The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-04-04
THE ISLAND OF TRINIDAD
WHERE MOST OF THE WoRLD'S
 SUPPLY
Of Asphalt Is Obtained d.-Territories That, Soon OH Late, Wili Belong to Uncle Samuel.
Special Correspondence of the Journal
 and Journal)

Especial Correspondence of the Joufhal
 and Journal.)
 Port -of- Spain, Trinidad Island,
 March F, 1902.
 Notwithstanding the Monroe doctrine
 and all the talk concerning America for Americans" the fact remains that nowhere on earth are so many govern ments represented in equal area as III the clustered islands off our own south eastern coast. Collectively known as West Indies" and ranged in rude arc between Florida and Venezuela, they comprise, all told, not more than one hundred thousand square miles of land; yet to- day they display the flags ot seV- en nations-including that of the new Cuban Republic, the Danish flag not yet displaced at St. Thomas, St. CrolX and St Jan, and the Stars and Stripes above Porto Rico, Viques, Mona and Culebra, Haiti, you know floats the flags of two republics; Holland owns Curacao, St. Eusthtius, Saba, Buen Ayre and Oruba; while to France be- long Martinique, St. Bartholomew, Guadalupe, Maria Galante, Disirade and Les Saintes. England as usual claims the lions share with the Ba- hamas, Bermudas, Barbados, Jamaica, Antigua, Dominica, Montserrat, St. Lucia, St. Christopher, Redondo, Nevis, Barbuda, St. Vincent most of the Nir- gin islands, Grenada and the Grena- dines-to say nothing of half dozen colonies on the main land of Central and South America
 Even the tiny groups of islands com- posing the Lesser Antilles are ruled by eight European Colonial governments. Each of these groups has smaller area than the average country of the United States; yet each maintains the dignity of ful-fedged American State, with an administrative establish .ment equal to that of great big Texas, or the popuIous State of New York. The officials sent over from Europe to 'admI lister the affairs of these island Possessions receive salaries very much larger than. do public. servants in the United States-and the little islands Themselves have to foot the bills, in the hguise of taxes. For example: The Brit Ash Colonies of the Lesser Antilles have |an aggregate population about equal to lthat of Rhode Island and the four British governors that rule them re- ceive $65, ,000 per annum-as much as the pay of seventeen governors in the Unit ed States
 Naturally enough, the islanders are tired of being taxed to support inn pecunious younger sons and political fa- vorites, who cannot be satisfactorily provided for in overcrowded England and so are given fat berths in ''the Colonies" whether or not they are it. ted to fill them; tired of having all the best islands owned by nabobs who re- side on the other side of the Atlantic, pay infnitessinal wages to native and care nothing for the isl ands beyond the money they can sqeeze out of thenl--to be sent elsewhere Surely as the sun shines, the end of this abnormal state of affairs must come, at flo distant day That the present own CTS of the islands are not insensible to this is shown in garrisons recently en- larged and the extraordinary care talk en to keep firearms out of the hands of the natives. Not even peaceful tour | ist Is allowed to take his pistol inland, l without paying several times it's value l as security for his own good behavior l and a guarantee that he will not sell | or give it to some Creole. Daily hap !! penings also indicate growing dissatis- faction among the islanders. Not long ago, at St. Kitts, all the boatmen and l struck for higher wages, l and Simultaneously, as if by preconcert- ed arrangement, the plantation hands | of the interior began the old fashioned | ,Y.;z might easily have led to "a general up- | rising. Especially in Trinidad the sen timent against the English is strong ] among hoi palloi The half-breeds that | the bulk of the population have French blood in their veins: and l in case of trouble the pure negros would follow the Creoles to a man and | -worse yet--to a woman. During the last annual carnival, in which for two | lays, all over the West Indies, the na- lives dressed in costume, rule every Ehing--it was plain to be seen that the celebration was really in commemora- | lion of the good old days of negro in- surrect ions when man or houses were burned to ashes and whole families murdered by their slaves. The Eng ish population is very small in Trini" lad, being practically confined to a few by the way, are heartily lisiked the Governor most of all A notion prevails in the United Subsequently, gathered from the fine ports and modern guns at St. Lucia and Tamaica-that British troops are nu- nerous in the West Indies. In point of act there are few English soldiers 1ere, and except on the two islands lbove named, there are no Notifications worth mentioning. There are a few 'ickety old forts here and there, built oy the Spaniards centuries ago, but hey would be as ineffective in modern warfare as the rusty guns that top hem. No wonder then that "the pow ITS" regard with alarm the sale of the Danish islands. In the event of war, or West Indian revolution, or an island appealing to Uncle Samuel for protec- ion, A La Cuba-even King Edwards |, navy could do little in these waters with he rendezvous and coalition station of St. Thomas barred agnst her It is nere a question of time when all the ,djacent territories will clamor to be to the greatest Republic, and f Sa tD a cta nr |