Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-02-16

M FORMOSA
ago Taihoku was nothing but a dirty
Chinese town. And the visitor who
would see something of genuine Chi
nese old style town and realize the
contrast, should visit Rokko. 1t lies
on the west coast and is distant from
the sea by the breadth of many salt
ci(si osrsnssss :,
Rokko seems chiefly to be one long,
almost interminably long. street. The
houses that face each other are shaded
from the suns rays by heavy bamboo
roofing that stretches from side to side
Of the roadway. Even in that brilliant
tropical sun that seems to burn through
parasol and hat, scarcely a ray of di-
rect sunshine pierces the dimness of
Rokko. The result is, of course, cool
ness, but 1t is also bad smell and air.
lessness that suggest the atmosphere
Of a medieval prison instead of q vii
lage In one of the sunniest and richest
islands Of the Pacific. How strange
that in a land where sun and green
ness and blue water might have it all
their own way human beings should
choose to create such an environment.
These Chinese houses that face each
other are all alike in one thing. The
whole front is open so that the interior
is public, and the back wall Of every
living room has sacred picture with
one or two vases or ornaments, with
tapers and lanterns that are lit in the
evening. The family shrine is-what-
ever spiritual quality it may or may
not possess-in the center, the back
ground and the heart Of the home.
At midday some Of the inhabitants
are resting; others are eating or smOk-
ing; but mostly they are working,
working, working. Never was there
greater industry than these embroider-
ers, lantern-makers, carpenters, black
smiths and weavers are fevered by.
Occasionally John Chinaman is to be
seen sitting by the entrance washing
his long legs in a small hand basin.
Learn About Sanitation.
They appear to be peaceful, indus
trious folk, and to the casual eye two
thirds of them seemed emaciated
enough to be bad phthisical cases.
The kindly policeman from northern
Japan who piloted US through this
town said that he had little difficulty
now In getting the people to carry out
official orders for cleaning their houses,
but at the beginning they simply did
not understand what was wanted, and
great patience was needed. Rokko has
a bad name Of old for pest. The
scourge, which as recently as 1909
claimed 1000 deaths out Of $4,000
cases Of infection. is now supposed to
have been entirely stkmped out.
Wherever the visitor goes through
On: the island there Is the same strik-
ing contrast between japanese and
Chinese dwellings. In dusty. hot Kagi,
Or 10 breezy Tokyo, after passing rows
of dreary Chinese dwellings, it is a re-
lief to come suddenly on a japanese
house with a peep Of dainty interior
and miniature garden, and the newt |
able sturdy bare-legged boy or girl in
single cotton kimono industriously
aiding clean water on the roadway to
Keep down the dust.
In medical and sanitary matters the
Formosan has been whisked suddenly
rom the awful depths Of the four
:eenth century right up to the era Of
what the bacteriologist calls bugs" II |
modern civilization is a blessing, then
Japan has blessed the Formosans. With
he benefits Of progress there have also
.ome modern evils, but the evils that
our civilization today are
ess gruesome and leprous than those
4 the Chinese era in this beautiful
sland.