the best bananas, plenty of showers are necessary; and they have these here. Many ruined sugar estates have been turned into banana plantations, or divided among peasant proprietors who raise bananas for sale; and as the United States admits bananas free of duty, the people of Jamaica, living under well-administered laws, and being able to buy land and to sell fruit, etc., appear happier than the inhabitants of the other islands. It is terrible to think how much of this prosperity may be destroyed by a single line in our next tariff bill.

Time does not permit me to give instructive particulars regarding the remarkable growth of this banana trade, which has resulted in great advantage to both countries. A few years ago bananas were seldom seen in our country, except in a few cities. Now this useful fruit is found in every village; meanwhile, the use of American goods has greatly increased in Jamaica. When a peasant can earn only twenty cents a day as in many Carib islands, he is not a large consumer of imported goods; but let his earnings increase and he will use American oil, provisions, and manufactured goods.

From Port Antonio I went in four hours by rail to Spanish Town, the former capital, and

the next day, in six hours by rail, to Montpelier, which is a rich grazing and fruit and sugar country.

A drive of ten miles from Montpelier brought me to Montego Bay, where I found the yacht, and sailed at 3.30 o'clock, March 16th, for Cienfuegos, Cuba.

CONDITIONS IN JAMAICA, HAYTI, AND SANTO DOMINGO COMPARED

THE successful government of Jamaica, where there are nearly one hundred colored and black persons to one white, is a very important study for American statesmen. Two and one-half per cent. of the people are registered as white, but some of these are known to have an admixture of black blood. It has been proved there that vast numbers of negroes, when led by a few able brave and honest whites, can be advanced in civilization. The soldiers, policemen, railway conductors, guards, and engineers are black or colored. The commissioned officers are, of course, white. The published histories of the Jamaica regiments show how these black troops, commanded by white commissioned officers,

have maintained order and fought bravely for England and her colonies in the West Indies and in Africa. They are fine-looking, and appear proud of their uniform and of their service. There are only about twelve hundred white troops on the island, which has a population of more than seven hundred and fifty thousand.

There are many negro owners of very small farms. Any man paying $2.50 taxes can vote for members of the Legislature, which has limited powers.

Compare the actual conditions in Jamaica with those in the neighboring island of Hayti. At about the close of the seventeenth century, Hayti was the richest colony in the world. A century later it contained very many splendid estates, noble houses, and a rich and refined society. The black Republic of Hayti appears to be going back to barbarism. The roads cannot now be driven over, and the forests have encroached largely on the cultivated land. The most popular hero is the black Emperor Dessalines, who, in 1804, ordered the massacre of all whites.

The colored Republic of Santo Domingo drove out or killed almost all whites and blacks. The government of Jamaica has been able to