148 



CENTRAL MILLS, 



as I have before stated, the better class of lands are almost 

 within reach of the masses, As soon as the number of 

 small proprietors is increased a little, central mills will 

 rapidly spring into existence, and experience will demon- 

 strate the folly of keeping half the capital of the island, 

 invested in unnecessary machinery which lies idle four-fifths 

 of the time. 



But Mr. Stanley appeals to experience, and undertakes 

 to say, that the negro farmers have not raised five pounds 

 of sugar in any single year for exportation. 



While I am not prepared to admit, I have no occasion 

 to deny the correctness of this statement. The reason why 

 they have not raised much sugar for exportation, if such be 

 the fact, is as important as it is obvious ; they could em- 

 ploy the little land they acquired to far better advantage. 

 Even negroes are not generally so stupid as to attempt, on 

 five or ten acres of land, without capital, to enter into com- 

 petition with three-fifths of the capital of the island, by 

 cultivating sugar, where butter is worth thirty-seven and a 

 half cents a pound, eggs three cents a piece, potatoes six 

 and a quarter and onions twelve and a half cents a pound, 

 and other provisions ranging at the same extravagant 

 prices. They can turn their lands to better account. 

 They raise supplies for their immediate wants. In that 

 way they incur none of the expenses of getting their pro- 

 duce to market, for they have a market at home which 



