OF the money.
THE money was deposited in Paris to
the credit Of the Bank of Martinique,
but the islanders, encouraged by the
vote of the French parliament, applied
themselves with renewed vigor to the
task of rebuilding and restoring their
devastated plantations. Loans were
negotiated by the planters and the funds
voted from the French treasury were to
a small extent USED as security for these
loans. Not one cent of the money,
however, was withdrawn, and through
her pluck andienergy, assisted infinitely
by the fertility and abundance of her
natural resources, Martinique recovered
from the blow and resumed once more
her wonted prosperity and position.
For all that l know, the 5000, 900
francs may still be in the Paris deposit
tory. The loans to the planters were
all repaid by them.
ITO illustrate the commercial pluck
of the average Martinique merchant, |
will tell you about a man who carried
on a general importing and exporting
business in st. Pierre, and was among
the victims of the Pelee eruption. His
account with our house in New York
vas one of old-time standing and a
considerable credit was frequently al
lowed him.
"At the time of the hurricane he ca
bled us: "A terrible hurricane; every
thing lost. / canno pay Immediately
In reply we telegraphed him to draw
on us for any sum he needed.
His answer was indicative of the
sterling qualities of the average Mar
Unique merchant: What have | done
that you should treat me as a child?'
That man accepted nothing from us
nor from anyone else. In a year his
account was on a level.
when the great fire of 1880 came he
was again wiped out. Again came the
cable announcing disaster and ruin.
He was bankrupt this time, he said.
and crave6 indulgence until he could
get on his feet. Thinking that this
time re might be glad to avail of our
services, we cabled him to draw for all
his wants. He never accepted a cent,
and since then until the time of his
death in the recent disaster he has been
~transacting his New York business
through another house, considering
that we had sighted and insulted him
with our offers of assistance.
"Of the commercial houses in Mar
Unique. fully one-half are owned and
managed by colored people. The man
Of whom l just related that little Incl
dent was a colored man.
when | first visited Martinique, in
the early 70's, l took with me letters
to a certain gentleman named De Paz.
He was a white man, and his manners
of the old school made a deep impress
sion on me. Our acquaintance lasted
until his death two years ago, and for
pronu .,aar - n1. Naw You'll hD,,co tranc-
acted all his American business.
From him / learned how deep was
the old royalistic prejudice against the
colored man at that time. He was the
agent in Martinique for the Perinell
family of France, who for centuries car
ried on the sugar industry in the West
Indies with unparalleled success. His
ideas were Of the 18th century, and he
lived in a veritable palace, which was
like a reduced copy of Versailles. There
he died, without ever having received
or having been approached by a color
ed man. Thus did he draw the distinc-
ton Of color.
"On the other hand, in 1880 thsre was
living-no more than a mile from De
Paz's magnificent house, a friend of
mine who was in color as DARK as the
darkest inhabitant OF the Congo. NJ.
LdliuuS was respectful ny HIS ltllOW
townsmen, and he had held the Office
of mayor of st. Pierre for many years.
when these two men met by chance,
no street in st. Pierre was wide enough
and when they spoke to each other, ii
was always with a statement OF regret
that the other was of the opposite race.
Each died without ever having taken
the hand or having spoken to the 9TH
er.
Now, to show you how things in
Martinique have changed since then,
when my wife and / arrived in st,
Pierre last November, our first call was
on young NJ. Lallung, the son of my
colored friend, who died ten or is years
ago. With a courtesy and gentleness
of manner inherited from his father, M
Lallung at once invited us to pass the
remainder of the DAY with hiP,at his
country villa Morne Rouge.
"In an instant there was a carriage
at the door, but W. had hardly started
when the young man stopped the car