Frenc/i Govcrmiieii/ in the If'es/ /miics 489 et locales, que la Chambre et le Gouverncment doivent y porter toute leur attention." M. Picanon, the colonial inspector who visited the Antilles in 1900, expressed his dissatisfaction with the excessive functionarism in the islands. It was his opinion that the functionaries must be separated from politics and that the disastrous interference of politics with industry must cease. Political interference is especially dangerous in a small country with monoculture. His concrete recommendations are that there be instituted an irremovable magis- trature of metropolitan origin and that the gendarmerie be put under the control of the governor instead of the mains} There is therefore little likelihood that the demands of the colonies for further autonomy will find a favorable hearing with the government. By the law of July 7, 1900, the French colonial army was organ- ized. Even as far back as 1848, by the decree of May 3, the French laws of recruitment were made applicable to the colonies. The decree was never put into execution, but the organic law of the national army of July 15, 1889, again imposed the duty of military service upon the colonists. It was not however until 1900 that provisions for the actual organization of this part of the army were made. The colonial papers had always professed the eager- ness of the colonists to pay the "impost of blood," and the final execution of the law was met with apparent enthusiasm, which is explained by the fact that service under the French colors is looked upon as imparting a new dignity to the negroes of the colonies. It would be interesting to dwell on the mental characteristics and the general culture of the population of the islands, but we can here only indicate some facts that have a direct bearing on political life. While the leaders of the colored class are enthusi- astic for education, and while large amounts of the public money are annually spent for that purpose," still the ignorance of the masses is matter of constant comment on the part of the colonial papers. Among a population of 187,692 there were, in 1894, eighty thousand persons above the age of fourteen who were unable to read and write, leaving only 47,600 who had those accomplish- ments.' The moral status of the population according to European standards is very low. Out of the number given above only 20,312 are married — that is, there are only about 10,000 house- holds in Martinique, and three-fourths of the children are born out of wedlock. While the ceremonial of the Church still retains its ■ Les Colimifs, June 6, 1900. 2 In the budget for 1900, 1,027,095 francs are appropriated for education, as over against 787,520 francs for public worlis. Annuatre de Li Ma'tiniquc, igoo, p. 296. 3 Annuatre de la Martiniijue, I900, p. 630.
