The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1918-11-07
AN you name, off-hand,
the second largest island
in the wide Pacific9 It
hoe O nrodnaf;uo uoolth

HkSHSNN the second largest Island
HRWG in the wide Pacific? 1t
lN0y has a productive wealth
that has scarcely been touched, a
mineral wealth that is unbounded,
and opportunities for various en-
terprises that some day when the
war is over and the world turns
from destruction to reconstruction
will be fully realized.
In it's Crown Colony days this
island was known as British New
Guinea. Today it is called Papua.
The world in general does not
know great deal about this un-
usual tropical country, which lies
close to Australia and which, now
self-governed. has experienced the
benefits of wise administration by
the British government.
Papua has an area OF $4,000
square miles; a magnificent terri
tory of palms. of clean, shining
beaches and imposing mountains.
The potential commercial wealth
of this island is bound to attract
white men more and more, when
its wealth of opportunities for de-
velopment, its ideal climatic con-
dition, and it's bountiful supply of
intelligent labor become more
widely known.
To some people Papua is the
most disappointing place in the
world, and for no other reason
than that it is found to be some-
thing more than a huge coral reef
covered with graceful palms. What
the tourist pamphlets with their
glowing phrases say about Papua
is in substance correct. But it is
something more than an island
paradise of unmatched scenery-it
is a land overfowing with milk and
honey of commercial possibilities.
Here in this empire of the
tropics many men are delving 81
lentIy, earnestly, building solidly
the foundation of great CONNER
cial future. Private enterprise is
doing amazing things today in de-
veloping Papua's natural resources,
and when capital in ample amounts
finds its way to these shores the
rich, idle soil of thousands of acres
will respond in a way that will sur
prise the world.
The islands chief claim to
wealth lies in its harvests of cocoa
nut. rubber, sisal hemp and to-
bacco. Its mineral wealth lies
practically untouched. Proudly it
is stated that not one enterprise
that has started there has failed.
In copra alone this island is ex-
porting hundreds of thousands of
tons. Prior to the war thousands
of tons of Papua copra crossed the
Pacific to America every year and
thousands of tons will continue to
60 to that market when war condi-
tions change to those of peace, re-
leasing a great tonnage now sent
exclusively to the British dominions
for urgent British purposes.
Papua is not by any means a
land of fever or trying climate, nor
is it the roaming ground of savage
or indolent natives. Since it has
become a self-governed country
Papua manages its affairs we'll.
Although there is much of the ter
ritory still awaiting white popula-
tion, the island is thoroughly po-
liced and patrolled, and there are
no parts of it that are unsafe for
the foreigner. The white man who
settles in Papua finds himself in
strikingly mmonsurroundings.
The country appeals to robust,
manly natures, satisfying the most
exacting demands for novelty
feature that cannot be excelled by
any island in the South Pacific.
Papuan labor is unusually eff
ficient. This is plainly shown by
the speed in which all kinds of