Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1909-04-21
RUINS OF BARA BUDUR
ANCIENT TEMPLES OF JAVA ARE
CRUMBLING AWAY.
DIR. EdwOrds Gives Graphic Descrip-
ton of Bara Budur and the
Thrift and COntentment of
the Inhabitants of the
Island of Java.

Batavia, Java, April 2.-In the
mountains of Java are to be found
ruins of ancient temples, which are
so vast in extent, so symmetrical in
proportion and so beautiful in archi-
tectural conception that they may
even today be taken as models for
magnificent construction. They give
indisputable evidence of the mental
ity far in advance of that of the
present day in all construction lines.
These ancient temples have adorned
the hill tops of Java for so long a
time that there is not even legend
that has bearing on their origin.
Even the memory of their Occupa-
ton as religious houses has been lost
in the passing of time.
| have just visited the ruins of
Bara Budur, largest and best pre-
served of any of the temples to be
found in the chain of islands. This
temple stands on hill on the bank
of river, and it is a beautiful site
for such an edifice. There are thou
sands of temples to be found in
these mountains, but a descriptions
of this one will suffice. About fifty
feet from the base of the hill is a,
terrace, each of its four sides being
four hundred and ninety seven feet
in length five feet above this is
another terrace, each side of which
is three hundred and sixty-five feet
long; eleven feet above this is a
third terrace and then in succession
four others, each prOpOrtiOnately
smaller than the preceding one.
The structure is crowned by a GU
pola being surrounded by sixteen
smaller ones.
The walls of all these terraces are
highly decorated, the lower one with
figures of lions and other animals;
the second with more than hundred
J inches, each containing a carved i'm
age of a god. hewn out of single
stone block, five feet high. Between
these gods are sitting figures of men
| and women. The inside of this wall
| is covered with carved bas relief
figures depicting scenes in the times
of its erection.
The wonderful part of this temple
! Is its remarkable preservation in
! face of the ages that must have pass
ed since it was built. There is every
evidence that the men who builded
| these temples knew more of the
/ secrets OF nature than do the men
of today. Electricity was undoubted-
ly known to these people, and there
are many indications that many of
the discoveries of modern science
were known and utilized by the peo-
pie who built these vast temples,
surrounded them with cities filled
with highly civilized race
The present population of Java
has nothing in common with these
ancients, and is so low in the
scale OF humanity that they do not
even question the origin of the
works of their predecessors. When
Holland obtained possession of this
island it contained a population of
three million. Under the benificent
rule or the Dutch this population has
doubled every twenty-five years and
there are now twenty-five million
people here. To better understand
what this destiny of population
means | might say that if California
were as densely populated it would
have within its borders more than
eighty million people, or about as
many as are in the entire United
States. Java has an average of five
hundred people to the square mile,
making it the most densely populat-
ed country on earth.
Yet with this great density | have
never seen a people where all classes
were so prosperous. contented, happy
and we'll fed, or better clothed than
these islanders. Eschewing all ami
mai food and intoxicating liquors,
they live up TO the tenets of the
buddhist religion and are absolutely
honest, and such thing as theft or
intoxicatiOn has never been known
among the natives. The Dutch have
never interfered with the religious
beliefs of this people, and will not
permit the establishment of missions.
The natives have such perfect con-
ndence in all their rulers that they
have become industrious people in
all OF the oriental countries. Every
available foot of ground is under in
tense cultivation and every man is
certain of a just return for his labor.
All this has brought about a condi-
tlon OF thrift that is not equalled in
ANY other country on earth.
CLARENCE E. EDWORDS.