OF
THE
FOR
ST.
CROIX.
(Continued from yesterday’s
Avis.)
The Chairman
remarked:
Honoiable
Members
bhefore
proceeding
to
the
order
of the dav.
1 desire
to
make
a
few
re-
marks
upon
the Council’s visit to St. Th-
omas
to meet
with the Colonial Council!
of
St. Thomas
and
St. John,
the
Secretary
of the Navy and Cengressional
party.
As
you
are
aware
at
a
caucus
mezt-
ing
it
was
deeided
that
all
the
mem-
bers
of the Council
should
go to
St.
Tho-
mas,
as members
desired.
However, only
t°n
went.
It gives
me
great
pleasure
to
report
that
our Council, represented
as
we were,
made
a most
favorable
impression
upon
the visitors, the Governor,
the
Memkbers
of the
St.
Thomas
Council and
the
publie
in general;
they looked upon
us
as
a body
of experts.
It is
very gratifyiog to know
that
we made
such
an impression
on
the
Members
of the Council of the
sister
is-
land.
Our Memorial was read by
our esteem-
ed Secretary,
Dr. Canegata,
in
his
clear
and lucid style which materially
assisted
our case.
Secretary
Denby listened
most
attentively,
and
when
he
omitted
the
statistics,
with the
objeet,
no
doubt,
of
shortening
the time,
Mr. Denby
request-
ed
that
the
statisties
be read.
We have
to thank
His
lixeelleney
the
Governor for the
very
able
support
he
gave
us in our problems.
From
all sides
we
were complimented
upon
the
master-
lv style and the concise
manner
in
which
we presented
our case.
St. Thomas
had
such
a voluminous
report
that they
could
not zeta hearing
on all the
matters
pre-
sented.
The Goveraor
asked
that
speeches
be
made
short,
and
desired
to
limit
each
speaker
to
two
minutes.
Under
those
circumstances
we
were
forced
to
limit
our speeches
to
subjects
introdue-d,
J
have
to
thank
Mr.
Curry and
Captain
Blackwood
tor
the
masterly
style
in
which they
foreibly presented
our
dis-
satisfaction
upun
the
Prohibition
Law,
aiso
to Mr. Andersen
for the
very
quick
and convineing
answers
he
made
upon
the tax question
and
to each
member
of
our party
for
the
co-operation
and
the
goud
impression
evinced.
[
feel
per-
suaded
that
our efforts have
not
been
1n
vain; that
mueh
good
will result
from
ouc visit.
that all the subjects
teuched
upon
in
our memorial
were
not discussed
is
1o my
¢pinion im.material
as
by
our
memnorial
we
nave,
so
to
speak,
registered
our
needs
and grievances
will be evidence
in
future y2ars
that
we were this day
alive
to
the
Juficuliies
waieh
besci
us
and
S
CURUILX
% ¥S
which
a strong
parent
could
in
a
large
measure
relieve
if
sc
disposco,
And
I
was assured
by several Senators
whom I
met in
conversation
that
there
was
no
doubt
but
that
the
islands
needed
aid.
However,
we
have
direct
and
positive
assurances
in
the
speech
of
Secretary
Denby,
made
at the meeting,
ano
which
has
been
duly published
in the press,
and
with whieh you
are,
no
doubt,
already
familiar
In it hie makes
a
definite
pro-
mise,
which
is as follows:
‘“*As to myself,
|
am
going
to
send
down here
and
have
attached
to
Lhe
Governor’s staff
a civil engineer
from
the Navy of as
2o
d eapacity
as
[
can
get
to make
a stv
.y in the
hills
of
St.
Thomas
and the ills and plains of St.
Croix
and
find
what method,
if
any
can
be adopt t . impound rain
or
whe-
ther
or not he thinks it worth while
to
dig for water;
whether
artesian
wells
are likely to produce,
ard if not,
whe-
ther it is a mechanical
andeng
ineering
possivbili'y
to
impound
rain
in
order
that the
wafer
may
be
conserved
for
the
use of the people
and
for
the
use
of the cattle
on these
islands.”
Therefore,
we
have
at
least,
at
the
oment,
accomplished
this
which
will
he much
if the
enginecrs
can
succeed,
and
that
alone
will
be
well
worth our
efforts and trip to St. Thomas.
Senator
Kendrick
of
Wyoming
was
greatly interested
in
our cattle problem,
Kvidently he
was
an
old
cow boy for he
scented
out
Mr. Ar.nstrong
and
had
a'
long talk
with
him
upon
our
cattle
in-
dustry.
