Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-03-27
FoRMosA,s DEVELOPMENT.

The development. by Japan of the is
land of Formosa, lying about 100 miles
north of the Philippine group, is dis
cussed somewhat at length by two
publications of the Japanese govern
ment, which, have just reached the de-
partment of commerce and labor
through the bureau of statistics, one
entitled Japan in the, Beginning Of
the Twentieth Century" and the 9TH
er Fifth Financial and Economical
Annual of Japan" These show that
Formosa, which was subjected to mill
tary government for a short time after
it's transfer from the control of China
to that of Japan, was in 1896 given a
civil government directed by the gov
eminent of Japan. A single great mill
itary expedition sent throughout the
island terminated hostilities among
the natives, except as to the small ele-
ment known as the "Head-Hunters" in
the inaccessible forests of the interior,
who will probably submit only when
their haunts are invaded through the
spread of civilization. The foremost
requisite to effective control was COM
munication. Thus far about 1000 miles
Of roads have been built. A line of
railway 1872 miles long was construct
ed from near the southern to the
northern extremity of the island, be-
ing opened to traffic throughout it's
length on May Is, 1905. Postoffices
were established, their number in
1904 being 1T, with 1908 miles Of
postal routes, and the number Of
pieces Of mail handled in 1904 being
13,792,551, against 5,237,279 in 1S96-97.
In 1904 the telegraph lines, 908 miles
long, delivered 1,027,471 messages,
while the telephone lines, BOT miles
long, delivered 3,57S,267 messages.
Education, the distinguishing fea-
ture Of modern Japan, received imme-
date attention. The system is divid-
ed into three departments, according
to the three classes of the population:
cd Japanese immigrants (42,124): (2)
Chinese settlers and their descend
ants (2,78S,633); (3) Malay aborigines
(94,315). For the Japanese immigrants
TO teachers are provided, whose pupils
IN 1904 numbered about 1000. The
Chinese have 100 schools, with sci
teachers and about $4,000 pupils. Be-
sides these there are about 1900 fam
lily schools of the old style, with some
$4,000 pupils. The medical school at
Taihoku, with instruction conducted
in japanese, has 100 students, with a
five year course. The National Lang
uage school is intended to teach Japa-
nese to the native children and the
native languages to Japanese children,
and 1t also comprises a technical
course. The normal school trains ma
tive youths as teachers of native pri-
mary schools. A number of graduates
have already been turned out. Five
main schools and eleven branch
schools have been established for the
aborigines. In addition to these there
are missionary schools, both Christian
and Buddhist, as well as a museum
and library.
Hygiene received immediate and
careful attention Numerous artesian
wells were provided, supplying pure
drinking water for the inhabitants,
more than 800 such wells being locat-
ed in the district of Taikoku, which
comprises about one-tenth of the popu-
lation. In the capital of that district
extensive waterworks were built.
Sewerage was introduced in number
OF citieb. Nine large towns have hos.
pitfalls, many smaller places have