USVI Public Records

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for the island. This civil govarninent business calls for a careful study of va- rious conditions and it is believed that after a conscientious survey of the same we will let the civil government proposi- tion alone for the present. The Ranger and auxiliary boats here are understood to be carrying on survey work and may be here tor some time. The mail-sloop Mizpah from St. "hom- as returned to this port with mails and passengers at 7 o’clock this morning. Christiansted St. Croix, April 2, 1924. Dear Mr. Editor,— A certain writer said “‘Better bear the ills we have than fly to those we know not of.”’ The zbove qu-tation can be applied to these Virgin Islands, Mr. R. Francis and his followers have taken in their hands & big problem, and one which neither Mr. Franecis nor his foi'owers can handle. No doubt Mr. Francis is beirg used and ‘has promizes of being Mr. SOMEBLODY, but Mr. Francis, you are too insignificant, you and your followers belong to the *Bluff class.” We agree with Voter and Taxpayer WE DO NOT WANT A CHANGE OF GOVEKNMENT. TAXPAYERS. Let Us Take Ach et Us lake Aclion. (St. Themas Bulletin, 81st {March). Ilis F xcellency, the Goverror announc- Ly cfficial publication on March 29, 1924, that a till to provide a permanent form of civil goverrment for the Virgin le- lands, was intrcduced in the Senate on Mearch 10, 1924, by Senator McLean of ( onnecticut (by request). He also stated, in no uncertain ferms, that he had nothing to do with this bill, ves po! aware of its conients, and in {sct knew nothing definite concerning it untii a jrinted copy was received in the mail on be morning of March 29, 1924, He further stztes that insofar as he is o vare, |he people of the Virgin Islands, as repre -ented by the two Coicaia! Ccun- cis, have never sigrified a desire for a ccmplet: charge in the form ¢if Covern- ment of these islands, such as the bill in guestion weuld provide. ThLe Covernor goés on to £ay that thke d:nger f legisiation vitally effecting the Vitgin Islands being presented to Congress without the knowledge or sance- tion of ¢ ther the lccal governnent cr the pecpie, is enly tco appaient, and, #s an il ustration, invites attention to the pcs- sibility | the Fe_ eral Congress ceasing to provice the ar.pual appropr.ation for these islands. He cals attenticn tc the fact hat Por to Lico, trom whose Orga-i. Adl t.e bill S Y i1 D in questicn is largely copied, receives no direct federal appropriation. The Governor is very mild and conser- vative in his statements, obviovsly be- cause he does not wish to express an opi- nion as to the merits of the bill itself. We have had time to do no more than glance over the bill, b_% no more is neces- sary to cause us to sta®d appalled at the thought of the consequences which would ensue if it should ever happen to be eracted into law. The first outstanding thought which occurs is this: The Crganic Act of March 3, 1917, providing for a temparary gov- ernment for the Virgin Islands among its other temporary provisions provided for an appropriation of SIOC,OOO from the Federal Treasury for the purpose of providing for such temporary form of government, Fach year a similar appropriation has been made in a greater amount, and these appropriations have beeun almost en- tirely used in building up the publie school systems of the islands, in main- taining the excellent hospita facilities which we now enjoy and in various other ways contributing directly to the health, eomfort and well-being of the popula- tion generally. Furthermore, the officers of the Navy including the Governor, assigned by the Navy Department to fill eivil positions under the Government of the Virgin Islands, are paid from Navy appropria- tions and not from either the Federal appropriation for the Virgin Jslands or from the revenues thereof. The annual average of the appropria- tions which hive been made during the past seven years from the Federal Con- gress for the Virgin Islands is $300,000, 00. The salaries of the naval officers performing civil daty may be moderately estimated at $75,000.00 more. Therefore, the Federal Government is actually contributing at present not less than $375,000,00 towards the well-being of these is'ands. Roughly, on this basis the Federal Government contributes 50% towards the total operating expenses of the Goverrment ot the Virgin lslanes, and the remaining 5¢% is cbtained through taxation. This financial assistance rend-red by the Federal Government to the Virgin Is- iands must be considered justgas tempo- rary as the formyot government provided by the Organie Act. It is not to be supposed for one mo- ment that when Congress provides a per- manent form of government for the Vir- gin Islands, it will be willing to continue the temporary financial aid whieh 1t now provides. There is no logical reason for believing otherwise. The question then resolves iiself into whether our econcmic couditicn at the present tine is such that cur present temporary form of xovernmeui should be superseded by a permnapent oae. Tlhe £rst and peramount consid.ration | is the certainty that the Federal mone- i tary aid will be withdrawn. ; (To be concluded.) TELEGRAMS. STI. CROIX STATION. Waterville, Ohio March 3lst.— D, Baker, who for twenty years has been general superintenden® of the anti-sa- loon league, died at home here today. | New York. Mareh 3lst-——The Fire Is- ~ land Lightship wasrammed today by the British cargo steamer **Castilian’’ during . afog. The ‘'Castilian’’ was not damag- | ed and the lighiship remained above wa- g ter and her erew stayed on board. London, March 31lst.—The Central | News reports that the Government at So- phia bas announced that the late Prime | Minister Stamboulisky bad discovered a i plot to overthrow the Government and ' establish a republic. After the overihrow . of his Cabinet, be was made prisoner by '! the troops of the provisional government | in June last and was shot dead while at- { tempting to escap-. i Rome, March 3lst-—Advices from Paler- | mo state that a huge landslide has taken | place there, destroying twenty four ! houses, but so far ne casualties have been | reported. Overa hundred families were | compelled to vacate the affected region. i London, March 3ls'—The House of . Commons today authorized the expendi- | ture of four hundred thousand pounds | for the establishment of the new system . of cable and wireless communication be- ' tween the British West Indies and Brit- | ish Guiana. Mr. Thomas, Secretary of | State for the Colonies, said the money | was not a girant, but a loan ior a poriod of | thirty years. Someof the propesed ca- ' bles are expected to be working by the ' coming Autumn and the entire system of ' cables and wireless by June 1925. Washington. March 31st.—Mr. Sinelair . lessee of the Teapot Dome property, vas . today indicaled by the Federal Grand Ju- \ rv on charges of contempt growing out of his refusal to testify beifore the denate ! Oil Committee- A resolution calling for | the resignation of Mr. Roosevelt, Assist- ant Secretary of the Navy, because of his connection with the eil leasing prograu- me, has been drawn up by Senator Diil. Faced with determined oprosition from | the Republican Organizstion and lacking | united support among the Democrats, the resolution calling for an investigation of Secretary Mellon has been laid aside in. definitely by the Senate. | Dublin, March 31st.——The blowing up [ of bridges and the destruction of roads ' in counties Longfurd and West Meath, ‘ pews of which has been tully confirmicd | are said to be due to labour trouble and not actions of a political nature. Tue l road workers are on strike in the (wo | counties as a consequence of the Coun y Council’s proposals for a reduciion 1n ' wages and the destruction of the roads l and bridges is alleged to b: aa vit growth of the str.ke.