紐約時報百年前的台灣新聞
From: Phokgoân
Date: 2007-09-28 23:18:04
Kokui chianpoe, Che si kinajit teh seh banglou e sichun chhoetioh e. Chhiann takke
chinliong choankia hou kohkhah choe lang chaiiann
1904年九月二十五日，紐約時報出現了一篇關於臺灣的新聞。它的內容，比我所聽過所有親日派的言論，更加親日。在紐約時報的記者筆下，日本人是解放臺灣人的英雄！我在網路上找不到文字的版本，所以就乾脆自己把它整篇都打字下來。（也想要翻譯，不過工程太浩大.)這一篇，有很多值得注意的 : * 日本真得非常認真和用心在治理臺灣，連沒有受到「日本奴化教育」的紐約時報記者，都將臺灣當成殖民統治的成功典範。
* 臺灣雖然號稱「美麗之島」 (Formosa)，但是在日本佔領之前是蠻荒之地(Savage Island)。
* 臺灣實在太蠻荒了，乃至於西班牙和荷蘭雖然試著建立臺灣為殖民地，卻失望地放棄 (gave it up in despair)。
── 和鄭成功似乎沒有什麼關係！
* 日本人大量地從日本拿錢來投資建設臺灣。
* 日本人採懷柔、因地制宜的政策。
* 清朝雖然有在臺灣興建一小段鐵路，可是那卻是「一堆廢鐵」。（劉銘傳的現代化神話，只是廢鐵）
* 日本來臺前，臺灣治安拜壞、匪類橫行、民不聊生。
* 中國割讓臺灣，可能是高興都來不及。(China was willing, if not glad, to cede to it
i̍ China was probably glad to get rid of the unruly island.)
* 臺灣在日本人的統冶下才接觸到近代文明。
* 不到十年的時間，日本讓臺灣人生產大躍進、教育大躍進、文化大躍進、醫療衛生大躍進。反正和我們所學的歷史完全不一樣就是了。原文如下 :
SAVAGE ISLAND OF FORMOSA TRANSFORMED BY JAPANESE m̀ Wonders Worked in a Few Years With a People That Others Had
Failed to Subdue m̂ A Lesson for Other Colonizing Nations.LONDON, Sep. 24. - The Times today publishes the following article
from a correspondent, dealing with Japan's transformation of Formosa:
To achieve success in any art three things are necessary - native
talent, close application, and experience.The art of colonizing is no exception to the rule. Hence the Germans
have failed in their attempts at colonization, notwithstanding their
close application, either from want of native talent or from the lack
of experience; but most probably the fact that the first attempt in
any art is usually a failure has been the cause of Germany's
non-success.For this reason Japan's first attempt at colonizing is particularly
interesting, especially as the Island of Formosa, which is Japan's
first colony, probably so-called offers difficulties to a colonizing
nation which in the past have appeared insurmountable to many other
nations.The Island of Formosa has ever been a favorite haunt of outlaws from
China and from various other countries, and the savageness and
unruliness of the population were so great that those parts of the
country which were conquered several times were never colonized.The Spanish and the Dutch made attempts at colonizing Formosa, but
they gave it up in despair. The Chinese left the land virtually a
wilderness, and the French and English, who might easily enough have
acquired it, preferred not to put their foot into the interior of that
savage island.Taming the Wild Natives.Therefore, when Japan demanded Formosa after the conclusion of the
Chinese-Japanese war of 1894-1895, China was willing, if not glad, to
cede to it, and Li Hung-Chang remarked sarcastically that Japan would
find the island an exceedingly bad bargain.When Japan entered Formosa she found the coast at the mercy of
pirates. The interior was ruled partly by the savage aborigines,
partly by organized bands of outlaws and robbers, who plundered ships
wrecked on the coast and murdered the crews who approached the island.
