The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04
J4P4N'S RUE IN FORMOSI.
lnsurrection Only Kept Down by Force-m
Feeling Due TO Had Treatment.

Ef''f 'h' NfiD dbLA
The Rev. Duncan Ferguson OF the Prcsby.
terrain Mission has Just returned from Fornosa
after seven and a half years work on the island.
He has on several occasions traversed the whole
island. and. with the exception of u small por-
ton in the north, knows il as well as any living
the present condition Of the island.
To rightly, understand the, situation in For
mosa when left in January, It is necessary 70
explain something about the island itself.
Roughly speaking. q range OF hills runs through
the island from north 10 south. On the western
scahoard. is "A level, fertile plain. well
cultivated by the Chinese. and producing
Of SfST this F Slain n"h IS now now in noH the hands naS Of S" the
japanese. Immediately 10 the rear 81 this
plain Is a lower ranGe Of hiAs: inhabited
this lower range that the rebels have made their
headquarters. The very high mountain range
behind this runs right TO the sea on the east
coast. These mountain Businesses are the abode
of head-huntinC sayaGes, who formerly were
prevented from coming down into the plain by
rows or military camps. On the last occasion
ON which crossed these mountains was at
lacked oy th% SAVAGE ana sh0t IN me Srea.t:
ton OF the Japanese force. There are three
hrigades Of Japanese trooGs in the island-!nfan;
over the island. During 1896 l several times
travelled over mid and south ~Forrnosa;. and in
from north 10 south, and ! saw japanese troops
everywhere. The headquarters OF the southern
S S]GrTis @Te a al P ftf,Man some t ibtr,S. il a niles TSTS l frcm
Tai-wan.fu; the district cities are well guarded.
and, in fact. almost every little Town from north
10 south has its japanese force.
"lnSurrcCtion reigns all over the island and
matters have in no way improved. The situation
cccdingly dangerous. My own baggage man
WAS attacked and "a few days later a German
igrkrd and robned OF everything. he heinz him.
self unhMrt. No one is safe outside the treaty
ports. Three weeks before l left the large
city OF ritha,i. to which ! have already 81
ludcd, and which is only eight miles from the
treaty port OF Takou. was attacked by the rchels,
fighting. 1t is necessary in ascertainins the
causes OF this state OF things TO distinguish h..
am not now dealing. The rebeisSihat is TO say.
the ForInosan Chinese-arc, rs "A rule. peace
loving and well-disposed people, but they have
been Eoaded into their present state. Among
their ranks are Ia he seen old whitc-haired men
and lads who having been ruined by Japanese
PIE. been turned into dcspcrndocs who declare
they will fight 10 the last. | repeat what l have
reduced 10 their present condition through the
brutal treatment OF the japanese. II is uccrs-
sary 10 explain this. ! have no doubt that the
NlkaGo'S Government means well by FormosA.
and l would not say a word against any OF the
high japanese officials there. For the most
The diili"ulty is TINT their subordinates
have too much power. In many cases these arc
men who could get no work at all in Japan.
Among them are non.commissioncd officers,
soldiers. and coolies, ana the! seem 10 have been
SiIrm. "T e h"yI "Ft0Sated i" inyn5seiHr> il%t
civilization OF the rank and lille Of the Japanese
army is the thinCSt Vcnrcr-a veneer which has
Things became 81 bad that, In June last. tho
whole, OF mid-Formosa was. in rebellion. Al
though there was no state OF war existing. tho
Japanese then burned between seventy and a
hundred villages in mid ,~Formosa, and hundreds
OF Inhabitants were killed in cold blood. Mat
community. including the British Consul. lodged
q formal protest with tho British Minister AZ
Tokio, and ! am glad TO say this has had somo
result on the Japanese soldicry.
"Dccrtvri by tho comparative quiet of thClntr
autumn. the japanese commanders are talking
o. sending one brigade OF troop, back to Japan.
This will hc u fatal mistake. The fire ~ instr
rcCiiun that they have kindlcd is still smNultrr.
ing. and instead OF being centred IN mid For
musn has now spread all over the island. Tho
rcbrls have been rendered So dr>prrhl" and su>-
piCious that they do not understand ihrir recent
improved treatment by The Jnpnn,,". and a dc:
crease of japanese troops among thrrn would
only hcthc signal for further r~rpri~al-.
AS far ms their personal safety Is concerned,
Europeans are all right so long ns thc} rrmain
In the treaty ports. ! am sure that mo rrhctS
would not hurt any European, hut tho difficulty
Is that they do not know how 10 distinguish he
tween them and The japanese, their genera! mp
pcarance, and dress heing tEe same, Trad" Is
practically stopped, and the English merchants
say they are, hring ruined. The c~nInDhor trade
Is al Il complete standslill, a. The Canlllhnr can
not be got from the hills. The Japanese. by The
way, are doing their best 10 get - monopoly Of
this trade and Ia exclude all the European MGR
on To fu the raiiwL y in north fUrmOsl
that was begun by the Chinese.
80 far as the hill sGVRgCs, rs distinct from
the rebels, are concerned, thnir ,smhJpghtion viii
be "A question OF time. Meanwhile, however, !
think the Japanese. will br. able 10 yet on all
right with them so long ms they pay thQm well.
u regret to say that, since the japanese OcCu.
patton, more opium than ever has been smugglcd
Into Formosa. IL Is true the Japanese have for
Island in large quantities.. and all the south
Formosa merchants are of opinion that the au-
thorities do not take steps TO prevent this con-
traband trade"