Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-10-31
BAHAMA GOES TO FARMING
War Forces Islands 10 Provide Food
stuffs to Support the
People.
LITTLE SALE FOR IMPORTS

Correspondence OF the Associated Press.)
NASSAU, bahama Islands British West
indies. Oct. l6-Though properly a part
Of the British West Indies, the Bahama
Islands have faced problems peculiar TO
Themselves ~ a result OF the European
war, notably the problem % providing
their own foodstuffs. whereas, prior to
, the war, they had relied almost entirely
upon imports,
Unlike the Islands 10 the south. the
Bahamas have neither the sof nor the
climate for the free growth Of tropical
fruits, though some, OF course. are grown.
The chief product here has been sponge,
and next to that, of late years. sisal for
fibre. The growing OF other products
has been small. mainly because 40 many
! OF the male population are engaged in the
I sponge Industry. but there Is also this
! raotor that the islanders have an excep-
| tionai tendency to buy foreign OF i'm
4 ported food rather than accept the home
grown products, even when the latter are
superior. For instance women and chill
/ drrn and some OF the men grow sisal for
! fibre and clean Il by hand. and spend the
4 few cents they have earned In this la
borious undertaking In the purchase OF
foreign foodstuffs that pay a duty OF Is
per cent This tendency has been en-
Outraged and made the most OF by mer-
chants as II increased their trade. and
also by the government. as II gave 20
much more revenue.
In view OF these facts. when the war IN
Europe began. the big sponge export TO
England was entirely stopped and the
fibre industry was also hit hard, the
bahamas found themselves IN the posi-
tion OF producing practically nothing that
was saleable. while. on the other hand.
the price Of imported food products that
the people had been relying on 70 such an
extent. rapidly advanced.
Interest Increases.
The government IN view OF the decrease
ing revenues decided 10 cut down ex-
pendltures, but this took the form Of sus-
pending public works entirely rather than
making the slightest retrenchments In Of
ficial salaries. More hardship was made
; for all Glasses when the banks put up In
terest per cent and raised the rate OF
: exchange TO per cont, and with the
4. governments increase OF per cent in the
tariff there was such an effect as only
; region 70 dependent on imports as the
! Bahamas could understand
, There was hope that the winter tourist
, business would offset some OF the other
. losses. but after considerable expense In
) putting hotels and boarding houses in re-
pair. Il was discovered that instead OF In.
creasing, the tourist business also fell off
1 Outside observers remarked that IN IN,
face of 70 much depression. the lincoln.
A planning spirit with which the islander
, have faced the hardshps has been re.
markable In addition to this the peopl,
, came forward with generous contribution
1 to various war funds, and with A gran
from the treasury. some $4,000 was raised
!. The women OF the islands have, after ;
: year OF work. not slRckened In their sew
{ Ing for war purposes. As a further In
!" dication OF patriotism I'm the islands, Their
; is now on foot movement 20 enlist
!, equip and train $50 men for service a
. the front.
= In respect 20 the local food problem. 1
y may be recalled that soon after the wa
= began the governor OF the islands caiie
q mass meeting at the capital and advise
y the people 20 go to the soil and Kroy
foodstuffs. This advice was SO we'll take
that a complaint u heard from The mer
( chants that trade Is dull, that the peopl
|, have grown 10 muchlcorn and other HON
: products that there Is now little sale 70
imports. Gah1 tsa.