While Formosa was in the possession of China, trouble with the United
States and other countries was frequently caused by these murderous
attacks on the crews of foreign ships. China was probably glad to get
rid of the unruly island.The conquest of the island took a year, and on the 31st of March,
1896, it was placed under civil administration. But the former Chinese
officers and officials who used to be on duty in the island, and who
feared to be deprived of their positions, joined hands with the unruly
elements of Formosa, instigated them to revolt against their new
rulers, and the country was constantly in a state of restlessness and
turmoil up to the end of 1901, when a sweeping movement of the troops
rid the island at last of its revolutionary elements.Leniency in Enforcing Laws.Though the country has hitherto enjoyed only a few years of complete
peace under Japanese rule, the appearance of the country and the
spirit of its formerly savage inhabitants have already completely
changed, and the natives begin to understand the blessings of Japanese
rule and to praise it.The policy by which Japan has achieved this remarkable success has
been the following: Japan has, so far as possible, respected the
prejudices of the inhabitants, and has tried rather to gently guide
than to coerce them on the path of civilization.For instance, the ancient "Peace Corps," which was established by the
Chinese and which protected the inhabitants against the raids of armed
banditti, and against fire, floods, and other natural calamities, was
maintained, but at the same time the enlightened laws of Japan were
introduced. However, while these laws are in the main applied with
their full force to the Japanese residing in the island, they are
modified in the case of the aboriginal inhabitants whose lack of
civilization makes them unable to appreciate at once civilized
conditions and the necessity to respect those laws whereby
civilization is upheld.Curing the Opium Habit.Even the opium habit has in so far been respected that the natives are
not punished for consuming opium, though opium smoking and dealing in
opium is a crime for which Japanese citizens in Japan and in Formosa
as well are punished with penal servitude of varying degrees. But in
order to gradually diminish the amount of opium consumed, on the same
principle on which a drunkard may gradually be weaned from his drink,
the Japanese Government has made the opium trade a monopoly, which it
judiciously uses for at the same time permitting and discouraging
opium smoking.Only confirmed smokers are able to obtain opium, and they can secure
the drug only under the strictest serveillance. The Government
controlling the supply of opium doles it out through licensed agents
to licensed smokers, and the police watch with the greatest vigilance
that the circle of opium smokers does not enlarged.At the same time moral pressure is brought to bear. All doctors have
constantly to point out the evils of opium smoking to the grown-up,
and all school teachers have to warn the children against the
injurious and demoralizing effects of the opium habit.The population of the island amounts to present roughly to 3,000,000,
of whom in September, 1900, 169,064 were opium smokers. By the end of
March, 1902, only 152,044 were registered and licensed as opium
smokers, the decrease of 17,020 having been caused by death or by the
discontinuance of the opium habit, and this number will no doubt
rapidly be further reduced by the wise policy that is being pursued.It is significant that the opium imported, which represented in 1900 a
value of 3,392,602 yes, amounted in 1903 to the value of 1,121,455 yen
only. From a revenue point of view the policy restricting the use of
opium in Formosa is no doubt unfavorable, for it means the State a
serious loss of income on the one sides, and increased expenses for
administration and the surveillance of opium smokers on the other
side.While the Japanese Government has in no way tried to hurt the
susceptibilities of the natives by meddling with their religion and
their customs, it has given them tangible proof of the benefit of
Japanese rule by improving in every respect the conditions of the
people. In the first place, the law-abiding tollers are no longer
terrorized and tyrannized over by robber bands, and enjoy freedom
under a just Government. In the second place much has been done for
their bodily welfare.The country used to suffer much from epidemic diseases, which ere
largely caused by the wretchedly bad water which the natives obtained
from stagnant pools and contaminated streams. Consequently the
Japanese set about to provide a supply of pure water.The total number of artesian wells that have bored in Formosa is not
available, but in the Tajhoku district alone, where about one-tenth of
the population is living, more than 800 wells have been sunk.Fine System of Schools Started.Education being the basis and starting point of all progress, Japan
has introduced her splendid education system in Formosa. There are
schools for the Japanese, with 60 teachers and 2,000 pupils, and there
are 130 elementary schools for the natives with a teaching staff of
521 teachers, who are educating 18,149 children and transforming them
into civilized beings.However, Japan is not satisfied with providing elementary education
for the natives, for it is her ambition to give to Formosa the best
she has to give. Consequently Japan has established for the use of the
natives a medical school, a Japanese language school, and a school for
training school teachers.The medical school in Formosa has the grand distinction that it is the
only school in the Far East which gives a regular course of the modern
science and practice of medicine to students of Chinese origin. It is
domiciled in Taihoku, and at the present moment about 150 students are
studying medicine there under the guidance of competent Japanese
professors.The Japanese language school serves two objects. Its purpose is to
spread the Japanese language among the natives, and at the same time
to furnish opportunities to the Japanese to learn the native
languages, and thus to prepare them to act as teachers and
interpreters iin the interior.The happiness of the individual depends not only on his security, his
freedom from tyranny, and on his bodily wellbeings, but also on his
prosperity. Consequently Japan has made it her aim to increase the
prosperity of her new colony.Making Network of Railways.When Japan took over Formosa there were no roads in existence, but
strange to say there was a short piece of railway which was almost
useless, so badly was it built and so wretchedly was it managed.
