488 /•'. 5. Reins ch age, which was retained by the SociaHst senator. While the depu- ties thus made a purely political and administrative question of the strike, the French Socialist deputies treated it as an economic strike due to the insufficient payment of the laborers and to the unfulfilled ante-election promises of the proprietors. The debate, however, left the field of colonial politics, when M. Ribot bitterly assailed the ministry for its alliance with the Socialists. Thereupon the latter, al- though inclined to censure the government for the use of troops against striking laborers, joined in the vote of confidence for the reason, as given by M. Carnaud, that they "did not wish to furnish an occasion to some ambitious men for gathering up a port-folio from the blood of the laborers of Martinique." The vote passed by a majority of forty-one.' The financial situation of the colonies is at present far from prosperous. Although there is no large public debt, the financial resources will be strained to the uttermost by the withdrawal of the subvention so far allowed by the French government. By the law of April 13, 1900, which went into effect on January i, 1901, the colonies which have general councils are held responsible for all civil and police expenditures incurred by them. The only expendi- tures that will be met by the mother country are those for the mili- tary and naval defense. In this manner the amount to be met by the budget of Martinique will be increased from 5,729,000 francs in 1900 to about 8,000,000 francs.- As a return for this added financial burden, the colonies have asked for an increased autonomy of their general councils. By the tariff law of January 1 1, 1892, the powers of these councils had been cut down, inasmuch as the colonies were made subject to the French tariff and could no longer have a special customs system as under the Saiatns-Consulte of 1866. But at present there seems to be little disposition on the part of the French government to add to the colonial autonomy. In his speech during the interpellation of March 26 the Minister of Colonies, M. Decrais, said: " I believe that the authority of the government must be fortified, that it must be freed from all local influences." He added : " II faut le dire, les passions politiques et electorales sont si vives sous ce climat ardent et dans cette ile res- serree, elles y ont creee une telle atmosphere des haines personelles ' The whole interpellation is reported in Les Colonies. It took place on March 26, 1900.
- Les Colonies, August 6, 1900.
^ See the proposal of M. Ursleur, deputy of Guiana, cited in Annales des Sciences Politiques, March, 1900, p. 233. He says : " Nous demandons a payer 1 impot du sang, nous demandons a rester citoyens frangais, mais nous desirous gerer nous-memes nos hnances."
