CHARACTEUISTICS OF THE ]'P:()I'LE. 201 



and coufidcncu iiml l'iieu<lly relations 1h.4wcl-u tlie " classes ami 

 the masses" will be restoreil. But, tliat lliis mav Ije realised, a 

 kindly and friendly interest must lie manifested in the avuII- 

 being of the jjoor toiling fishermen, -whose lot has been hard 

 enough ; and no efforts must be spared to improve their condi- 

 tion and raise them to a higher level. They are naturally a 

 warm-hearted })eople, who will respond to kindness. Their 

 faults of character, it must be remembered, are chiefly the re- 

 sults of their surroundings and the hard and harsh struggles 

 through which they have been obliged to pass. Let the uijjier 

 classes show that they have the welfare of the peojile at heart 

 and do their part in a patriotic spirit in promoting the advance- 

 ment of the Colony, and friendly relations between cajjital and 

 labour, which is especially desirable here, need not be disturbed. 



THE PLANTERS. 



There is another class of smaller capitalists, called " planters," 

 to be found in all the principal fishing centres. This term car- 

 ries us back to the days when all colonies were " plantations," 

 anil the colonists were "planters." The "survival" of the name 

 here is curious, for it does not at all indicate a man who plants 

 or cultivates anything, but simply a sort of middle-man who 

 stands between the merchant and the fisherman. He takes his 

 sujjplies of goods and fishing requisites direct from the merchant, 

 to whom he is accountable, and distributes them among a num- 

 ber of fishermen who look to him for advances ; and at the close 

 of the fishing season they hand over the proceeds of their labour 

 as payment. The j^rice of fish is, of course, determined by the 

 demand in foreign markets, and by the quantity taken. The 

 larger the sea-harvest here and in Norway, the great rival of 

 Newfoundland, as a rule, the lower the price. The j^lanter again 

 passes on the fish he has collected to the siij)plying merchant. 

 Many of the planters are independent and pay cash for their 

 supplies. Others have but small means, and are simply more 

 enterprising fishermen who own a " fishing-room" with a few 

 boats and seines. They engage a number of hands for the season 

 and the fish are made on their own premises. 



