Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-08-24
| The Dutch FAST Indies
Something About the Vast Possessions OF me HoHdn-
derS in the Far fast

~ HAVE come from Australia to
Java TO tell you how the Dutch are
managing their colonial empire.
Their possessions Const Of q vast
archipelago just south OF the Phil
ippine Islands II lies on both
Ia sides OF the equator, and Is inha0-
tied by peoples. savage and civil
led who have all the characteristics
OF our Flliplnos. Some Of the Islands
have been governed by Dutch officials
for centuries. They have been the
scenes of all sorts OF colonial expert
ments, and they cannot but furnish
valuable lessons TO us IN the manage
ment OF our Philippine possessions
HOLLANDS COLONIAL EMPIRE.
But first let me give you some idea
of the Dutch East Indies. You know
the little country OF Holland II is
hardly more than a watcry plmple on
the broad face OF Europe. The Dutch
territories here are sixty times as large
as their possessions IN Europe. They
are one-fifth the size Of the whole Unit
ed States, including Alaska, and so
large that you could put our Atlantic
states and also Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky
Tennessee and Mississippi in them and
have room TO spare. These territories
contain Si,0OO,O0O people, or seven times
the population Of Holland. They have
half as many people as the whole Unit
ed States had In 1890, and on some OF
the Islands there are more people TO
the square mile than In any other part
OF the world.
BIG ISLANDS OWNED BY THE
DUTCH.
& had no idea OF the size Of the Dutch |
colonial empire until came here. They |
have islands which are principalities
in themselves. Take Sumatra, the soil |
OF which Is as fat as that OF the Nile, |
and which has petroleum and undeyel-
oped mineral resources. That island |
is longer than from New York to Chi
cago. and as wide as from Boston 20
Washington. IL is larger than any Of
the United states except Texas. and
II lies right next to Singapore one
OF the chief trade routes OF the world.
Take Borneo, which Is also unprospect-
ed. The Dutch own more land there
than all New England added TO New
Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio. They
have more territory in New Guinea
than California, and in the Celebes
there Is twice as much land as In In
diana. The TlmOr archipelago, through
which my steamer wound It's way from
Torres strait 10 Batavia. has an area
twice that OF Massachusetts, and in
that journey, which lasted two weeks,
II seemed TO me | could not get out OF
sight OF Islands owned by the Dutch.
There were Islands all the way, and
II you will look at the map you will
see that they spot the Indian ocean
like stepping stones on q straight path
ms long as from New York city 20 Salt
Lake, all the way from southern Asia
TO beyond Australia.
THE PRINCE OF COLONIAL POS
SESSIONS.
All OF thees islands Of which have
spoken are comparatively undeveloped. |
They are Inhabited chiefly by savages,
and no one knows Just what they are
worth. IL Is different with Java. from
where this letter IL written This is
the capital OF Asiatic Holland, and Il
has been the place where the Dutch
have made their colonial experiments.
They had possession OF II when Shakes
pears was yet living, and yet they have
been ruling II ever since. until they
have now made II the garden Of the
tropics the Switzerland Of the Pacific
and the wonder OF the world as to col
onial management.
Think OF an island only rs large as
the state Of New York which is sun
porting comfortably more than 2bO0O.-
boo people That is Java. 1t IL less
than 200 miles long and from 56 to 1870 ,
miles wide. but IL has more people THAI
All the rest of the archipelago Of which
i forms a part. II Is about ms big
rs Lu2on or Mindanao, and its soil
y OF much the same character | have
already Travelled through parts of II, a
and have yet % meet a native who ,
ooks hungry. The country Is feeding D.,
Itself, and in addition is sending away !
Ise,0OOo0O worth Of goods every year. /
L Is not only feeding the natives but
I Is making fortunes for Dutch capital :
SITS. II Is covered with plantations OF !
'ugar, coffee. and qulnlne and | am
old that the Dutch investments I'm IL
llready amount 10 more than Sl2s.OO
100. In future letters l shall show ! ,