202 TlMEHRI. 
that was the dominant interest, but the founders 
had perhaps looked forward to a time when, although 
sugar would be the first among equals, it would not be 
more than that. They all knew that the sugar industry 
had been the mainstay of the colony, and as the Society 
represented the colony, it had been accustomed to choose 
as its President one of those who had a large stake in it 
and who belonged to its prominent class. Many of the 
Presidents taken from that class had been men of ability, 
and had thrown themselves into the work of the Society 
with energy and unsparing liberality, and he was sure 
the Society would never allow their names to be forgotten. 
But a change had come. The Society selected an Officer 
of the Government, a man of the world, a man of culture, 
of literary tastes, and one well known to take an interest 
in the Society. He referred to their late esteemed 
President, Mr. Kirke. This was a departure in a new 
direction, and it had a meaning apart from its popularity. 
The Society declined to be considered as merely the 
organ of one interest. It wished to be representative of 
the colony at large. He expected that in future the 
President would be selected for those qualities which had 
always been kept in view in the past, but entirely apart 
from any particular class. Of course it might be sug- 
gested by those who were biassed in their views in favour 
of the dominant interest, that the Society would be apt 
to neglect that interest. He had no fear of that what- 
ever, sugar planting must be the leading industry for 
years and years, and there were those present who 
would be always ready to keep it before the Society. 
They had men of ability, engineers, chemists, and planters, 
who would never allow the Society to sink to the position 
