Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-10-12
roRMosA AND PHILIPPINES,

A correspondent Of the London Times
gives some interesting information con-
corning the progress the japanese have
made In Formosa, since that island was
transferred to them after the war with
china. At the time OF the annexation.
the island was M the mercy Of pirates
along the coast and sayages in the
Interior, The japanese had TO carry
on military operations there Tor years
the Chinese officials, who were dis
placed by the change OF government
continued stirring mp rcyolts, and not
until six years after The annexalloh
we're order and tranquility established
Japans course in Formosa has been
that NJ a thouroughly civilized power
According 20 the correspondent Of the
London paper, The Japanese have pro-
cured good drinking water TO promote
sanitation. In the Talhoku district he
Says. where about one-tenth Of the peo'
Die live. more than 500 wells have been
sunk. Eight large hospitals have been
opened az the leading towns. many
branches have been established, and
about 200 trained physicians are now
working where but few years ago the
witch doctors held sway The effect Is
shown I'm the number OF deaths from
plague. which have decreased from %
GO IN the first half Of 1901 10 606 In the
first half Of 1903.
IN the matter Of education, Japan is
said to have done almost wonders. They
have established sixty schools for the
japanese, with sixty teachers and 1000
pupils, and 1870 schools for natives. with
more than 1900 children and $50 teaeh-
ems. Besides this, there is q medical
school. teachers training school ana a
school Of Japanese language
They have built roads and fosterel
the agricultural interests, They have
introduced scientific methods and the
rice crops have increased 10 per cent
and the tea crop 500 per cent and large
increases are shown I'm the production
Of sugar lute, potatoes and other agri-
cultural produce. other branches Of
Industry have been similarly stimulate
ed. II took @ great deal Of money TO
place the islanders In The midst Of the
blessings Of civilizations but
the Investment we are told Is
paying one. The general revenue
principally derived from government
works and taxes las expanded from
27ltS22 yen In 1896 to l273S,JS7 yen in
1908. The ordinary local revenue. which
is chiefly composed OF taxes ON land,
houses, businesses, &C., has risen from
1iIS5o yen in 1898 to l95222O yen IN
1902.
The wise methods Of the Japanese in
dealing with the natives, is Illustrated
IN their laws for the regulation OF the
opium traffic. For the Chinese and abb
orlglnes. the old laws and customs have
been allowed 10 remain In force as far
as possible, For the Japanese I'm the lsl-
and to use the drug IS a crime, as In
japan. but the Formosans are not pun
ishod for consuming H. The government
has established a monopoly IN the trade
and has sought to wean the people from
the habit. The confirmed smokers only
can buy the drug. Licensed agents dole
It out to licensed smokers, and the POI
lice use every effort TO keep the circle
Of smokers from being enlarged, In the
schools the teachers warn the children
against the habit and the physicians,
constantly point out lbs dangers, In n
population Of 100000 In 1900 there were
10000 opium smokers I'm March, 1902,
this number had fallen on 1000 or 10
1904. The opium imported into the
island decreased IN the same period from
3.S926O2 yen IN value to ll2l,i5j, This
reform work. It syill be noticed, Is be-
Ing carried out with apparent financial
loss to the government But the Japa-
nese are clear.seeIng enough to know
that this apparent loss win, IN the
long run, prove gain.
The picture OF japanese success as
colonlzers is not without interest TO
this country upon which The responsl-
bilty for the education of the Flllplnos
has fallen. It viii not be denied that
no people can clyillze Itself. For prog
ress every nation must, until 1t arrives
at a mature age, depend upon the civil
izlng influences OF others. Not all ma
lions are worthy Of position as
tutors and educators, Some nations
treat others only as slaves;
they have no desire to me them up
our country Is not in that category Its
influence in the Philippines should be
stin more benevolent than that Of Ja-
pan In Formosa
It's matter Of congntulatlon that
the Filipinos are making rapid progress.
The electoral franchise has been given
to an persons who held municipal or
fees previous TO the American advent.
on an who speak and write English or
Spanish, and an who pay a property
tax Of not less than SIS per annum. The
qualified voters choose all municipal
officers. II IS estimated that from 10
to IS per cent Of the male population
Oils these requirements.
Governor Taft, IN a recent article on
the subject, stated that out Of a cen-
! iral government revenue in the Philip
pines Of between 5000 900 and 100000
o0O about 100000 ia expended on edu-
cation. Besides this the local expendi-
ture for education required OF the mu.
inequalities must be taken into account,
First and last. fully 100000 a year