200 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PEOPLE. 



tween capital and laboui' — between emploj'er and employecu 

 Twenty-five or tliirty years ago most of tlie capitalist class were" 

 non-resident. Many of them came here to make money and 

 then to return to their liomes in the old comitry to enjoy it. — ■ 

 Their interest in the peojile and in the advancement and pros- 

 perity of the country could not bo the same as in the case of 

 those who regarded it as their permanent abode and the home 

 of their children. In many cases the wealth they amassed did 

 not remain as capital to extend industries and develope the re- 

 sources of the island, but went to enrich other lands. This older 

 order of merchants looked i;pon the island as solely a fishing 

 country, and were more or less opposed to all changes and inno- 

 vations, or the promotion of other forms of industry. Hence' 

 the working class regarded them very much in the light of ab- 

 sentee landlords, wliose interests were not identical with their 

 own. An unfriendly relation between capital and labour thus 

 groAv up. 



NE^V SCHOOL OF ]VIEKCHA>T,S. 



The last quarter of a century, however, has witnessed a won- 

 derful change. Not onh has the middle class increased in num- 

 bers and wealth, but the ideas and position of the merchant class 

 have Ijeen entirely altered. jNIore and more they are becoming 

 permanent residents in the country and are looking to it as their 

 home. They are erecting tasteful and costly residences. The 

 present generation of merchants and capitalists are thoroughly 

 convinced of the necessity of turning to account the rich natu- 

 ral resources of the country and opening up new industries for 

 the employment of the people, for whose support the fisheries 

 are insufficient. They are men of intelligence, energy anil pro- 

 gressive views, and jarepared to do their part in advancing the 

 interests of the country and opening it by railways. They iden- . 

 tify themselves with the people, and their help and guidance 

 will be valuable. The old prejudices and the spirit of antago- 

 nism on the part of the working classes towards the merchants 

 — the 23roduct of former times and of old memories and tradi- 

 tions — will disappear when they are found doing tlieir duty,, 



