, 1909-04-21

had been represented in 1906, then that
claw would not have passed. There
were 5 Rumshopkeepers, all big Fishes with
great influence in this respect, and even the
Chairman was Rumshopkeeper and Rum
manufacturer, WAS 9th Member of the
Council, together with R~umshopkoeper; he
(Syitzor) had put in q protest against the
affair.
4th Member for Christiansted's Country
District (Scitze1) introduced the Proposal,
stating that he hud brought in the proposal
in this form because every alteration in
regard to the Rum Excise must be effected
by a Law passed by the Diet and it ~
evident, that n change has to be made in
regard to the sale of Rum. He would in
that respect refer to the remarks attached to
the proposal and merely add, that no whore
else in The world is it so, that u manufac-
turcr is prevented selling his produce Wher-
ever he likes aud to whoever will buy after
the changes that hive taken place ia this
Island, where sugar is Of SO little worth that
Sugar Estates can not be sold except ut
prices be,ow their value, aud The cultivation
and adm nistraiiou Of estates cause only
constant loss to the owners, 1T is lnd'spensa-
bly, necessary that OWNERS must fall back ON
the Rum If they are to provide fer the
ilJkGCD OK estates Ulll OI JllCiI ltIII1il1 HHR
if the taxes ore TO be paid. If we look
around, we viii see the downward tendency
Of the position Of the Island if Planters be
not in some way or other assisted to keep
mp the Rum Production which must 60 to
the ground, if manufacturers are contlnu-
ou4ly to be bound to sell to Rulushopkoepers
alone, MT thor prices, the few, say or .
estates still making Rum must give up. 1T
will be Remembered that when this ltnm
Law was passed, the planting interests were
not represented ut NIL, and III tie Council
and Committee There were no less thnu D 10
Rumehop Keepers or RumsclIors. lie
could not but expect and hope that the
Home Government will take the matter UNI
der consideration and bring ON q change.
What he desired to obtain, and what ne
believes is the general desire, IS tins, aIat
Il manuf cturer shall have free hands TO
dispose of his produce to whom and when
evor he finds it advantageous, and that the
owner and manufactures shall be al Ilbcfty
to Give or otherwise dispose of his Rum,
without having to go to ~ustomhous and
elsewhere. What he and his constituents want
il to allow an estate owner to keep up hl9
fast going estate by the sale OF his rum
pvoitably.
Bird. Member for Cbristiansted (Prelto)
said s 3 of this proposal asks TINT no Bur6l'
or brief or License to sell rum must be
granted to manufacturers OF rum, but 81
asks that 1t be provided that every person
manufacturing shall continue, and to sell rum
manufactured by him, to anyone wishing
to buy he found these two paragraphs con-
hicting he was afraid that with two such
onactmentH, no control from Government
would be possible to secure the Tux ON rum
sold. which tax must continue. 40 regards
3 it would be injustice to the Rumahop-
keoper. who has to take out a special BlIef
TO sell rum, and it would moreover be an
unnecessary loss to the Colonial Treasury
moreover, rum selling is only allowed in GER
tain streets and cross streets, when u license
holder for spirits can sell any where, par
ticulorlv in Water Gut and the head OF The
town, it would become impossible tor our
Police with the limited force and extensive
duties allotted to them to control and keep
order. When in the Remarks 1t IS stated
that Rum shopkoopers have the option to
buy from where they choose, md to pay
inst what they like for planters rum, he
Ipretto) would beg to deny that such is tho
case on the contrary the Kumshopkeeper
is Mt the mercy Of the planter; they must
wbot the PLANTER demands the rum