The age-herald., 1898-10-12
DUR ISLANDS
 OF THE PACIFIC Senator Morgan Talks of Hawaii
 and Its People, ARE JOYOUS AND JUB|[AN1 Over Annexation to the Great Republic of the West. DAILY LIFE OF THE LEPERS Those Afflicted With the "Happy Dis- ease" Spend Their Days in Ease. HAVE ALL COMFORTS DESIRED Though Consigned by Fate to Seclusicn from the Rest of the Wo1l7,
 They Inter-marry and Chil-
 dren Are Born to Them.
Those Afflicted With the Happy Dis- ease" Spend Their Days in Ease.
HAVE ALL COMFORTS DESIRED
BY K. E. L. MEL.


 Selma, Ala, October 11.-(Special) )-At the home of Mrs. M. M. Force Senator John T. Morgan was seen by The Age-Herald's correspondent, and for an hour or more talked as only the premier statesman of the United States can, interestingly, charm ingly, and carrying conviction with every word.
 In regard to Hawaii the senator said:
 "The commission appointed by the presi- dent found the little islands in a joyous humor, jubilant over their annexation to the greatest country in the known world. The people of Hawaii are prosperous, wealthy and happy Twenty million dol- lars worth of trade is annually done by 1O9,OOO inhabitants. So you see that they are rapidly amassing fortunes and consider themselves greatly blessed. We visited all o. the eight islands but one, and found the people contented and rejoicing over annex / ation. Of course, there are few, very few. of the Kanakas, longing for the flesh pots, but they are the exception.
 q was at Honolulu when the last trans ports of soldiers, en route to Manila, stop ped. I never saw nor heard of soldiers be- ing treated so well. I partook of a ban- quet that had been prepared at the gov ernment palace for 1,500 soldiers, and a banquet it was, gotten up in royal style, with two bands discoursing sweet music while the boys ate. It was not soldiers fare at all, but tables loaded with viands and ornamented with flowers and fruits, with seats for all of the crowd. The whole city was simply turned over to them. They were not permitted to pay for a glass of soda water a ride in carriage, or, in fact, anything. They were guests of the community, and as such what they asked for was theirs.''
 Lepers of the Islands
 To the popular mind the name "Hawaii' is synonymous with leprosy. According to Senator Morgan, this idea is fallacious. He said.
 m the first place, there is not one-half. the danger of catching the disease in Ha- waii as there is in San Francisco. The country is divided into fifteen health or sanitary districts. and the best physician to be found and the most reliable is appointed sanitary inspector and clothed with power to search for all contagious and infectious diseases. When one is found, which is rare at this time, cleansed of the disease have the islands become, he or she is sent imme- Qiately to In6 ueleilllOl uOSpildl, dUOuI louE miles out from Honolulu, and if after the proper time the disease is pronounced lep- rosy the unfortunate one is carried to the island of Moloki, there to spend the rest of his or her days. On this island, where are isolated those afflicted with the happy disease" as it is called, on account of be- ing usually free from pain, is a peninsula cut off from the rest of the island by a
  falls rippling waters. On this peninsula are now HOO souls, priests, Sisters of Mercy, physicians, attendants and lepers Of the former, there are two hundred, all of whom are free from the disease.
 1.-Two villages exist, joined by good road. In them are sanitariums, churches, five in number; Young Mems Christian as- sociations, convents and schools. The in- habitants indulge in athletic sports, ride horseback, attend performances given at the Lyceum and live happy existence.
 Severance of Marital Ties
 "Banishment to Lepers' island carries with 1t severance of the marital tie, like the sentence of husband to a life term in the penltentiary gives the wife the right to remarry. So marriages are frequently con- tracted among those on the island. And children are born. Last year fifty-one chil- dren first saw the light of day on the penin- sula, and though both parents of all of , tHSiu Wcic lcperS, put one out or the entire number inherited the disease. The others were taken from the mothers and sent to a home provided for them.
 Each of the lepers draw daily ration and clothes supply from the governments cooperative store. Of course. the wealthy unfortunates supplement this with greater luxuries and have their carriages and their special servants, etc.
 "The disease is not contracted by simply coming in casual contact and while didn't go to the peninsula myself, other members of the commission spent Sunday there, at tended church and took dinner"
 Returning to the discussion of the people and the country of Hawaii, Senator Nor gan said:
 ''They are of fine proportion and magnifi-. cent physique. never saw runt among them. The women are for the most part beautiful. Their favorite pastime is horse back riding and they sit astride like a man