USVI Public Records

Document text

ter of great gratification to the home . government. y 3. You will remember that in theic report to Congress, the Congressional Commission which visited these Islands over a year ago, characterized the sys tem of taxation in vogue as ‘‘unjust, inefficient and archaie’’. The syvstem is still in force, but further delay in chang- ing it should not be indulged in, for it is neither fair nor agreeable to live under laws that are deserving of such sweep- ing arraignment before the bar of unpre- judiced judgment. I am aware that | owing to the wording of the Act of Con- oress approved March 3, 1917, some peo- ) ple hold to the belief that the local tax 7 laws cannot be changed without an act ' of Congress. I hold differently, for since these present local tax laws are in no wise ®compatible’” with American sovereignty or American principles, they " are thereby exempt from the provision limiting changes in the law, and a Com- mission of Congress has condemned them in its report. which report was adopted and stands approved. Furthermore, it comes directly to my knowledge from association with the distinguished mem- bers of (‘ongress who arve greatly inter- ested in these Islands, that it is their desire and expectation that the people of the Islands will themselves remedy their own tax laws, and that it is the hope in Washington, that we shall perform this necessary duty right here and in the near future; and not by our continued inaction force the Congress to make local tax laws F for us. American principles urge upon I us the duty of arvancine for our own local taxes, and placing them on an equitable, just and right basis and one that will meet the legitimate expenses of government. 4,1 have not as vet had the oppor- tunity of studying the question of the water supply in St. Croix and so shall have to defer until a later meeting any observations that I may have to make on this subject; but I am under the im- pression that this is a problem that must soon be faced and solved. 5. From the testimony before and the proceedings of the Congressional Commission which I read very carefully before coming to the Islands and from informatio~ which has come to me since, [learn that the great question of capi- tal and labor finds-a strong echo in this Island. Because of the importance of this subjeet in tte community, I be- lieve thit the people are entitled to know just how the Governor stands in rela- tion to the whole matter. I shail en- deavor to make my position so eclzar that even the children in the schools cannot possibly misunderstand my mean- ing. Capital and labor are inseparable in human relations; neither ecan funection broadly in world, affairs without the other. I believe in capital, and, as Gov- ernor, | am a friend of capital, for no business or industry can be carried on without it. Capital is fully entitled to a just and sometimes under extraordin- ary conditions to even a generous, but never to an excessive, interest. In other Sl. RO 1X A VIS words the returns should never become - so fat as to subject the consumer #o ex- tortion and profiteering on the one hand or to reduce labor to anything approach-- Ing penury on the other hand. At the same time ifreturns fall much beiow a Just figure, upkeep will suffer, materi- al will deteriorate, capital will become discouraged and the whole community will suffer in some degree. It is the duty of capital to pay labor a fair living wage, one that not onlv brings to the worker the necessities of life but also some of the happiness and ethical uplift that comes from a healthy surplus, eith- er placed in saving or intelligently ex- pended toward better health and edu- cation. I believe in labor, and, as Gov- ernor, lam the friend of labor. A Great Master has told us that the laborer is worthy of his hire, and the same Wise One has taught us that he who serves is entitled to a high place in the esti- mation of all right thinkers, but when I have said that labor should have a fit- ting reward, [ have' not said all that I think. A good wage detaands an honest return in labor, not twenty-five percent efficiency, where it takes fou* men to do the work of one real man, but one hundred percent, efficiency We all know, however, that itis given to but few men in all the world to deliver one hundred percent, of efficiency and we should be merciful in that knowledge, but the man who, of his own free will and accord, falls below seventy per cent, in his efficiency is generally lacking in some of the qualities of good citizenship, while the man who works only two or three days in the week, where he could work six days, and then lies off as long as his money lasts is a posi- tive menace to the community in which he lives. I draw no fine distinctions ir. labor. The man who works diligent- ly at a mental occupation is as much a laborer as he who tiils the soil or plies a trade. All are equally honorable. None shall be slighted. No legitimale activity of mankind can be inhibited without the loss being felt in some measure by the whole community. The foot or hand cannot be amputated or disabled without the brain becomes aware of the defect; and if the brain is removed or even in- jured, the feet and kands are done for. The soiution of the problem of capital and labo is UNSELFISH COOPERA- TION. There is no other solution. There can te none other, 6. From testimony before the (on- gressional Commission and from articles in the local press, I note that the im- pression still seems to rest in the minds of some of the people that the Govern- ment cf these Islands is a naval govern- ment. 1 wish to, once and f-r all time, disabuse the minds of these good people of any such fallacy. Your Government is not a naval or military government in any sense of the, word. Your law mak- ing body is a civil legislative body and your Governor is a civil governor, ap- pointed as such by the President with the advice and consent of the senate. What happens to be the lifelong pro- fession of your Governor has nothing to do with his functions as Governor. You gentlemen of the Council sally under- stand this fact, but it is apparent that some of your constituents do not yet comprehend it and I will ask vou to promptly correct all false impressions on the subject. 7. It having come to my attention, soon after my inaugutation, that dis- _?ggtisfaction exists with the present in- come law and that certain provisions in the United States Income Tax Law were desired, I requested Congress to extend to these Islands the National Income Tax Laws, so that the people here might be in the same status as other Americans elsewhere. ‘lt was a matter of surprise to me to find that residents sos these Is- lands, owing allegiance to foreign ecoun- tries, have been and are still eligible to hold public office. I have brought this matter to the attention of Congress also as one wholly and entirely at® variance with American principles.. . 8. From time to time I shall have messages for the Colonial Council which I shall either bring or send to you as may he most expedient. SUMNER E. W. KITTELLE. Governor. His Ezcellency the Governor left the meeting. (To be continued.) On the occasion of his address before the Colonial Council of St. Croix, Gov- ernor Kittelle touched upon the desira- bility of an improved water supply for the people of this island. This was en- couraging, but far more encouraging was the statement by the Governor in private after he had made a careful investi- gation of grevailing conditions. Speak- ing on this subject the Governor stated: “Provision for an adequate supply of fresh water for St. Croix must be made in the very near future and a project with this end in view will have my hearty co-operation.’’ The Governor further emphasized his conviction by saying, in effect, that such a great public necessity as a good witer supply must have consideration even before seemingly very desirable public improvements of a less urgent na- ture now under discussion, and in his address before the Colonial Council at St. Thomas he went beyond mere recom- mendation for an adequate water supply and unequivocally demanded that it be provided. Thus he has made his posi- tion on the water questivn as positive as itis popular. Until such time as a permanent sup- ply of water can be obtained, an effort will be made to relieve temporarily, the situnation by making available the wa- ter now in the large cisterns on Pro- testant Quay (about 350,000 galions), by running a pipe line from the Quay 1o the Whart, near the Customs House. If this construetion is accomplished, the water can be sold at not more than one half cent a gallon, or two and one half eent for as much as a gasoline tin will hold.