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

"WENTY years ago, when Japan
| took 1t over, Formosa was q
haunt of pest and crime. To-
day the island can show q col
lection of clean, modern, prosperous
towns. The present governor general,
Baron And0, Is a fipe looking man
with clear eye and 4 kindly laanoor.
His guests at the pelace exp6z19llcG
japanese hospitality at its best, and
no pain is spared. with the help Of in
terpreters and courteous officials, to
show what can be seen of the island
and its workings even in a tour of ten
days. The most favored visitor in such
a short space of time, however, cannot
hope to gain more than q series of in
teresting pictures.
In answer to a question as to the
problem that interested Baron Ando
most keenly regarding the island, he
answered that the problem that always
held him was how best to govern for
the good of the people, says a writer in
the London Times.
The impression gained of Taihoku,
the capital of Formosa, is of a large
clean government city. 1t is situated
in the beautiful northern plain and is
ringed around by hills that would
make an enchanting frame to any me-
tropolis. There is a population Of 1856,
900, about 10000 being japanese.
There are very wide, straight streets
and handsome white buildings in west
ern style.
The sky blue, the sun hot, but not
too hot, palm, acacia and banyan trees
In groups, or In avenues, on all sides,
and white roads some inches thick with
ine dust, make a background for the
FormOsan people.
Long Period OF Chinese Rule.
There is something appealing In the
faces Of these Formosans. Their his
tory is an ugly one. From the begin
ming Of time, in the case Of the abo-
riginal savages, who are mostly head
hunters, 1t Is series Of horrors, blood
shed, plague, murder, sudden death,
battle and exploitation.
The savage tribes preyed on each
other and on the unlucky sailors and
passengers whom terrible storms so fire.
quently wrecked on the island shores.
Then the settlers from China took re-
venge on the savages who made con-
slant raids on the dwellers Of the
plain and the Chinese governors op-
pressed their own people.
Except for the forty years that
Dutch adventurers. while filling their
pockets, returned spiritual for material
favors and did excellent educational
and civilizing work among both savage
and FOrmOsan nhabitants-"even edu-
eating the womenw as a japanese
writer naively puts 1.-THE island has
mad an unhappy history. From China's
2SO years Of sluggard rule little good
seems q have come.
The Formvs.n Chinese, however,
brought with them than ;s;etinct for
work that is their heritage. Neither
III usage, violence. oppression nor saw
age incursions have kept the China |
man from being Industrious. He was |
digged and sowed and planted. He
has woven and spun his garments and
dyed them a beautiful indigo blue, evi-
IDENTIFY for the love of the thing. The |
great failing Of this industrious man,
however, has ever been his unclean-
ness. There is no doubt whatever that |
John Chinaman and his wife, or wives,
are not to be moved either BY evil |
smells or ugly surroundings. The won
Ter always is to see the lovely en-
'roideries that are evolved In Chinese
launts of disease and dirt.
Whoever speaks Of Formosa with
authority tells the same tale. When
Japan took over the island 20 years