“We should absorb them,” he replied. “They are at one with us in our dream of freedom.” “And you can trust them to be at one with you always?” I asked. “They will be our Irish,” he replied. [Illustration: STEAMERS UNLOADING, BARBADOES] THE WHITE MAN’S POLITICS CHAPTER XVI THE WHITE MAN’S POLITICS I have given at length a political conversation I had with an intelligent and well-informed negro. May I add the record of the talk I had with an important servant of the Government. Though he was not concerned with the actual work of governing, he was a man who had a voice in the affairs of the State, a friend and servant of the Government, a man who could well remember the Jamaica of twenty years ago. I dined with him in a bungalow pleasantly situated in a Kingston suburb. And I retailed to him the opinions of my friend the coloured reformer. “Bosh,” he said; “stuff and nonsense. Your glib acquaintance was engaged in the delicate art of pulling your leg.” Remembering the earnestness of my companion of Spanish Town country road--remembering his deep seriousness--I disagreed. “But, my dear fellow, if they tried on that sort of business we should go for them. Eyre strung up Gordon for that sort of thing, and the black fellows have not forgotten the lesson they were taught then. The black Tommies--who are not all Jamaicans--in Up-Park Camp, and the white troops at Newcastle and Port Royal, would have something to say in the matter of Jamaican freedom.” “How about the intervention of America?” “So much rubbish. The Yankees have pretty well cornered the trade of the island; the natives count their money in dollars and American notes instead of English sovereigns, and that is about all America wants.” “But what’s the good of Jamaica to England if America controls the trade?” “Give it up my boy. England’s got Jamaica and she will have to keep it. Even dear old arrogant Britain cannot do what she likes with her Colonies. There would be a terrible kick-up if we started turning our possessions adrift because they had ceased to be remunerative. Besides, there is still a good trade done with England, and lately fresh British enterprise has done something in the way of increasing the Briton’s share.” “But suppose the coloured people were to properly organise, and, under the leadership of a strong man, demand absolute home rule?” “Then we should have to tell them to go to the devil.” “And if they refused?” “Well, then, I suppose, there would be a bit of shooting.” “With a Liberal Government in power at home?” “Give it up again, my boy. You know as much about home politics and the colonial policy of the Liberal party as I do.” “Perhaps the Americans would openly side with the blacks?” “Then not all the Liberal Governments in the world could prevent the shooting.” “You think there is no possibility then of the introduction of home rule for Jamaica?”