Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-01-24

What are we going to DO with the
Virgin Islands? They cost US s25,
600 900 to purchase and 100000 a
year to maintain, and the people are
upon the verge of desperation and
bankruptcy.
OF all the territory of the United
States, whether upon the continent or
of the isles of the sea, there is no
region of such paradoxes as that
Of the Virgin Islands. For ESQ years
they were ruled by Denmark, and
for only years they were under
British rule-a century ago-yet the
people never learned to speak Danish:
the language of the islands is Eng
fish. Ninety-two per cent of the peo-
pie are negroes, yet until the SOW
ereignty passed from Denmark to the
Cnied States, in 1917, II is officially
stated, there never had been = color
distinction socially. either for the
negroes or the mixed races. While
they were under the rule of the King
of Denmark the people exercised a
greater part in local government than
they have since they passed under
the regime of that country whose
Government Is "of the people, by the
people and for the people" In the
negotiations between Denmark and
America, a plebiscite of the people to
be transferred was voted and the vote
was almost unanimous in favor of
the United States.
For eight years the Virgin Islands
have belonged to the richest. most
prosperous and most progressive ma
ton upon earth: yet economically
they have been going from bad to
worse until today their business is
practically bankrupt, all industries
are paralyzed and the people suffer
ing and idle. Although we have gov
erned the islands eight years, the
American dollar Is unknown In daily
transactions, business is done with
the Danish franc, which shares with
the money of other European nations
in depreciation, and is worth in ex-
change only rs per cent of Its face
The only bank OF Issue is a Danish
bank, holding q charter from the gov
eminent of Denmark, which we must
protect until 1894, unless we buy up
all the stock and close 1t out. A bill
now pending in Congress would ex-
tend to that bank all the provisions
of our national bank act, but it for
bids any other bank the right to issue
bank notes.
Last week a delegation represent
ing 5000 Virgin Islandsers who now
| live in New York visited Congress to
urge the passage of bill for reform
of the organic law. When we pur-
| chased the islands. to prevent Ger
many from getting them, at the time
of our entry into the World War,
Congress placed all power OF gov
eminent In the hands Of the Presi-
dent until such time as a full or
ganic act should be passed, and no
| 20 I'm
though one was introduced March 10,
1924, by Senator Mclean. by re-
quest" The introducer. in such a
case does not necessarily become a
| special champion of the act he in
! troduces, and Senator. Mclean dis
| avows special partisanship for his
| bill. A similar visitation in support
OF the measure was made by the
New York delegation last year and
| was promptly repudiated by resolu-
| ton passed by the island councils.
| 1t appears that there are divisions
within the ranks of the agitators
and island statesmen. yet all agree
| that the econ omic situation is des-
perate. This is verified by statistics
| of decreasing population.
| In 1920 the population Of the Is
land Of st. Cfoix. the most important
4 Of the three larger islands. was 49,
/
4 1900. The conditions on the other
| islands are even worse, hence 1t Is
4 estimated that by emigration there
| is an average annual loss of 10 pei
cent, especially Of the men who leave
| to seek work.
The total population or all the IL.
| lands in 1885 was 43.176; in 1917
| (when we paid s25,00o.00o for them
was a6,651. The rate of decrease has
bsen augmented since our purchase
in 1917.
| +
Three of the recent burdens have
been boil weevii. prohibition ant
drought. The boil weevii became *
serious that the raising of cottor
was temporarily abandoned. Run
and bay rum manufacture was the
chief Industry until the VolsteaC
law stopped 1t. Denatured alcohol 81
now used for making bay rum, bu'
competition from other Islands: out