The National tribune., 1908-03-26

telligent, capable men, who became the
most important body. of Europeans in
Java, and who with their sons to-day
really rule the country.
High Credit to Holland.
Now. any native who wishes to obtain
land not in use can apply to the Govern
ment 70 rthe same and is never refused.
Anyone willing to work can be sure of
being able to earn sufficiency for him.
self and family. There need be no unem-
ployed, and there are no beggars, in
our sense of the word. Until recently
no steps were taken by the Dutch to
educate the natives, and previous to
1864 they were not allowed to study
the Dutch language. In order to be
able to communicate with them the
lower officials were compelled to learn
what is called low Malay Dutch IS
now taught in the native schools main
tained by the Colonial Government. This
educating of the native has had its
natural result, and the Dutch now bit
terly complain of the independent spirit
which it has brought to their dusky
subjects.
The Dutch may indeed point with
well-deserved pride to Java. Not only
has it proved to be a hen laying golden
eggs for them. but the orderly, peace
full. Industrious and apparently con-
tented people speak in trumpet tones of
their wisdom, diplomacy, practical abil-
ity and wonderful success as colonizers.
While the Dutch hold the Jayanese
with firm hand, they aim to treat
them with Justice. They do not pose
as philanthropists, nor pretend to be
in Java for any other than selfish rea-
sons, but they have had the remark
able good sense to realize that 1t would
pay them in the end to show spirit
of fairness and even generosity, tho
never for amoment ceasng to make
it manifest that they were conquerors.
II may be that the Malay spirit of re-
venge has had something to do toward
bringing about this era Of kindness,
fair dealing and justice toward the ma
tive, but however that may be 1t does
not detract from the wisdom of the
Dutch policy nor from the importance
which Java presents as an object lesson
to present and future colonizers.
Sumatra.
Another great island of surprising in
terest is that of Sumatra, one of the
Sunda Islands and one of the most i'm
portant of the Dutch possessions 1t is
separated from the Malay Peninsula by
the Malacca Strait and from Java by
the Sunda Strait 1t has a length of
1,050 miles and a breadth from 80 to
24e miles. This makes its area 1862
square miles, or something near the size
of California. Its population is esti-
mated at 1900, 600, of whom only about
5000 are Europeans and about 100, 600
Chinese. ne people are generally of
Malay extraction, and therefore good
lighters H. war and good workers in
peace.
The Dutch have held the island for
$50 years. and while they have brought
parts into a high condition of civiliZa-
ton. there are others where the Dutch
control is only nominal, and fighting
has been going on pretty constantly from,
the time that the Dutch first took pos
session.
Every little Willie we get cablegram
as to some happening in the "Aeheen
war;" and 1t too often happens that a
party OF Dutch soldiers have been sur
prised and massacred or some weak
post has been captured Sumatra has
Governor under the Governor General
of the Dutch West Indies and a full staff
of officials. About 200 miles of railway
have been built to facilitate military
operations and to bring in the products
OF the country, and these are doing a
good work in civilization. The Dutch
have maintained a paternal relation to
those who came under their govern
ment and encouraged them to agricuI-
ture, wisely bringing the chiefs into CO.
operation with them. These latter sub
divided the fertile lands among their
followers. and see that they cultivate
them. AN enormous trade has been
developed In the peculiar Sumatra to-
bacco, which is so valuable for cigar
wrappers. and there are now about 60,
100000 pounds of this exported which
brings In this country price out OF al,
comparison with any other tobacco. The
thiness and strength of the leaf adapts
1t admirably to the use, and a pound
OF Sumatra tobacco will furnish i'm
mensely more wrappers than any other
growa. The pepper trade Ia also i'm