The Savannah morning news., 1901-04-01
DEVASTATION DONE BY THE SHIRT.
Some Reason for Saying 1t Has Kill
ed More Pacific Islanders Than
Rum.
From the New York sun


Rum.
From the New York Sun.
The fact that the decline of the Cocopah
Indians in Arizona has been attributed to
their donning trousers recalls the harm
that has been done by inducing natives Of
the Pacific Islands to wear shirts. wher-
ever the mission teachers have induced
the islanders to wear shirts the people
have so dwindled in little more than half
a century as to be on the verge OF ex-
tinction. Where others of the same race
jim neighboring archipelagoes were left 90
their ancient style of dress the population
has remained at least stationary and in
many cases has shown an upward ten
denev.
Naturally the missionaries would be the
last people knowingly to introduce to
their charges anything that might harm
and when they found their focks dying
on they looked for the cause in the rum
which the whalers and traders sold Left
TO their own devices the Pacific Islanders
are little likely to fall victims in any
large numbers to the use of alcoholic
stimulants. for which they seem to have
little liking.
There have been notable cases of horri-
Die example, but these are exceptions in
proof of the rule. very glaring case
was In Hawaii under its burlesque mon
archy almost any time In the reign OF
the last kings OF the race of Kamehame-
ma IL would have puzzled one to draw a
hard and fast distinction between the
throne room and an alcoholic ward. Yet
careful observers who are familiar with
the conditions of island life do not hest
tate to express the opinion that the shirt
draped on the islander by his missionary
has slain more than the rum poured into
him by the trader.
Not all the missionaries in the South
sea have raised the shirt to the plane of
a Christian dogma and regulated its use
by the book Of church discipline. So
far as there may be deduced any general
rule on the subject it would seem to be
that the missionaries of the Catholic and
Episcopal churches have not attempted
to force the shirt upon their converts at
all. that the London Mission Society in
sists only that It shall be worn when at
tending church and not necessarily for
daily habit. that the American and Aus
tralian missions make a point that the
shirt shall be worn at all times. The de-
population OF the Pacific has proceeded
farthest in the island where the last have
had undivided sway.
Hawaii Is conspicuous example. It's
missionary hierarchy came from Salem
and Boston with all the fixed IDEAS OF
old New England rural life. and when
they found simple race that went about
unabashed with never a shirt to their
backs they certainly had compton nts.
They lost no time In calling upon all
the Dorcas societies to hem a sufficiency
OF shirt to cover Hawaii. AS an article
OF faith the Hawaiian was made to wear
a shirt, and now there are precious few
Hawaiians left. For the same cause the
depopulation has progressed in the track
of the New England missionary In the
Marquesas and the Line Islands. The
same Is becoming true OF Tonga and Niue
In the South Pacific where the Australian
missions insist on shirts all the time
This view Of the shirt as source or
deadly disease Is by no means fancifui,
for II is based on the principles Of hy-
giene. In lands 70 humid as the islands
OF the torrld Pacific the least exertion
brings profuse perspiration. When clad
In accordance with the wisdom or HIS
ancestors, that Is 70 say. in no more
above the waist than a wreath or now
ors and a clubbing OF cocoanut Oh, tho
Islander could sit down anywhere in the
shade and cool on without harm
But put upon him cotton shirt ami
teach him that his first step toward a
better Hfe II 10 wear that Rarb. then
let him get his shirt wringinF wet with
Precipitation ana let him nit III his door
way 20 cool on IN the drauehi, and It y
q moral certainty that be will be- 20 chlli-
~ By the evaporation from the cotton
tissue that IN short order HE lungs will
break down.
That h why fhe shirt b. regarded ~ the
South heas almost aa q deadly weapon.