The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-11-15
THE ENTIRE ISLAND REFORMED.

In the northern part of the Sea Of Japan,
some forty miles distant from the large isl
and OF EZo,- lies q tiny island called Oku-
shiri. Its soil Is fertile. Trees Of varying
proportion cluster thickly over its surface.
The agriculturist and the lumberman might
find profitable occupations there. But the
chief pursuit OF the people is fishing. Every
spring great shoals OF herring approach the
coast and the fish are easily captured in such
quantities that this one bountiful dispensa-
tion OF nature suflces to feed and clothe the
inhabitants from years end to years end.
Living thus in ease and plenty the people
might be expected to develop qualities usu-
ally Incidental to such circumstances, and
they appear to have fallen pretty freely into
the vice OF drunkenness. In 1885 there were
some 26O souls in the island. They possessed
only four fixed nets. They lived in houses
thatched with coarse grass they had scarcely
any roads. and they could boast only sim
gle school. Yet they consumed annually
$4,000 worth of sake in addition to shochu
and other strong drinks. In short, these
common fisher folks spent upon intoxicating
beverages more than 81 per month for every
unit of their number, including women and
children. The. same ratio Of intemperance
applied to the whole Of Japan would signify
an annual expenditure of $500. 900, 900 on in
toXicating beverages alone. In the face of
this reckless outlay for liquor the people
often suffered severely from hunger and cold
during the winter, the price Of rice ranging
very high in the midwinter months and the
dwelling houses being i'll adapted to exclude
the inclement atmosphere The local au-
thorities prevailed upon them to adopt a sys-
tenn Of storing provisions against times OF
scarcity, but their sources, reduced by pay
ments on account OF sake. were insufficient
to accomplish anything effective in that line.
These circumstances induced some bold
men among them to openly denounce the ex-
cessive use Of alcoholic beverages as the
cause of all the peoples sufferings. and to
preach the necessity OF applying to useful
purposes the funds thus squandered. The
crusade provoked violent opposition, but In
1884 the inhabitants were induced to enter
into the following agreement:
Covenant made by the people Of Okushiri
Island concerning the sale and purchase OF
alcoholic beverages and the use OF the same
in the island OF Okushiri.
''This land which We Inhabit is lonely
island in the Pacific Ocean. Its inhabitants.
numbering ninety families, find almost their
only means of amusement in drinking alco-
hol. Nine out of every ten are addicted to
sake, the sums annually spent upon which
aggregate heavy amount.
"Debtors are unable to meet their engage
ments, and some are even compelled to de-
pend on official cid for supplies OF food. We
are threatened with misery and some extra
ordinary measure Is necessary to save us.
Frugality must be the rule OF our conduct,
and every kind OF excess must be avoided.
We, therefore, hereby resolve to abstain from
the luxury which We relish above oil others,
Eamely, sake, so as to terminate the importa-
tion OF the liquor into the island. The money
hitherto devoted to the purchase OF sake shall
ha iaI 10 1or IN NJ
grain as provision against future want, on
the one hand, and to increase the capital
available for fishery purposes on the other.
.[S1aNATUREs 81 THE PRoMoTEEs.l
'!Dated July. 1884.
"Article I've, the inhabitants OF Okus-
diri Island, jointly and severaly, in accord
ance with the covenant hereby signed, do
pledge ourselves to abandon wholly the sale,
purchase, and use OF alcohic beverages
(Signed) III OKUsH1R1 ISLANDERS"
The consequences OF this covenant were
very marked. I: was vigorously observed.
Even Government officials, whatever their
rank, had to give up sake drinking when
they visited the island. and, as q matter OF
course, every dramster who could not re-
form was compelled to take his departure.
Order thenceforth reigned completely, and
prosperity came with rapid strides. The
population increased five told In five years
and the capital invested IN tne 1snlnS lnouS-
try ten fold. Reed thatches were replaced
BY shingles. Four large granaries were kept
full of rice, and in addition, each house had
store OF its own. 1t is sthted that there IS
now stored in the island rice sufficient to
support the people for three or four years,
even though the herring fishery should fall
entirely. Roads have have been constructed
in places where nothing Of the kind existed
before. The principal school has been
greatly improved, and several branch schools
have been established.
New lands have been brought into cutiva-
tion. and hemp to the value OF $4,000 is
grown annually for the manufacture OF FISH
ing nets, which, before the signing OF the
covenant, had to be imported entirely from
the mainland. Statistics also show marked
decrease OF crime, and 80 famous did the
success OF the experiment become that
large community Of settlers IN the neighhor-
ing island OF Eco pledged themselves to q
covenant similar to that of Okushiri, and
with similarly happy results. Finally, We
may add that when the five years originally
contemplated by the covenant expired 1t was
renewed for another term OF five years, des-
pite the opposition OF an influential loca! o.
tcial.-Japan Mail.