New-York tribune., 1908-06-03
GOVERNOR A SOCIALIST
g. sudney Oliuier's Unusual Po-
Eifical Opinions.
49, 1915. by the Brentwood Company.

-5nsv Olivier. who has passed through New
- :, his way hack from England. where he has
sofh so--ine with the Earl Of Crewe, the new
been - Of state for the Colonies. is the Governor
sec End Commander in Chief OF Jamaica and
-.-,ler protsse OF Joseph Chamberlain, to
F :, - Indebted for his initiation into the
s.1 service. Sir Sydney. who is a familiar fig
Cow vVsshineton. where he spent nearly year
uTe I" so,a5e ago IN connection with the negotia-
s0o1' =, -acir-o-Itv between the United States ana
u'" r-s- Indian colonies. is not merely a radical
o ,u,.vise socialist in politics founded the
-, Society. and makes no secret OF his opinion
less the British government takes some
iae - promote West Indian and especially the
So, ST. sugar industry by vigorous action against
80, sugar bounty system, and by removing
N - imposed bv England OF more than 81 on
~ : h,,-5-eizaight Of sugar loaded. either from
'-,-s- Indies or from elsewhere, the West
% ufs Stands and particularly Jamaica. will seek
hua ..,, n the United States. He lays stress on
r,- that there is a very important and ever
''e Marty in Jamaica favorns this annexation.
is in the agitation Of this party and the fear
-, i-s activity has inspired in colonial officials
v. -,-,s- be sought the real explanation of the
ne 'D'' tts,o-,- cs the STrettenham incident
u er7rs1 Olivier has written and spoken freely
=, s-,n7ec- of socialism. both previous and sub
.-+ 70 his admission 10 the colonial service and
So. s,,- rrr1onsrrance on the part Of his chiefs
-. ,-olo-ial Secretary and acting Governor OF
L-,sb Honduras he showed a considerable amount
ICY n the suppression Of native disturbances
..Isxfrz no hesitatiol whatsoever in ordering the
-. s,5 ire troops 70 hre Ipon the mob, and was
- sent out as Col DnisI Secretary 10 reorganiZe
sal finances OF Jamaica which were in
chaos So excellent wss the work which he
80 10Th as Colonial Secretary and as acting
~--,o- :fst when Il, became necessary TO ind a
.sso- - Sir Alexander Swettenham last year
So Olivier selected for the post at the
.-i--,-1s request of the Janaicsns. Endorsed in
- instance by all Of his official superiors at the
- md F1e t-i- -z5
=. ,ss- and accorded the star OF the Order of 81.
,rl,5zel ani St George he is married 10 the
..rh-e- O. q County Court judge in the South of
--Is,5 and draws SIS Governor General Of ia
7s.,a salary Of $4,000 year. besides large allow
Ences-
-o5fss besides his essays on socialism But
x rlsr remarkable work is undoubtedly his book
- ..vZr1ire Capital and Colored Labor, issued as
-s ~ the series Of The Socialist Library. which
< edited b. the labor member Of Parliament.
RAMSAY Macdonald. and published by the Indepen-
e. labor Marty in London The book is in
54-s-- condemnation Of the American treatment
= nc negroes, which he compares 10 its disad-
vs-tsFe with the condition Of the colored race in
--ss-s agreeing with Professor Josiah Royce, OF
harvard University. in his assertion that the negro
7-ss-io1 in the American sense. is substantially
sclyed Or the island. He points out that. while
-5s English IN the West Indies have demonstrated
ne negro that they his superiors. they have
~ 6nned 4 continually into his ears. and they
Eszs not sgurre5 the black man into violent re-
ss-saos by forever expatiating on his inferiority
f5r--ssv sir Sydney insists. is essential 10 the
--o-e- treatment o. the negro and he holds that
-hs t11zu5e1cs q rhe latter in the United States
< dus IA more 70 the attitude which has been
-sksu and which : maintained toward him than TO
s7r Inherent fault in his composition Insistenoe
N he ueg-o's infer5ority prevents his good quail
lies fpn getting a fair chance OF development
sn6 -ouses his wors- passions, in demonstration
n which Re points out that in The British West
Indies attacks BY black coiored men on white
v5nsn and children are absolutely unknown
ladies' II Jamaica Rlay hire carriage and drive
al o7sr the island without trouble or molesta-
Or course. sir Sydney Is not blind TO the weak
ussses a1d eccertrictries q the black but he
toids that Re : capable Of being taught. and de-
asres trat there IS no artificial conventional
dsoualifratIan whatever 10 bar any Jamaican or
negro or nan of mixed race from occupying any
rostfo- for which A is intellectually qualified in any
department cf The social life of the island. including
1h= public service. Many colored men are mag gis-
rates of Pecrv Sessions More than one holds the
c5oe q c-sros- that is 10 say. OF chief magis-
--s1e q -rei~ parish. More than one hold or have
hs5 s1irerdfa-v magistrates under the govern
rsn- Thesz positions they I'll with credit; accord
nE their professional position they asso-
csrs virr 10 white residents precisely the
terms Is rrrsors OF purely European eKtraC-
uca
S. sydney =aeS no1 obtrude these views IN
aggressive manner upon those who differ with
I'M He shines above everything else by his Won
dl 1sr- and Il Is this that renders him the most
slc-sssfsl administrator and the most popular
G0-eruor General that the ancient colony Of ia
rsica has ever known. TIE Office which he holds
ore o. ne blue ribbons OF the British colonial
service. Il z1ew Of the fact that England IS a
rona-chicaI country and that the Governor Gen
e-al IS the personal representative of the crown
sad of me sovereign IL altogether extraordinary
ana unique that the Office should BE- held not mere
F ny most pronounced Radical but by a pro-
Tossing and avoRed socialist.