New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-30
IN FRENCH COLONIES.
Hoe They Are PIundered and
Mattress DEGRADED.

San Francisco May % (SpeciaD.-Professor l.
" seurat, who has been in the South Seas study
ing social, moral and political conditions IN the
groups owned by France. has just left San Fran
cisco on his way to Paris.
for more than three years Professor Seurat. an
educator under the Minister of Public instruction
OF France at the sorbonne. been studying the
French South Sel colonies, making his head
quarters In the Gambler Group. though spending
much time at Papeeta and throughout the Pau
AoIus the Marquesas and the French possessions
generally
Enough most of his time devoted to scien-
'hc research he investigated political affairs.
synopsis of his views gives a comprehensive idea
oi conditions in the land made interesting by Ste
'eHsoh' Stoddard and other South Sea writers.
Professor Seurat's researches under the employ
u the French government. embraced such CUES
IONS as the status Of the people, the economic
possibilities Of the islands and the results Of col
oniZation under French methods
The professor takes to France a mass of evil
oence as to the deplorable and dsgracefuI failure
OF inc French to administer justice stimulate the
growth Of the country and elevate the natives. He
cues the driving of the Catholic Sisters from the
4oSPltaIs and the putting of incompeten. natives
IN their places as example typical of misgov-
eminent in general His conclusions will be set
Iorh IN an elaborate report and he is anxious for
the Loubet government to rectify the plumbers Of
years. though he fears France never make a
success OF the Islands. for which reason he will
strongly recommend the selling Of her |outh Sea
possessions to of the great powers. He
condemns of1cialdom in Tahiti and throughout the
Islands rs crime against a splendid native race.
His indictment Of those responsible for misman-
agement is of the most sweeping arraign-
ments ever drawn against government by an
accredited agent
After describing conditions as he found them
poverty, mismanagement, immortality, official cor
rupton-he concludes by recommending that
France should sell her South Sea islands to some
of the grea' powers that have demonstrated their
ability in the field Of colonization" The follow
ing Is a summary of his account of affairs in the
islands:
The The government of Tahiti Is dismal failure.
officials, mostly useless corrupt and degrad-
fallen about $4,000 short Of this u Years a expenses
The new Governor-JuIien-who has just taken
money to meet the appalling situation which four
years Of e M hes sf1 10 m a
" per cent duty foreign and Is per cent on
answers that the limit OF taxation has been reached
f ana that the only possible solution is to reduce
FIVE hundred officers, though twenty would be am m
immediate official family at saving OF 1900 francs
"11thout feeling any inconvenience to the service
which has heretofore re remained wholly immune
fe naxe gPdgF the bS ns soma %
forever free from levy; Governor Julien says that
and in reply the NATIVES say that Il their houses
are taxed they will burn them down and return TO
tax natives amounts 10 so a year, 81 Of which
Is payable in cash and rest in work the
roads The, natives of Tautira have rebelled. They
refuse TO do work the roads, questioning the
power Of the authorities to compel compliance with
the order.
Pearl diving and vanilla raising as well as the
copra industry: have been ruined by ofrcisl cor
ruption and plundering. So bad are the public
revenues that it is doubtful whether the govern
ment will be able to raise the mail subsidy 1t has
agreed to pay to a foreign steamship line with
which 1t has recently closed five years con-
tract
GLASSES in the palace are broken and gaping
windows unrepaired for lack Of funds The
beautiful avenues of Papeete unkept, rough
and unnviting. There is longer any attempt
at sewerage; cesspools in the streets. and pigs
and ponies in the gardens. Everywhere de-
cay and slothfuness prevail Social conditions
are lamentable, moral conditions unmentionable,
commerce and agriculture hopeless.