, 1956-01-18

CROIX AVIS Page 3
We clear that personally hold nothing against Dr.. Cotton,
but as / said to the Governor and other persons, | hold a
policy. Some of them are in the audience here and / need
not call any names. One has had occasion to hear me express
myself to the effect that am in favor Of the islands people,
whenever they can qualify, to fill important positions. That
has always been my policy and still is.
would like to be understood by my colleagues, and all
these employees of our Government, whom I am supposed to
represent, who have every right to fear that if they do not
take a certain stand which is pleasing to His Excelency the
Governor, and his entire administration, perhaps, that they
may be knocked off from eur payroll and be denied from
receiving the funds provided by the taxpayers of our is
lands.
The petition states that the names contained thereon were
absolutely unsolicited. One reading that might be willing i'm
mediately to believe that it is true. Speaking on the record
here, / am saying that it is not true. Now, when / make the
statement that it is not true, | make the statement because
/ can produce witnesses to substantiate my contention that
it is not true. And, l believe that such things should not be
misrepresented to this body.
Mr.. President and Fellow Colleagues, we are elected in
hereeto represent the people-they believe that we are intel
|Hgent enough to properly represent them. We have things to
look out for and I feel confident that if those employees in
the Department of Education; those veterans who are going to
school and the teachers involved, were not requested-if
they were not facing pressure-this petition would not be
here carrying their names. They are not foolish, Mr.. Presi-
dent, that they have not heard nor cannot understand that in
their interests Senators have presented a bill here which
that they might live happier throughout these Virgin Islands
and that His Excellency the Governor, with his Department
Head, Mr.. Nolle Smith, on two successive days came in to
this Legislature Ton the question of the bill which was not
emanating from the administration, but from the member
ship of the legislature to discuss it with us, and in the dis
cussion to particularly point out to us that we are offering
too high an increase for these same teachers. Now, / make
that point very strong because / represent teachers the same
as anybody else. And, l want to point out that I do not be-
lieve that our teachers very voluntarily signed the petition
that is now before US. That is why / am using this time to
speak because / intend to approach each and every teacher
within the Virgin Islands.
/ believe that this method of pressuring people ought not
to continue. We have had sufficient pressure from January
tenth. There has been enough pressure to take away peoples
manhood from them; pressure enough to make one wonder
what he shall do about his own soul when he is forced to go
against his own conviction. This type Of administrative move,
Mr.. President, do not like. These teachers are employees of
our government, and when they have to take a position to
come and pressure the Legislature under the. guise of their
interest in education, they are merely trying to drag the in
telligence of the educators of these islands away down. On
the question Of confirmation Of DR.. CottonI know his APP