Arizona republican., 1904-08-02
Our Forgotten Wards in the South
 Seas,

Few Americans remember that we own an interesting patch of land in the south sceS, and with the land fine assortment of gentle savages. President David Starr Jordan of San ford university recently made a. trip to Samoa, and in the August Atlantic he has an entertaining and instructive ar ticle descriptive of Tutuila, the island which now belongs to the United states by virtue of the treaty of partition made with Germany two years ago. President Jordan found the natives con tented with American rule and proud Of their position under the United States flag, and fairly prosperous. The land-locked harbor of Pago-Pago he pronouHces one of the finest in all the Pacific. The entire American navy could ride at anchor therein, safely pro-. tected from storms and enemies. It appears, therefore, that Uncle Sam did a wige thing in getting possession of Pago-Pago for a future naval base. The island is under the vaguely defined government of a naval officer.
 And the natives have reason to be glad Of the change, since the civil wars which formerly devastated Samoa are a thing of the past. But President Jordan fears that they will not live long to enjoy their new state. They are dying oR rapidly from two diseases, clephan- tiaSis and pneumonia. At least half the tHha bitants of Tutuila are suffering from elephantiasis. This curious dis ease is spread by the mosquito. In bit ing their victims the mosquitoes ire Qucnt'y transfer the elephan -iasis garn, which causes a prodigious swelling. AEms and legs swell to several times their natural size, and although but little suffering is caused, the swelling remains for life and eventually the af- Aictcd person dies of the disease.
 The missionaries are responsible for tho pneumonia. Mir. Jordan says that from moral standpoint the influence of the missionaries has certainly been for the most part beneficial to the na- tivcs. The constant antagOnism of the less reputable traders and the beach combc-s-,he lost human flotSam and jetsam of the south seas-to the mis- sionarics is shining evidence that their work is for the real good of the na- cives. But two things they have brought in the life of our joyous brown wards of the coral beaches which are certainly calamitous. These are cloth ing and, by consequence, pneumonia As terrible a scourge as elephantias.s is. pnaumonia is the more rapidly de- structivc, and in time it will depopu- late the islands. In the good old days the rains. beat upon the shining -oiled shoulders and backs of the half-naked native as harmlessly as on the we'll preened pIumage of the wild duck; but now the cheap cotton shirt or white iacket cIinEs wet and clammy to the skin. the quick chill strikes through inc blood. and the end comes with ap- raIlir.- sufftness and certainty. The eauiily-beri absurd little emp ha. pinned to the great mass of long black hair. and the immodest Holuku CNother Hubbard gown) of the women' and the tightly buttoned white bar hers jacket about the bare brown legs oc the men. really reach the cIt1oN ot ebsurdity. and, what is worse they gre upwholesome. both for health "ha morals. But such is the costume of me saved, Well, may they be truly saved for they have made a fair start in their .Iujinery" clothes to test quicN,y lhe rcwer of their new religion,