The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-25

into execution he il not afraid to face
trouble.
Did Good Work I'm Formosa.
The first achievement, which
brought Baron Goto to the attention
Of the public, was attained during his
incumbency a. civil administrator of
Formosa from 1897 to 1906. When he
assumed his duties In Formosa con-
ditions in that newly acquired ter
ritory were worse than discouraging.-
Insurgents had been creating dis
tAsrbance everywhere.
Disorder had been rife among the
natives. both Chinese and aborigines.
Even within the Government Itself
order had hardly been established.
Abuses were rank and discipline was
almost unknown. 1t seemed hercu-
lean task to enforce obedience and
discipline in the rapks OF ofIicialdom.
To make the situation still more diffi-
cult for him, the Government at home
had just decided to cut the appropri-
alton for the administration Of the
island to half the sum that had pre-
viously been apportioned for 1t.
Yet Goto was undaunted and ad-
dressed himself to the solution Of ap-
dertaking this arduous task Goto's
methods were never haphazard but
scientific and systematic. His Is a
mind which understands the meaning
or great things as readily as It grasps
minute details. How careful and
thoroughgoing he Is in studying a
problem may be judged from these
words in q book entitled japanese
Rule In Formosa":
During my stay in Taihoku, often
went to Baron Goto's Official residence
and was astonished at the splendid
collection OF books there. These were
arranged on shelves built on both
sides of the corridors, both upstairs
and down.
''Afterward was told by the Baron
that the greater part Of this collection
belonged to the Governor Generals
ONCE. and he added You know we look
upon the Governor Generals office as
a sort OF university where we may
study the theories and principles Of
colonization, in which branch Of
knowledge we japanese are at pres
ent not overwell posted. The Gov
ernor-Goneral Is the president, I am
the manager. and this room we are
now in n the library Of this Coloniza-
ton University"
Goto abolished the military rule under
which Formosa had been Admins
tered before his arrival and in its
place instituted a civil administration.
He removed recalcitrant officials with
out hesitation and enforced order and
discipline where there had been little
Of either. He adopted effective meas
ures for suppressing insurgency and
won both the respect and the friend
ship Of the natives for the admins
tration.
Me laid out tho city Of Taihoku after
the modern principles of city making.
To-day Taihoku Is finer than any city
in Japan proper He constructed har-
bors along coasts which were natu-
rally devoid OF any facility for the
shelter Of ships.
All this required enormous expendi-
ture. Yet Goto's abilities for manage
ment proved such as to insure the
financial independence OF the island
by 1906. Thanks to the policy he had
established. Formosa is to-day not
only financially self-supporting but an
economic asset to the, mother country.
Tackled Opium Problem.
Not tho least noteworthy aspect OF
the colonial policy bequeathed by Goto
to Formosa Is the measure relative
to the use Of opium. When Japan
took possession Of the island she
found most Of the natives addicted to
the habit Of opium smoking. practice
strictly forbidden and fortunately
practically unknown In Japan. Natu.
rally the Japanese administration
when first established In Formosa. was
inclined to a policy Of total suppress
sion on the opium question.
| But Goto had the vision to foresee
the impracticability of such a policy
The natives. long in the grip of the
enticing drug. would go the length OF
revolving II the new administration
should prohibit its use so suddenly
Such uprisings might of course have
been suppressed without much diff
Guilty. but the great pain which total
and immediate prohibition would in
fiict upon habitual smokers was a con-
dition which. even from a humani-
tartan point Of view. required sym
pathetic consideration.
Many OF the opium smokers had
surrendered themselves to the habit