The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-05-17
MARTINIQUE NOT A SUCCESS
As a Colony Because OF the Mistakes Of
the French Government.

the French government.
Especial TO The post)
Washington, May 16.--The French colonial
experiments In the island Of Martinique,
the scene OF tho recent awful disaster. have
not according to the publication OF the
treasury bureau or statistics, colonial
Administration" been altogether satisfac-
tory. While many OF the French colonies
have been successful and prosperous, those
of the West Indies, by reason OF their
small area and distance from the mother
country, have proved not only a burden
financially but somewhat unsatisfactory in
the demands which their representatives
have made and continue to make upon the
mother country. France has tried the ex.
pertinent, as did Spain, OF giving to certain
of her colonies representation in the legis-
lative body OF the home government and,
according TO a quotation made in the bu,
Ieou Of statistics publication from NJ, Leroy
Beaulieu, that experiment has been unsat.
isfactory. The French colonies In America,
as is well known, consist OF Martinique
and Guadeloupe with thelF adjacent islands
forming part OF the chain Of small Islands
which stretches in Il semlelrcle southeast
wardly from Porto Rico almost to the coast
OF South America. on tho rnainlaLd OF
South America near the southern terminus
OF this seulcircle OF islands Just mentioned
is another colony OF France. French Guiana,
while further north, Just ou the southern
coast Of Newfoundland, Is the remainder
OF French colonial America, the Islands OF
st. Pierre aud Miduolon,
Martinique has an area OF 8s1 square
miles and q population OF about 10000
Of which number about 5000 are lahorers
| brought from India and over 600 laborers
| from Africa. also about 500 Chinese imui-
| grants. The remainder Of the population Is
| largely native negroes the white popula.
ton numbering In all about 10000. large
! share OF the interior Of the Island has never
been brought under cultivation, although II
has been occupied by the French almost
constantly since 1896, period Of 261 years
the only interruption IN French control
being the period from 1874 70 1907, when
the island was held by the Britiab. slavery
existed until 1s4S, when 1t was abolished
IN this, as well as other French colonies.
Notwithstanding the fact that large part
of It's interior has never been brought undel
cultivation, the island is described by
Roclus AS zone OF tho most densely popu
lated spots on the globe; on the arabic
lands people arc packed as closely as II
such Industrial centers as Lancashire
} Flanders, or saKony."
The government Of Martinique consists o.
local legislative body composed Of natives
which has the power to pass laws appIca
bic to the exercise OF political rights, tins
regulation Of contracts, matters relating e
Wills. legacies and SUGGESTIONS, the lnstitu
ton Of jurlcB, criminal procedure, recruit
Ing for naval and military forces, and th'
n ethods OF electlrg local officers Ia TN
cities aud towns Tho governor and othe
ofacers arc appointed by the French GOV
orument which also makes the tailh law
OF the lslnud, as Is the case with reference
10 its other colonies This and the othe
American colonies OF France have, as al
ready Indicated, a much larger share o
sclf-goyernmont than any other Of her col
onles, and are each represented by sen
, ator and two deputies In the French leglS
lntlve body corresponding TO the congress
, of the United States. These large power
OF self.goyernment and Of participation i
national legislation are the subject Of ope
r. criticism hy French economic writer's lero
S Beaullcu, perhaps the most distinguished Q
s. French writer's Of the present day upo
i economic subjects, In his "Colonlzatlo
e chez les Peoples Modernes" says "As r.
I CARDS politics, we have introduced Frene
liberty into our colonies; We give them CIV
n governors, admit their representatives Int
d our parliament, and while all these reform
It are excellent in themselves, It is info
k tunately TO he feared that they win .
n practice result IN abuses, and that unlei
n the mother country IS very watchful thoi
,. very powers which she has granted 70 III
n colonies will become powers OF oppression
g The deputies whom Martinique send to OF
y parliament serve only 70 represent u
Is malice, prejudice and ignorance OF q
II blacks. Tho weak executive power
France allows itself to he inundated
% these deputies aud sends out TO the coloni
i cowardly and incapable governors whose
- decision Of character feeds the more or le
q barbarous hopes Of the native populate
= Of the island"
The commerce OF the two French eoloni'
Martinique and Guadeloupe, with t
" United states has amounted 20 nearly s
10 100000 per annum during long term
i, years, a large proportion being expol
10 from the United States TO those isStnds,
q the year 1900 our exports to the islan
e. we're Sl,s67. l6s and our imports from {
e island $50. iT6 From them we import chi
Y ~ vanilla beans, while our exports to th'
AZ are -four, cotton seed and mineral oils co
ne lard, meats, and lumber,