crease
their prices
at once,
we can
see
no
good reason
why rhose
whose remittances
are
being
made
through
the
National
Bank at the old
rate
of
5%
should
not
observe
the old prices
until they
actuaily
have
to
contend
with
the
increased
rate.””
No
comment
seems
necessary,
as it is obvious that nobody has been
ex-
pected
to observe
the old prices
forever,
nor even
now except
under
cevtain
rea-
sonable
conditions.
,
Arttention
has
been
called to the
fact
that
there
is
one
section
of
the
public
here
who
will be
severely hit by the rise
in the
U. S. dollar exchange.
That
sec-
tion
is
made
up
of
the
pensioners,
both
those
receiving
pensions
from
the
Colonial
Treasury
as
well
as
those
of
the
State
Treasury
of
Denmark.
It
may
be
they
have
been
forgot-
ten,
and
if
so
it
is all the
more
ex-
pedient
that
their
cause
be
brought
before
thosz
in
position
to see
that
jus-
tice is done
nere
as
elsewhere.
Many of
the
poor
people
of this
island
have
no
other
means
of existence
or
subsistence
whatever
taan
what
they
receive
from
public funds,
and
in view of the fact that
the currency
in which
such
donations
are
paid
has
cecreased
in
its
purchasing
value by mcre
than
one
quarter,
i~ seems
but
reason:ble
that
some
consideration
be
given
towvard
allowing such
pension-
ers
the
dis erence
in
the
value
of
the
money.
Ncarly all
the
business
in
this
island
is dot.e,
directly cr indirectly, with
the United States
and
rherefore
the
mo-
ment
the
currency
of the
United
States
rises,
it is fclt in
every
home
and hovel.
As regards
he
pensions
from the
State
Treasury
of Denmark,
it is presumed
that
the undying
‘kindness
and
consideration
always shov'n
by
Denmark
for its form-
er
employe:s
will
again
assert
itself
on
this occasion,
when
the
keenness
of
the situatior
ig only too remarkable,
and
has
in all probability already
appealed
to
Consul
Genaral
Baumann
whose
broad
ideas
1n
deiling
with
the
peo
le
has
established
a confidence
that
never fails.
We
have
been
offered
a
suggestion
in
solving
the
monetary
difficulty
in
which
it proposes
to have
the
Govern-
ment,
instead
of paying
its
employees
the
difference
in
the rates
of exchange,
agree
to
pay
the Bank
the 2347
on
each
draft
issued
through
the
Bank to
mer-
chants
for
che
payment
of
necessaries
purchased
in
the United
States.
It is
contenued
that in this
way the
Govern-
ment’s
efforts in the matter
would reach
a larger percantage,
if not all of the
pen-
ple,
and
th:'t
the
big
concerns
which
might
be
thus
escapirg
from
the
pay-
ing of such ciffe.ence
to their employees,
should contrioute
a certain percentage
of
the total. Iti thoughtthatsuch
a measure
would
cost
little
more,
and
have
more
practical
benefit
as it would
immediately
settle
the
l)~al
market
to
a
normal
standard.
°
“
!
!
g
S 1.8 81X
AN]S
CHRISTIANSTED
THEATRE.
There
will be
presented
at
this
fash-
ionable place
of amusement
this evening,
the continuation
of
the
grand,
stirring
serial
''The
Bull’s Eye’’.
It
is
a
very
interesting
film, and
can
be
recommend-
ed to all who delight in
something
excit-
ing.
A liberal
management
is
sccuring
these
high
class
pictures
at
expensive
rates
and offers them
to the public at
or-
dinary prices,
which
will
not
repay
the
undertaking
except
the
proportionate
patronage
is forthcoming.
Be sure
to
se-
cure
seats
early and
not miss
tais
excel-
lent show.
WEATHER
REPORT.
October
27,
1919.
San Juan,
Rar.29.94
Ther.
74, S.E.,
Vel
5, partly ‘cloudy.
St.
Thomas,
Bar.
29.92, Ther.
76,
E.
Vel.
10, partly eloudy.
St.
Kitts,
Bar.
29 92.,
Ther.
76,
N.E.,
Vel. 8,
clear.
Dominica,
Bar.
29.88,
Ther.
72,
N.
Vel. 2, partly cloudy.
St.
Luecia.
Bar.
29.86, Ther.
72,
E.
Vel.
6, partly cloudy.
Barbados,
Bar.
29.90,
Ther.
74,
E.
Vel. 6.
clear.
Port of Spain,
Bar. 29.86.
Ther.
72, N. E.
Vel.
4,
clear.
