The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1899-02-23
THE DUTCH IN JAVA.

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nitely ours, it is high time to begin the
study Of how other successful colonizing
Nations have managed their dependen-
cies. 1t is therefore very pertinent to
read chapter Of Dutch history. Next
to Great Britain, Holland has been the
most successful ,colonizer in modern
history. Wherever the English and
Dutch have gone they have developed
the country and improved the condition
of the people. Wherever the Spanish,
Portuguese and Turks have gone, they
have injured the country and degraded
the people. France has had a mixed
history. She made some improvements,
but in general her administration of her
colonies has been selfish, grasping and
incompetent.
One of the most brilliant examples of
Dutch management has been the fertile
island of Java, which Alfred Wallace,
the great natur alist, calls the " Garden
of the East" The Dutch first estab-
lished themselves on the island in 1875,
displacing the Portuguese, who had held
it Ga years, but made no progress. The
Dutch lost the island to the English
during the Napoleonic Wars, but came
in possession again in 1916, and then
set actively about the work of re-
ducing it all to possession, and
making the most Of it. 1t was then
in deplorable condition. The white
settlements were few and weak, and
exercised but little influence on the
rest of the country. This was inhabited
by number of warning tribes, mostly
Mahometan, when they protested any
religion at all. Each village was fight
ing every other village; head-hunting
was the profession of the leading men,
and Javanese's rank in society was
indicated by the number Of skulls orna-
menting his residence. The population
was then estimated at about 100000.
In 1926 the Dutch introduced the
Culture SYSTEM" devised by wise
statesmen of Holland. This was a
shrewd admixture of Dutch thrift and
order, with native customs and ideas.
The country was divided into districts,
under officials sent out from Holland,
who ruled the people through their own
chiefs, lords, and princes. The Dutch
officials were styled Elder Brothers"
and their orders recommendations"
which had, however, to be implicitly
obeyed Dutch Judges administered
justice impartially and rigidly, but
with due regard for the prejudices
and ideas Of the people. Dutch Secre-
taries administered the finances. Dutch
missionaries came in to help the Gov
erment. Internecine war was put down
with a strong hand, and the people en-
couraged to clear the country and plant
it in rice, tobacco, coffee, spices, cotton,
sugar, and cinchona. The chiefs allotted
the land to each, and regulated the
planting and harvesting. When the
crop was raised the Government bought
it at fair price, and stored it in ware
houses. The introduction of spirits and
opium was prohibited.
The results of this system were mar
velous. In "a years the population
had increased to 100000, an increase
of 73 per cent, and it has kept on in
creasing until now there are 24,000,000
people on the island, they are we'll
dressed, live in comfortable houses, and
the great island, from one end to the
other, is beautiful garden, with good |
roads connecting all the villages, and
schoolhouses and churches everywhere.
Wallace says:
The people are now the most industrious,
peaceable and civilized in the whole Malay |
Archipelago They are the best-clothed. the |
best-housed, the best-fed and the best-educa- |
ted, and they have made some progress to-
ward a higher social state.
Wallace's enthusiasm over Java is
shared by all other travellers who have
visited the island, which is little larger
than the State of New York, and contains
about four times as many people. OF |
course, this has not been wholly work
of philanthropy with Holland, for she
l. ! ~