'^98 CIIAIJAI TKKISTICS OF THK PEOPLE. 



Tlic capitalists ot" the cuiiutrv are the iin'irliauts, muuerically 

 .a small class, liut \-itally iiii})ortant to the interests of the com- 

 munity and the prosecution of the staple imlustries on which the 

 1>ulk of the people ilepend for a suhsistence. They collect, ex- 

 ])ort and dispose of the A-arious products of the lisheries ; and 

 import the supplies of all kinds, food, clothing, tishing gear, etc., 

 i-e(|uired hy the tisherinen. Their vessels carry tlie dried fish, 

 .oil, etc., t(j the con-uniing countries, such as Brazil, Spain, 

 Portugal and Italv. They own most of the large steamers 

 which prosecute the seal fishery. Thei'e aie now liut aliout ten 

 .of the' large mercantile tirm< engaged in tlu' exporting husine.s.s, 

 all hut one having their e>tahlishments in St. John's. There are 

 a numl)er of other firms wlio give out supplies to the fi.shermen 

 at the beginning of each season, and take the products of their 

 ;laljour.s in return, hut who .sell the fish thus collected to the large 

 exporting firms. These import their own goods, hut do not gen- 

 .erally engage in the e.xjtort trade. 



THK C'KKDIT SYSTEM. 



In the historical sketch, the evils of the long contest between 

 the " merchant-adventurers'" of the olden times ^vho claimed a 

 .mono]»oly of the fi.shei'ies and caia-ied them on from England and 

 the resident tishei'men wlio had settled in the country are de- 

 picted. The latter had nnudi to bear, and were cruelly wronged 

 .and trampled on. The conflict was long and bitter, and it is not 

 Avonderful that the fishermen regarded the merchants as tyrants 

 and oppressors and reckoned them, for generations, as their natural 

 enemies. The antagonism between the two clas.ses was \iolent ; 

 and the nu-mories of what their forefathers sutf'ered lung rankled 

 in the minds of the sturdy settlers. Traditions of the "bad old 

 times" were handed down from generation to generation. The 

 .cidonists at length won the day ami gained their liberties. 

 The migratoiv fishery from England ceased, and all monopolies 

 at length ended. 



CAPITALISTS NKKDKI). 



Still capitalists wei-e found to be indisjiensable. The lisheries 



