The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1904-07-29
DYING polYNeslAHs.
Dsreosracy Of South sea Islanders Gives
Concern 60 France.


DsEssraoy Of south sea Islanders Gives
Concern Co France.
ffncc has become so alarmed at the
bleh death rate among the native col
onisi In the South Seas that she has
aiken steps to prevent their total ex-
tncion Reports from these PARKWAY
people tell OF the ever Increasing prev
alenN among them Of lcprosy, Gle.
phanilasls and other diseases born ~
lgnonnce and evil customs Fields
hat once produced cotton ana coffee
arc rturning to the jungle from the
lack of hands to till them. The reye-
nues or these island possession. which
have long only been fraction OF the
sums expended upon them. have now
decreased still further.
Thpe medical experts have been sent
by NE French Government TO French
Polynesia TO study the chief causes Of
disease among the natives and 70 check
~ uyages. The men selected for this
mission are DR.. H. Louvan. DR.. t.
Cassau and Dr Grnsfellez. They are
now ON their way from san Francisco
to Tahiti. the chief isEnd Of the Socl.
ETY. group. and the governmental head
qunriers Of all the French establish
menh In the South Pacific. From Ia
hltl, the three doctors have planned to
80 TO other groups. including the Mar
queas. the Tuamotu and the Tlbual
Islands. Certain judicial powers will
be Gwen the physicians TO enable them
10 enforce whatever sanitary laws they
may adopt
When one considers the characters.
tics Of the South Sea Islands one soon
renllzes how tremendous are the din.
cultes Of such a task, In spite OF the
Christian missionary who has labored
With him for nearly century. he still
seems unable TO tell right from wrong,
He has abandoned cnnniballsm only
to revive the secret and still more de-
struetlye crime OF infantlclde. His ma.
iure reyolts at labor. and his toll IL
prompted only by hunger and other
physical wants. II Is impossible for
him TO regard the marriage bond serl
ously. Impetuous and OF weak Will
be Il prone TO excuses which render
him ready prey TO pestlence.
The degeneracy OF the modern South
Sea islander appears TO have begun
when his knowledge Of deep sea navi
CATION ended. There was n time wher
the natives OF these widely scattered
bits OF land sailed boldly from one e
another. aud carried ON war or com
merce with distant peoples. They hat
learned that they could trust the star
to guide them, and they built stronl
ships almost as large as Mississippi
steamers
In the heyday OF his civilization thi
Polyneslan erected great temples many
Of which contained stones almost nj
large as the stones Of the temples o.
Baalbec. In the Marquesas Islands to
day the traveller VIII ind great stonl
platforms and terraces. which show
knowledge OF mechanical laws .
which the present natives are who'll
ignmnnt. Some OF these stones ar
from, ten TO fifteen feet long ana Nv
AID six feet thick. Their sides ar
, smooth, although they show no prlr
, OF The chlse,. on these Cyclopean pla
forms. or ''paepae." as they are called
the natives now erect their bambo
l. huts and those who still refuse Chrl,
c tanity say the gods put those grea
. siones In place.
That the Polyneslan Of to-day IN
degenerated from lack Of communlci
ton with the outside world IA show
r by the similar fate OF domesticated an
e mails. The horses and cattle that hay
4 been introduced slcken and die after
few generations. Dogs are plentiful
bat they are Of low, mongrel typ
The logions Of pigs are said TO be fl
j. dgenous. but according 10 some writer
I they were taken thlther by early nav
n ntors. The Polyneslnn pig. howeye
Is pitlful specimen when compare
with the mighty porkers OF the Anne
Q ian prairie. Although he Is treate
= By his native master as n pet, accom-
D rnnies his mistress on her wall
through the village, and sleeps wit
Tie rest OF the family ON bed (
COCOA leaves. yet he shows no outwai
J. signs OF his proud posltlon.-New Yol
r Tribune.