Omaha daily bee., 1895-06-02

foreign territory. We are not land crazy,
and we have never striven for colonial acqui-
sition. Whatever concessions we may have
gained from China in this direction are the
Legitimate results of the struggle we have
waged with her, either in the extension of
territory which our geographical position rem
ders natural or proper, or by its acquisition
for PURPOSES of necessary defense against fu-
ture attacks"
THE ISLAND OF FORMOSA.
GLOW about Formosa, your eXcellency?"
asked. docs Japan gain much by its acqui-
sition?'
"I think it does" replied the minister
"Formosa is essentially part of long train
of the japanese islands These run from
YezZo down to Nagasaki, then break out a
little further below in the Loo Choo islands
Formosa is a natural part of this chain. The
island can hardly be called a Chinese prov
ince, except in name. Its Chinese population
is not large, and great many OF the In
habitants are savages, who live by hunting,
and who have long been a menace to all
strangers shipwrecked on their coasts. They
have in the past killed Japanese, French,
English and Americans, and II is said that
they eat part of the bodies of their enemies.
"They are not cannibals in the ordinary
sense of the word, but they celebrate their
victories by feasts of this kind. They tat
too their faces and skin, and they are di-
vided up into tribes. These men are very
fierce, and the Japanese, in taking the
nese rule they have been allowed to do as
they pleased. You remember in 1872 Jap
anese crew which was shipwrecked on the.r
coasts was slaughtered by them. We sent
an embassy to Peking and demanded re-
dress, and that the Offenders be given up to
justice. The tsung Ii yaInen, or bureau OF
foreign affairs, said they could not restrain
the savages. Our embassy then replied that
IL they would give the Japanese permission
to do so that they would control them, This
was acceded to, and an expedition was sent
from Japan to Formosa. The savages were
conquered and subdued. Our men began &c
make some improvements, and we instituted
government over the parts we had con-
quered The Chinese at once became
alarmed, and they demanded that the Japan,
| ese leave Formosa They were so earnest
about 1t that they paid the Japanese the
| sum OF 100000 taels in order to get them
| to go. In the presentation of the money, II
was put on the ground that the japanese
| had done work to the amount of the money
given in road building, etc"
'Is Formosa a rich country?'
"Yes, 1t is very RICH" was the reply
1T has been, at times, called the granary
| of China. 1t produces the finest tea, and the
FCrmosa tea commands the highest prices
| in China 1t yields great quantities Of rice
1t has valuable forests, and it is said to con,
tain fine sugar-growing territory. 1t has c)al
and its mineral resources are as yet un
developed. chain of mountains runs
through the island, but it has large alluvia
plains, and it is well watered. 1t is in
| deed a very valuable acquisition"
What will the japanese do with it?"
81 do not know" replied the minister
But / presume that it will be colonizet
and developed. The government will prob
ably offer extraordinary Inducements to thu
people to emigrate to II. Japanese capita
will be organized 10 degelop its resources
and 1t may be that 9the Japanese of th'
Sandwich Islands willjcome to Formosa anC
be induced to go into sugar raising there
| They know all about the business, you know
from their employment in Hawaii, and the,
will probably be glad to make the change
The Japanese government has hitherto en-
deavored to promote the colonization Of tn
island Of YeEo with some degree of success
but private enterprise, from lack Of capital
and, perhaps, partly from climatic reasons
has not done so well there. Formosa vii
prove a more tempting field for immigration
especially TO the inhabitants Of southern
Japan.
WILL JAPAN MoNoPoLIZE CoREA?
'I suppose the Japanese will monopoliz
all concessions which may be given out 70
the development Of Corea?" said /.
Ia