USVI Public Records

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TOCAL The s. s. ‘'Romanita’’ is due on sche- dule time, having 20 tons of jcargo for Christian.ted and 12tcns for Frederik- sted. We bave been asked to mention that the Native Brass Band will give a con- cert on the wharf tomorrow evening. Under official notes in this issue it will be observed that the Governor has ap- pointed Messrs. F. Coulter, D. S. Arm- strong and A, R. Melntosh as members of the Colonial Council, provided for un- der par. 14 and 33 of the Colonial Law. We consider the Government’s selection excellent and indicative of the interest felt in the people not having the right of vote whom these members represent. A Iministration Building, St Thomas, Virgin Islands, 22 May, 1923. OFFICIAL NOTES. His Execellency the Governor of the Virgin [slands addressed the following Jetter to the Honorable, the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D. ('.,, as a re- sult of the petition which was delivered to him on ¥riday, 18 May, 1923 : “From: Governor of the Virgin Is- lands. To: Secretary of the Navy. Subject : Parade of Protest in re the aoplication of the National Prohibition Act to the Virgin Islands of the United States. 1. Transmitted herewith is the orig- inal of a protest personally delivered to the Governor of the Virgin Islands by Mr. mile A. Berne, Chairman of the gitizen’s Committee of Saint Thomas. 2. Coincident with the delivery of this petition there was a congregation of the people of St. Thomas before the Government House, and [ forwarded vou a radio report of the occurrence as follows: ‘OOIB Thousands of citizens of Saint Thomas congregated peacelully be- fore Government House today and addressed petition to Goveroor pro- testing against application Naticenal Prohibition Act to these Islands. Si- lent parade carrying banners etcetera proceeding through entire town, All Stores 2losed. Letter of Protest wiil be forwarded to you by mail. 1545’ 3. There appears to exist a belief localiy that the Honorabie Seeretary of the Treasury Mr. Mellon, while draft- ing the regulations in pursuance of the recent ruling of the Supreme Court probibiting {oreign ships from entering tirte terrtiorial waters of the United Siates wnen having on board aleoholie liquors, eitiier in their cargo or as ship’s stores, will in some mapaer, slleviate S RO 1 A YD t-e predicament in which the Virgin .Is- lands find themselves, as under exis&mg law the main commercial lite of this port is sustained by foreign coal burning vessels, which furnish work in the har- bor to the laborers. 4. If such action be possible it would avert the distress and suffering, which, ~ under the preser conditions, wouid ap- . pear to be inevi ole. 5. Under #ll the circumstances the " Governor of the Virgin Islands can ' make no recommendation to the De- ~ partment other than to request that the ~ plight of the people of Virgin Islands " be placed bofore the President of the . United States, in accordance with their expressed wish in the enclosed petition. (signed) HENRY H. HOUGH’'. ’ 25 May 1923. = ' His Excellency the Governor of the . Virgin Islands, has made the following ' appointments to the Colonial Coancil of FSe Oroix: ‘ Mr. F. Couitqr, First Appointed Mem- L lper. = Mr. D. S. Armstrong, Third Appoint- . ed Member. ; Mr. A. R. Meclntosh, Fifth appointed ; Member. i —eS— T —— -Set % St. Thomas News ' Yesierday’s Parade. ? Almost the entire populace took part ' in the parade yesterday, demonstrating ' protest against the 18th Amendment, . the three mile limit and other destruc- tive interpretations. , The unity of sentiment was clearly manifested by the fact that merchants, - members of the Labor Union and of the ' Federation of Labor and other citizens ' from all walks of life took part in one of | the largest processions ever seen here. | The procession started at 2,30 p. m, | from the m=rket dquare where Mr. J. . Perey Souffront had previousty addrassed | the crowd, expressing as Unairman of - the Cominittee his reat _sa«isfantlun at . the hearty cooperation of so many ciu- . zens and requested that they welk in the parade as orderly as possible. | Passing along the Main street, the pro- ~ cession went up the Government Hill and halted before the lixecutive Mansion, where the following piotest was haaded to the Governor: Henry H. Hough, Gevernor of tine V. 1., St. Thomas, U. S. A, Sir: Today we present ourscives to you in this mass tormation symbolical of a very serious and grave caiastropny, which is about to fall upen our heads causing misery. wvant and distress, through ships which aford us a livelih~oi and which is the pivot of our commerce being prevent- ed from coming to St. Thomas to take coal, water, and buy our products on ac- count of the recent ruling of the Supreme Court known as three mile limit which is inimical to this Island. While we are aware that your sympa- thy is with us, and that we cannot blame you for carrying out in effect any or all the destructive measures applied here by the Congress of the United States which tend to place us in a very unfavorable position,yet, we as a people feeling the ef- fect commercially, financially, physically, morally and otherwise come before you in this peaceful manner protesting against what we consider an imposition that i 3 detrimental to our welfare, You will please therefore, inform the President and other Head of the Depart- ments of this nation especially the Secre- tary of the Treasury of this concourse of people moving as One in Unity an? opini- on to the effect that while we are not drunl:ards or an aicobclie drinking com- munity, yet we know from our geogra- phical position that all oar future for a livelihood depends and is centered upon ships of all nation:litizs coming into our harbor free from ail obstruction and that all our present difiiculties can be traced up to the law of prohibition. We are in our rights to PROTEST. We feel that this action of ours is the ery of 2 starving people to be relieved of the bar- dens imposed upon us. We have repeat- edly petitioned, and have sent a Delega- tion to Washington that was the ridicule of the United Stiates with no results. And we .oid that we cannot and will not stand this any loager, and hope that this prayer of ours will be heard while recog- nizing the fact, that you as a stronger nation have no desire to erush us a weaker, (signed) EMILE A. BERNE. Chairman Citizens Commitiee. The Governor spoke telling the huge crowd of the sympathy he had with them, and how be would forward the;r telegram and that of course, hs was oblized to carry out the law and was sub- jected to same just as much as any there present. The concourse of people then marched toward the field where speeches by Messrs. Lionel Roberts, Rosthchild Fran- cis, and Adolph Sixto were heard ani money collected for sending telegrams to St. Croix papers, the Civil Liberties Uni- on and the Secretary of the Treasury. The procezsion was headed by muffied dramw, while the people marched quietly and no wonder the Governor asked the peopie to try, despite actual conditions, to look at things with a brighter eye, for it lovked mournful, and seem to eryout with a toucning voice *‘'St. Thomas, areg you dying: ave you going forever.”” In front was tne flag, and bebind the merg chants was u flag being borne by workers of the Unier and banners with inserip- tion like tlese : -