The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-08-25
x MAIDEN FROM INTERIOR
JAVA.

JAVA.
Special Correspondence Of The Sunday Republic.
Batavia. Java, July 81 have come from
Australia to Java to tell how tho Dutch are
managing their colonial empire. Their pos
sessions consist Of a vast archipelago just
south Of the Philippine Islands. 1t lies on
both sides Of the equator. and Is inhabited
by peoples, savage and civilized. who have
all the characteristics Of our Filipinos.
Some Of the islands have been governed by
Dutch officials for centuries. They have
been the scenes Of all sorts Of colonial ex-
periments. and they cannot but furnish val
liable lessons to US in the management of
our Philippine possessions.
But frst let me give you some idea Of the
Dutch East Indies You know the little
country Of Holland. 1t is hardly more
than . watery pimple on the broad face Of
Europe. The Dutch territories here are
sixty times as large as their possessions in
Europe. They are one-nfth the size of the
whole United States. including Alaska, and
80 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 con-
tain 100000 people. or seven times the
population Of Holland. They have half as
many people as the whole United States had
In 1880. and on some of the islands there are
more people to the square mile than IN any
other part of the world.
Islands Owned by Dutch
Art Like Principalities.
I had no idea Of the size Of the Dutch
colonial empire until I came here. They
have islands which are principalities in
themselves. Take Sumatra. the soil of which
Is a. fat as that of the Nile. and which
has petroleum and undeveloped mineral re- |
sources. That island is longer than from
New York to Chicago and as wide as from !
Boston to Washington. 1t is larger than !
any Of the United States except Texas, and
It lies right next to Singapore. on one of
the chief trade routes Of the world. Take /;
Borneo. which 10 also unprospected. The |
Dutch own more land there than all New !
England added to New Jersey. Pennsylva- |
MA and Ohio. They have more territory in |
New Guinea than California. and In the
Celebes there IL twice as much land as In !
Indiana The Timor Archipelago. through
which my steamer wound its way from
Torres Strait to Batavia. has an area
twice that OF Massachusetts,, and in that
Journey. which lasted two weeks, It 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 viii zee that they spot the Indian Ocean
like stepping stones on a straight path as
long as from New York City to Salt Lake,
all the way from Southern Asia to beyond
Australia.
These Colonial Possessions Are
Comparatively UndevelOped.
MI Of thA~ felonds ~ Ii -
spoken are comparatively undeveloped.
They are inhabited chiefly by savaEes. and
no one knows just what they are worth.
1t Ii different with Java. from where this
letter 10 written. This is the capital Of
Asdatic Holland. and 1t has been the place
where the Dutch have made their colonial
experiments. They had possession Of II
wnen Shakespeare was yet living, and they
have now made 1t the garden of the tropics.
the Switzerland of the Pacific and the won
DER Of the world As to colonial manage.
ment.
Think of an island only as large a. the
o'a'e OF new York which is supporting
comiortaoy more than 5000 900 people.
.hat Is Java. 1t il less than 200 miles
long and from nfty-six to 40 miles wide. bur
It has more people than all the rest of IN.
archipelago of which it forms a part. II
Is about as big as Luzon or Mindanao. and
It's soil Is of much the same character.
nave already Travelled through parts of II.
ana 1 have yet to meet a native who looks
hungry. Inc country is feeding itself, and
IN aooiticn Is sending away $50, OOO. OOo
worth OF goods every year. 1t is no, only
Iecdins the natives. but it ia making for
tunes Tor Dutch capitalists. 1t Is covered
Win plantations of sugar, coffee and
Qoinine' and l am told that the Dutch in
m In 1t already amount To mora
man N3.o0.Oo. In future letters I shall .
snow where the money is placed and tell ,
YOU something a. to the profits. -,
Java a Land of Railroads, /.
and Schools.
Inc Java Of to-day shows Us what the d.
Fhiippines may be in the future. 1t ts al d.
ready a land OF railroads. telexrapb, and =
You can get as good an education :
nere In Batavia as in the average American q.
ATTY. can telephone from the hotel where A.
am stopping to cities and villages ali over I.
ne country, and on the long-distance can :,
De connected with S~oerbaya, on the other +,
'ide OF the island. which il as far avsv !,
rom here ~ from Washington to Cleveland =
expect 10 travel ali over this island on $
'aairoads. and ] could 20 on Q bicycle OF an q
autonobfls through every part Of Il. r c
Dutch have 6ulit hero the best wagon roads a
u the world. and that notwithstanding the q