USVI Public Records

Document text

hope in Washingion, that we shall perform tuis necessary duty wmght here and in the near future; and n~t by our econtinued inaction force the Congress to make local tax laws for us. American arinciples urge upon us the duty of arrangiog lor our own loca! taxes, and placing them on an equitable, just and right basis and one that will meet the legitimate expenses of governmeaant. 4. T have not as vat had the oppor- tanity of studying the question of the wacer supply in St. Croix and so shall have to defer until a iater meeting any observations that I may have to make on this subject; but I am under tnes im- peession that this is a problem that must 8000 be faced and soived. 5. From the testimony before and the proceedings of the Congressional Commissida whica I read very carefully hafore coming to the Islands and from informatio~ which has come to me since, [iearn that the great question of capi- tal and lahor finds a strong echo ia this lcland. Because of the imporiance oi this subject 1n tke community. i Dbe- lieve that the p2ople are entitled to know just how the Governcr stands in rela- tion to the whole matter. I snail en- deavor to make my Dposition so elaar tnat even the children in the schools cauno: possibly misunderstand my mean- ing. Capital and labor are inseparable in human relations; neither ean function broadly in world affairs without the other. [ believe in capital. and, as Gov- ernor, I 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 neve: to an excessive, iatevest. In other words the returns should never vecome so fat as to subjeect the consumer to ex- tortion and profiteering on ihe one hand or to reduce labor to anything approach- ing penury on the other hand. At the same time if returns fali much below a just figure, upkeep will suffer, materi- al will deteriorate, capital will becoine discouraged and the whole commaunity 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 she neceessities of life but also some of the happiness ad ethical uplift that comes from a heaithy surpius, eith- er placed in saving or intelligently ex- pended toward better health and edu- eatian. 1 beliave in labor, and, as Gov- ernor, lam the friend of labor. A Great Master has toild us that the laborer is worthy of his hire, ani the same Wise One has taught us that he who serves is entitied to a high place in the esti- mation of all right thinkers, but when I have said that labor shouid have a fit- ting reward, [ have not said all that i think. A good wage de.aands an honest reiurn in labor, not twenty-five percent efficiency, where it takes four men to do the work of one real mar, but one hundred percent, efficiency We all know, however, that itis given to but few men in all the ‘world to deliver one hundred vercent, of efficiehcy and we should be mereciful in that knowledge, S, ki & A NI ‘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 goalities of good ecitizenship, | 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 ! it labor. The man who wroks diligent- ly at a mental occupation is as wmauci: a laborer as he who tiils the soil or plies a | trade. All are equally honorable, None | shail be slighted. No legitimate activity | of mankind ean be inhibited without the | loss being felt in some measure by the | whole community. The foot or hand | cann.t be amputated or disabled without the brain becom&s aware of the defect, and if the brainis removed or even in- | jured, the feet and Lands are done for. The solution of the problem of capital | and labo is UNSELFISH COOPERA- TION. Theie i 3 no other solution. There can be none other. 6. From testimony before the Con- gressional Commission and from articies in the loecal press, 1 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 ali 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 wak- ing body is a civil legislative body and your Goverpor 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 you to { promptly correct all false impressions | on the subjact. 7. It having come to my attention, soon after -my inauguration, that dis- satisfaction exists with the present in- come law and that certain provision 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 ihe same status as other Americans elsewhere. It was a matter of surprise to me to find that residents of these Is- l lands, owing aliegiance to foreign coun- 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 bave messages for the Colonial Couancil which 1 shall either bring or send to you as may "e most expedient. SUMNER E. W. KITTKELLE. Governovr. | EDITORIAL. We acknowledge with thanks receipt of a copy of a program for a literary contest in the Frederiksted Junior High School to be held this evening. The atten- tion of readers is invited to this contest which to our mi..d represents one of the most rational methods of encouragine school work among pupils. There is nothing that animates the growing boy or zirl to push ahead in his or her studies as the knowledge that he or she ig being compared. w'th some other boy or girl. These contests are no! merely scholastie tests giving a theoreti: resulf, but they form the actual groundwork for the cul- tivation of ambition which every teacher or parent knows is absolut®ly essential in the child that is to reflect eredit on his tuition and home training. The present contest is confined to the studeats®f the trederiksted Junior High School and is in a measure exemplary of this ambition. The general admission charge s 40 cenis for adults and 20 cents for children. Tickets will be sold at the gate of the West End Movies where the contest will be held. His Honor Judge Me Kean has consented to act as Chairman for tne Debate, and Lawyers Noli and Curry and Dr. Canega'a have been selected to act as Judges. 1t is to be hoped that public nterest will he aroused in this matter and encourageinent shown the promeoters ol the scheme, It 1s regretted that time and space will not vermit the insertion of the program which in- cludes subjects bearing very lucid evi- dence to the broad curriculum of the school but we hope to publish the results of the contest, The marriage of Mr. R. E. Higgins, one of the leading merchants of this island, to Miss Bertha Henry, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roland E. Henry, and sister of the present incambent of the Moravian Mission at ‘‘Fredensbhore’ Frederiksted, was solemnized in that chureh yesterday afternoon in the pres ence of a large ¢athering of friends, Rev. Henry officiating. The bride was given away by her brother Mr. Roland Henrv Jr. and Mr. Aug. Bisserup was best man. After the ceremony in the chureh the company was entertained at the Movravi- an Parsonage where some pl_:asant hours were spent in animated social f{ashion, with toasting by the gentlemen and the bridegroom. The happy couple were the recipients of many nice gifts, and numerous congratulatory messages, in- cluding cablegrams, to which we here add our own best wishes for & poaceful and lappy union. LOCAL, The 8. S. ‘'‘Guiana’’ is expected to leave New York {oday. The 8. S. 'Parima’’ i& expected io leave New Yrk on Wednesday, 29th. iust. _ Creole is not yet in. The Postmaster advises having received notice of sailing at 8 o’clock last night with St. Thomas and Porto Rico mails only. Very light wind all night and to the time of insert- ing this note.