USVI Public Records

Document text

ing at once and at last, secure for them that which yonr predecessors for so log a time have ueglected; aad provide and secare for them a iasting benefit which for ail time wiii redound to the memory of the Colonial Counci! of 1921. Gentlemen: we would like you serious ly to consider an idea which perhaps has not presented itself to your minds as yet but is nevertheless a strong hint of what could at any time resolve itself into a grave and stubborn reality. Suppose we were to be brought llke as we were a few weeks ago to face a very severe spellgof drought so that our cisterns ran nearly dry, or very low, and a fire should break out in our. Town. There could be no thought as to whether or not we should spare the drinking water or com- bat the fire, we woruld be compelled io fight the foe with the surest means; but after the perhaps successful overcoming of the fire, where might we be for drink- ing water? It should be remembered that we are not mor2 immune from sueh ecatastropne than our bretiiren. but we are without resource, that can be counted on. (Gentlemgn: You may shrug your shoulders at a ‘‘Concrete Road Bill”’, you may poon-pooh a ‘‘Harbor Improve- ment Bill”’, but in the name of God or Man you cannot, ought not, and-must not set aside for any longer time, but voil must move in the present and at onee to provilo for Christiansted Town, a means of securing WATER for the eomfort and safety of its dwellers. Yours humbl: servants A GROUP OF THE ABOVEMEN- : TIIONED. Loagressional Action in Vir- yun isiands Affairs, Extract Jrom Congressional Record 31 Miay 29, 192i. Amendmenni niroduaced By Senaior Ken- you ia ihe Senate On May 20, 1921. e € ( Concluded from Saturday’s Avis.) Sonactor Wililam 3. Kenyon, United Scates Sepate, Washington, D. C. Mr. KING. Mr. President, may[ in- quire ol the Senator whether there is 2ay.taxation imposed upon the people in addition to their local taxes? Mr: KENYON. Yes; there is. Mr. KiNG. We are compelled, then, t 0 appropriate, as I understand, $350,000 per annum for the purpose of governing the Islands? Vir. KENYON. 1 think the appropri- aiions run in the neighborhood of $370,- 000, in addition to what is raised by tax- ation on the island§, but some of the rich planters .of those islands have, in ny judzment, not been paying a fair proportion of taxation. Mr. KING. Let me inquire further if, Sl URM LK A VLS when the islands were subject to Den- mark, appropriations were made by the parent Government for the upkeep of the islands and the maintenance of loeal government? Mr. KENYON. I think so. I think for some years the islands have not been self-sastaining, due largely to the ssme causes that I am trying to remedy by .he amendment which I have proposed. Mr. KING. It seems to me that the amount of $340,000 plus the local taxes ils too much money. The Senator will recall that when the Territories were receiving arpropriations from the Feder- al Government they did not receive, respectively, nearly that amount, and yet they had populations of from 50,000 to 200,000, 300,000, and 400,000. The Senator has visited the islands, and may I inquire whether, in his opinion, the amount which Congress is called upon to appr priate is excessive. Mr. KENYON No; I think not; I believe that we have done our duty by them. The possibilities in the islands are marvelous; but they need a new water system; they need a dredging of the harb:r at Christiansted. They have estab- lished a new junior high school sinec the commission visited them, but they need money for a number of purposes. It is a land we acquired and a land we torgot. A fair system of taxation will reduce the amount the Government is compelled to pay, but I do not believe that it will en- tirely eliminate it. 'There must be many things done in the Virgin Islands in the next few years. Mr. King. Let me inquire of the Sen- ator, in view of his amendment, whether there Is any spirit manifested by the people to become citizens of the United States? Mr. KENYON. Oh yes, 1 think I stated (0 the Senate that there were not over 30 or 35 who refused to become ci tizens of the United States. Mr. KING. 1 di not understand the Senator. Mr. KENYON. There were not over that number who took advantage of the provision that they could retain their Danish citizenship; but one of the 30 has been the president oi the council making laws in the islands, and it seems to me that sueh a situation is intolerabl . Mr. POINDEXTER. May 1 ask the senaior from lowa what is the present status of the proposed legisiation f{or establishing a civil government in the Virgin Islands? Mr. KENYON. There has been a code of new laws, 1 wll say to the Sen- ator, prepared after great pains and trouble, and that code has now been adopted by the council of St. Croix and will be adopted. possibly in the next 60 days——l think that ils a fair estimate—by the ~ouneii of St. Thomas and St. John, So they will have a eode of American laws They have had a situation under which Danisti laws nave governed those islands. For instance, some offenses were punish- able by boiling in oil; but, of course, .such punishment has never been inflicted since we secured possession of the is- lands. hMr. BORAH. Oil is too expensive for that. i Mr. POINDEXTER. Mr. President, so far as I am concerned, [ am in hearty sympathy with the purposeof the Sen- ator from lowa, as expressed in the amendment. Ithink that the members of the council of the islands ought to he citizens of the United States. The VICE PRESIDENT. The fues- cion is on agreeing to the amendment of- fered by the Senator from lowa. The amendment was agreed to. TELEGRs MS. ST. CROIX STATION. Gleneagles, Scotland, June 6th, Great Britain won the fonnsomes competition of this forenoon as part of today’s inter- national match between British and United States professional golfers com- prising leading representatives of the two nations. British players won three of the matches, while the United States players were unable to gather any. Two of the matches were halves. Pittsburgh, Pa., June 6th. -A fire of unkncwn origin, starting in an office building in the down town section of Pittsburg early this morning, was brought under control at 3 oclock. The Brigg’s Machinery Company and other concerns, including the Fairbanks Scale Company, the Pittsburg Office Equip- ment Company and the New York Wall Paper Company said their losses would total well into one million dollars. Paris, June 6th.—The council of am bassadors today sent a letter signed by Premier Briand to the German ambassa- dor, - taking cognizance of the goodwili of the German Government inits efforts to ftulfill its undertakings under the peace treaty. In the letter the council grants Germany a delay until September for the transformation of the Diesel motors from submarize use to civilian industry. New York, June 6th. —The raw suuar market was unseic:d early ioday, and in the absence .of business prices were nominal, aithough Borto Rieo’s offered ai 455 for centrifugal. Raw sugar futures were easier under seiling by commission houses and operators with Cuban con- nections. Prices at noon were about4 to 8 points net lower, and at new low records since prewar timnes. Lefined was easler, and eased to b points lower, with fine granulated now quoted f{rom 6.25 to 6.30. with business lght. Re- fined futures were nominal with nc transactions up to midday. London, June Tth.——Sugar in stock on the 4th inst was 241,000 tons. Last year 149,000, ~::