Curacao,
Bar.
29.80,
Ther.
78,
E.,
Vel. 4. Yartly cloudy
St
Croix,.
Bl
3000,
Ther.
8,
E.
clear.
Rainfall for past
24 hours,
0
Editor St.
Crowx Avis.
Dear
Sir
|
As
very sensibly
pointed
out
by
a
correspondent
to ‘‘West
End
News’
it
is
not
a
question
of raising
prices
that
faces
the
merchant
but
a
question
of
getting
the
small
value
for
goods
in
stock
on which selling
prices
were
based
on
the
former
value
of
our
local
cur-
rency.
In one of
your Editorials
you
say
that
prices
should
not
be
advanced
if
the
Bank
accepts
payment
at the old
rate
that would be allright if
the Bank
would
continue
to
do
so,
but
as
this
is
not
likely it would
mean
that the
mercnant
would
pay
at
the
rate
of 5%
and
then
sell
his goods for
currency
worth
2249
less—how
many
merchants
can
make
that
amount
of profit?
The
lot of a merchant
in these
islands
is not
to
be envied,
he
must keep
a
fair
sized
stock
of
goods,
the
merchandise
must
be always fresh
and just
arrived,
the prices
very low and the credits
very
long,
now for
instance
all accounts
due
must
be received
in
a much
depreciated
currency—not
only
loss
of interest
but
loss of all profit—still the merchant
must
smile and
be thankfui.
‘
The
only salvation
of merchants,is
to
make
all
accounts
payable in U.
S.
Cur-
rency
or its
Equivalent
at the
time
of
payment,
at
least
as
long
as
we
are
dependent
on
an
American
market
for
necessities
of life.
Creaits
in
America
,or
being
able
to
draw on
Government
funds in
America
will not
increase
jthe value
of our
local
currency
and if the
dollar keeps
up
the
goods
must
eventually
be paid
for at
a
high rate of Exchange.
We
have
lived
in a fool’s paradise
be-
lieving that our tfranc and bit were
under
the
special
protection
of
a kind
provi-
dence,
now
we
have had
a rude
awaken-
ing and the best
way is to take whatever
loss there
is like men and base
our future
e
transactions
on de facto conditions.
Abusive language
and
unsubstantiated
accusations
are the fashion of today but
lead
no
vhere.
Yours truly,
INTERESTED.
Frederiksted,
25th Oct.
1919.
The Mail Schooner
*‘Virginia'’ arrived
at
this
port
this morning
at one o’clock
with
only
Porto
Rico
and
St.
Thomas
mails,
310
small
packages
and
the fol-
lowing passengers:
Wrom St. Thomas:
Mr. Isaac
Crutcher-
low, Revd.
P.
Bartels,
F.
Adamsen,
John
Allen,
Mrs. Victorine
Marcus
and child
Mrs. H.
Allen and
Edith Cox, Mr. Hugh
Duurloo, Capt. F.
E. Garfield, Capt. CHas.
Gaanberg,
Consul George Levi.
TELEGRAMS
ST. CROIX
STATION.
Rome,
Oct.
21st.—Rome
was
shaken
by
an
earthquake
at
7.05
o’clock
this
morning
the tremor
lasting
a
few min-
utes.
No reports
asto
the damage
done
have been
received
as yet.
This
is
the
second
shock
experienced
within
two
lays,
on being felt yesterday.
Today’s
shocks
were of considerable
strength.
Paris,
Oect,
21st.-—-M.
Caillaux,
the
French
politician
accused
of intelligence
with the enemy,
will appear
before
the
Senate,
constituted
as
a hieh
court
on
Thursday
for
trial,
but
it
is
possible
that the actuat
trial
may be deferred
un-
til after the elections
owing
to the wish-
es ¢ many
Senators
Copenhagen,
Oci.
22nd.
German
ar-
tillery at Riga fired on
British
warships
at the mouth
of
the
harbor,
on
Sunday
according
to a report
of
the
Letish
Gen-
eral
Staff,
and
orn
Monday
the
battle-
ships
returned
the
fire, shelling
German
positiors
near the
city.
Riga
is
being
bombarded
by
the
heavy
erman
ar-
tillery which is using
gas
shells.
Great
damage
has been
done
in
the
city
and
many civilians have been
killed or wound-
ed
uuder
date
of
Oct.
19th.
The
Let-
tish Press
DBureau
reports
stubborn
at-
tacks by the Germans
to forece
a
crossing
of the Dvina
river
near Friederickstadt.
Four attempts
are said
to have
been
re-
pulsed
with heavy
losses.