I was
glad
we
had
such
a good
advoeate fqr that all important
indastry.
Admiral
Coontz
wuo
was
one
of
the
distinguished
party
told me
ia
conversa-
tion that
while he
was
Governor
of Guam
he had
the
same
problem
and
with the
Federal
aid
the
rainfall
had
been
im-
vounded
as
we had
suggested,
and
that
it was
a success
in
Guam.
Tbat
is
cer-
tainly comtorting
information.
Therefore
our
mission
was
most
suc-
cessful
on the main
issues.
1
am
scrry
that
all
our
members
couid
not
£o
to
St. Thomas.
His
mxeeiievey,
Governor
Hough,
desired
to express
to the
Couneil
his appreciation
of
our
effortrs
which
he
did by wriiing to me
the foillowing letter:
Government
House,
St. Thomas,
Virgin Isiands
of tne United States,
April 9, 1923.
The Honerable
R.
L. Merwin,
Chairman ot the
Colonial Council
of SL.Laoix,
Dear
Mr. Merwin,
It gives
me
great
pleasure
to
express
to you
and
thrcugh
you
to the
Colonial Couneil
my
grauicauen
at
the
manner in whtich presentatton
was
inzde
to
tue
Seeretarv
of
the
Navv
and
the
visiting Congressional
members,
of
the
guestions
affecting
St.
Croix
and
the
islands
as
a group.
It is my opinion
that
.:any
were
very
rfuch interested,
and that the statements
made {ell on
receptive
ears,
won sympa-
thy, and that the conference
wiil be
pro-
ductive of good
resuits.
Faithrully vours,
;
HENKY . BOUGH.
and
to
which
Jletter,
on
behaif
of
the
Council I took upon myself
the responsi-
bility to send
a reply as follows:
St. Thomas,
April 10,
1923,
His Exceliency
.
Captain
H. H. Hough,
Governor of Virgin Islands
&L,
&e.
St. Thomas.
Mr. dear Governor Hough,
I bave
the
honor
to acknow-
ledze receipt
of your
esteemed
letter of
yesterday
acd
to
thank
you
persopally
and
on behalf
of
the
Colonial Council of
St.
Croix for your thoughtful
and
highly
comyplimentary
expressions
so pleasantly
tenderved.
-
Tam
gratiied
to learn
that
our efiorts
have
not
bsen
misdirected
and
that
they
are
likely
to
be
productive
of
lasting
benefit
ro the inhabitants
of St. Croix
May
fortune’s
wheel
so
turn,
under
the flag of
oar
great
Repnublie.
to
piace
St. Croix yet
again
into
the
unenviable
position of b:ing calied
the
Garden
of tha
Antilles, the
unigue
distinction
she
en-
joyad for so
many
years,
[ shall bave mueh
pleasure
in present-
ing your kind
message
tp
the Couneil at
my earliest
onportunity.
¢
Faithfully vours,
R.
L. MERWIN.
I eonclude
by saying that
1 feel highly
grateful
for
our
trip
to
3t.
Thomas,
1
also feel
that
we
have
done
something
good,
may
God bless
the effort.
To be continved.
LOCAL
With
reference
to
what
a
correspon-
dent
signing
himself
"'Several
lndepen-
dent Voters’ in yesterday’s
issue
of
the
Herald
hzs
to
say
about
Mr. Berg
as
being ineligible for election
toa
seat
in
the Colonial Council
because
he
holds
a
government
position
and
as
the
writer
claims
is budgetted
for asalary
of $1,500,
it would appear
that
there
is little
or
no
argument
whatever
in
the
contention
presented
apart
from
the
faet
that
the
writer is wrong about
the budgetting
of
the salary and
of
the
amcunt,
the
sala-
ries
of
the
personnel
of
the Tolephone
System
not being
on
the
budget
at all,
but defraved from
the Telephone
Fund,
and
the
manager’s
salary
geing
not
what
is stated.
The
logic
of
the writer
is poor
in the
extreme
when
he
attachgs
so much
hmportance
to
the
budget
and
Mr. Berg’s
passing
on
his
own salagy.
an
item of buziness
that
wouid
come
up
but
onez
a
y:ar
anyway,
and
is
fiyst
practically dizposed
of by
the
municipal
committes
bzfare
heing
breught
before