Alaska sentinel., 1906-10-11

country where he thought It possible for American commerce to obtain footing, Is now In Java, says the New York Tribune. A letter from him. written at Batavia, gives a description of the Island. its people and other fea- lures. He says among other things:
 While England boasts long and loud about being the only country that knows anything ahont colonization and handling native races. she can learn her first Kindergarten lesson from the Dutch on this island. l only wish our country would send commission of practical men 10 study the methods demonstrated here and apply them to development of the Philippines.
 First come their public roads, which make all parts of the island and farms easily accessible. with modern railways to move products to seaports that form a network around the entire island. wish we had one-tenth of these islands in q belt to connect us with Hawaii. Would that I could write sufficiently
 
 young men to personally investigate t't modes of life and opportunities offered them In the Philippines. America oc- cupies that position among the nations of the world where she must lay aside her swaddling clothes and spread her commerce to great worlds beyond the seas. Our rich old men will not and our young men must cast their lots In the promised lands.
 This great hugbear of heat and ma laria In the tropics must be exploded If we are to build and utilize the Pan ana Canal What can be done there can he done elsewhere and have never suffered an hour from intense heat or sickness. Many sections of our country are hotter and subject to worse scourges of malaria. yellow fever, etc. X living can bc made here with one tenth the effort and expense required In our most favored sections. It seems incompre- hensible that country so near the reg ular line of travel should be so little known or appreciated No tourist agen- cies seem interested in exploiting It's charm and the Dutchman is content to enjoy and enrich himself without any sounding of trumpets to attract others
 Do not come here expecting to find the wooden-shoed yap of Holland. Un- der improved conditions he has deyel- oped into the clubman and companion able fellow that will make you feel that you are among good fellows" of any country. The archipelago Is equally at tractiye to tourist, mountaineer or sportsman. It Is not less interesting for the man of science, the collector of exotic flowers and plants. the geog- rapher desirous of countries not yet seen and races of mankind little known. The semi-monthly Dutch mail from Holland of the smaller steamers from Singapore make easy tours to the most beautiful country on the globe without either danger or inconvenience The Dutch hotels are especially built for comfort In the tropics and are vastly superior to what you find in other sec tons better advertised and more fre- quently visited.
 Too much cannot be said of the safe ty. healthfulness, the natural beauty and development of the island, the ex- cellence of its hotels. railways, steam. CTS or other modes of travelling, the willingness of natives and the readiness of Dutch officials to render all needed information or assistance. The order of everything In Java Is marvellous and in spite of the strong rule of the Dutch the natives look happy and contented "a striking contrast to the natives of India. It Is one magnificent garden of tropical luxurlance, surpassng Central America, Brazil or the West Indies, while Japan Is only q good second In development. If the heat of the sea coast becomes enervatIng a few hours ride on good trains will carry you to mountain health resorts or even to worse volcanic regions near.