per year) and thought it was done to prevent persons without other means of support
from becoming legislators. It was also believed that the beginning of the annual
regular sessions had been changed from the 1936 date of January to the 1954 date of
April to allow the tourist season to end, based on the expectation that few persons
other than businessmen would be able to serve at such a low salary.8

 Proponents of the low salary said it was necessary to prevent the abuses of
getting paid for each meeting, sometimes totalling hundreds of dollars per month,
which had characterized the Municipal Councils. Even racism was alleged to have
influenced the legislative rules: the provision that each voter could vote for only two of
the six at-large senators was explained by a United States Senator as necessary to
guarantee minority (white) representation.9 In spite of such restrictions, the Revised
Organic Act gave rise, as already mentioned in the historical context summary, to a tri-
island party system and increased popular interest in politics.

 In 1966 the number of seats in the Legislature was increased from eleven to
fifteen. The Legislature's composition was further reapportioned in 1972 to grant
seven seats each to St. Croix and St. Thomas-St. John and one at-large member, who
must be a resident on St. John. After 1966 the salary of senators was set by the
Legislature, and a 1987 law specified that the salary of senators should be no less
than the salaries of departmental commissioners. Based on that, the salary of Virgin
Islands legislators became $65,000 in 1990.

 Though it was initially a great political disappointment, the Revised Organic Act
of 1954, by means of substantial amendments during the years following, managed to
accommodate a number of the growing demands of Virgin Islands' residents for
greater self-government.

 Elective Governor Act of 1968

 The Elective Governor Act, signed into law on August 23, 1968, has been
 incorporated into the Revised Organic Act of 1954 to amend the older provisions for an
 appointed Governor. The major provisions of the Elective Governor Act were:

 A. Beginning with the election of November, 1970, and
 every four years thereafter, the Governor of the
 Virgin Islands would be elected.

 B. The Governor would be elected, together with a
 Lieutenant Governor, by a majority of the votes cast
 by persons qualified to vote in legislative elections.
 The Governor and Lieutenant Governor would be
 chosen jointly -- by a single vote. If no team
 received a majority in the initial election, a run-off