The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-06

mitted to Pope Leo for arbitration,
and he decided in favor of Spain.
The natives. however. were not par
ties TO the transaction; neither We're
their wishes consulted. Since the
rendering of the papal decision they
have been urging the United States
government to interfere in their be-
half and put an end to Spanish rule
in the Carolines.
After his experience in the Philip
pines Uncle Samuel may well exclaim:
Not in a thousand years. my Caro-
lines
But there is a sentimental interest,
or a missionary tie which makes the
natives very friendly to the people of
the United States. It arose from an
accident originally and it lives in the
hearts of a more greatful race than
the Filipinos. The story runs as fol-
lows:
Nearly fifty years ago an American
whaling ship was wrecked, or par
TALLY wrecked, on a coral reef sur
rounding Rusaie, or Strong's island,
one of this group. The captain was
Ire Lakey, a Yankee who had FORM
erly been in the watch and clock bust
ness, and who was fitted by nature
and education to do anything. from
repairing a ship, without tools or
material, to organizing a hierarchy.
One Of the sailors understood the
language Of the people, and an init
macy with the natives who are natur-
ally intelligent, soon arose. 1t hap
pened that at the time the king of the
island was dangerously i'll, and the
versatile Lakey offered to prescribe for
him. The king accepted and recover
ed his health. Nothing could exceed
his gratitude and that of his subjects.
They brought TO the seamen, day by
day, fish, pigeons, bananas, the fruit
of the pandanuS tree, and the cocoa
nut palm. a great friendship sprang
up between the captain and the kings
little son, a bright boy four or five
years old. The king was most DESTROYS
to learn about the United States and
the reason why the people there were
so much better off than in his own
country. He insisted that Captain
Lakey read and preach from the Bible
to them every Sabbath day. Lakey
conducted the service with so much
satisfaction that when he got his ship
patched up, and sailed away, the king
made him promise TO send them some
missionary teachers.
Captain Lakey was faithful TO his
word. To get the missionaries he
sailed 1000 miles out of his way to
Honolulu, Sandwich islands. and pre-
scented his appeal. 1t came at just
the right time. 1t exactly met the
awakened interest of the Sandwich
island Christians. They at once
organized a missionary society. In 1852
three missionaries, with their wives
and two Hawaiian teachers, went out
to Rusaie. Finding that they needed
"a small ship to wait upon them" as
they cruised among the islands they
wrote to the rooms of the missionary
board at Boston. A responsive thrill
went through the Sunday schools of
the land, and the first Morning Star,
brigantine costing $1S,351, was
launched November, 1856. Sinces that
time the work in these andS has been
one of great interest in missionary
circles. and it has been very success
full When Lakey revisited the islands
twenty years after his shipwreck he
found the natives neatly clothed and
well supplied with churches and
schools. They belong to the straight
haired, light-colored Polynesian race.
They are industrious and thrifty, and
do not use intoxicating liquors. Under
the missionary influence they got along
very nicely till the question of Euro
pean jurisdiction was raised.
There is a sentiment in mission cir
cles that the United States ought to
take the Carolines. But this business
of governing islands is growing in dis
favor. If Germany wants them, why
shouldn't Germany have them?