Railway fares and freights were changed almost daily, and trains were
run "when convenient."Understanding the fundamental requirements of Formosa, the Japanese
started methodically upon road making in many parts of the island, and
according to a recent report of the United States Consul more than
1,000 miles of road have already been built. At the same time the
Japanese Government mapped out a comprehensive scheme or railways, on
which it proposes to spend 28,8000,000 yen, or almost n̂ 3,000,000, an
amount which for a country like Japan sounds
almost fabulous.The piece of railway which the Japanese found in existence has already
been thoroughly reconstructed, and a new line from Shinhiku to Takao
was commence simultaneously from both termini with the greatest
energy. Between 1897 and 1903, 95 miles of railway were laid, 37
stations were built, and 210 freight cars and passenger wagons and 20
engines introduced.During this period the number of passengers carried has grown fourfold
and the quantity of good transported tenfold. Besides, light railways
were introduced, of which 125 miles were laid within a few months. A
further 52 mildes of light railroad are about to be built.The post, telegraph, and telephones have also been introduced with the
greatest success. Between 1896 and 1902 eigthy-seven Post Offices were
opened for the public throughout the island, which, in 1902, handled
13,285,105 letters and post cards and 114,779 parcels, and issued
336,207 domestic money orders. The length of telegraph wire has grown
from 900 miles in 1896 to 2,600 miles in 1902, and 1350 miles of
telephone wire have been laid, over which in 1902 3,690,228 messages
were sent.The native industries which were carried on n Formosa when the
Japanese arrived were pursued in a very unsatisfactory fashion.
Scientific cultivation, and even thorough cultivation, of the fruitful
ground was
unknown; the natives relies chiefly on the bounty of Nature unaided,
and though the Formosa farmer did obtain two, and even three, crops of
rice a year, his harvest was not proportionate to his toil and his
income was totally inadequate.Through the improved methods which have been introduced by the
Japanese, the production of rice has increased by 10 percent between
1896 and 1902. The production of tea has grown fivefold between the
same years, and the other agricultural staple products, such as sugar,
sweet potatoes, cane, ramie, jute, turmetric, &c., all show a very
large increase.The enormous forests also were insufficiently utilized, and the
wastefulness of the natives was such that, for instance, camphor oil
was treated as waste by the native refiners, who extracted camphor
from the wood. The consequence of the reforms which have been
introduced by the Japanese has been that the production of camphor has
steadily increased from 1,534,596 kin in 1897 to 3,588,814 kin in
1903, and the output of camphor oil has risen from 638,603 kin in 1897
to 2,670,561 kin in 1903.Mining likewise was carried on in the most superficial and improvident
fashion and consequently the maximum of labor yielded but a minimum of
result.By patient tuition and gentle insistence the Japanese have succeeded
in introducing improved methods in all industries. The farms yield
better harvests, the forests are scientifically exploited, and
millions of young
camphor trees have been planted in suitable places, and the mining
industry has made an enormous progress in the last few years.Bank and Currency System.The improvement in trade and industries of Formosa naturally made
apparent the need of improved banking organs and an improved currency
system. Consequently, the Formosan Bank was established as the central
baning organ in the island, and private banking offices were opened in
the more important centres.Post Office savings banks have also been opened, and have had a highly
gratifying success. The number of depositors has increased from 5,847
in 1896 to 41,145 in 1902, and the amount deposited from 228,487 yen
in 1806 to 763,575 yen in 1902.The currency of Formosa also had to be reformed. Formosa used to be a
country where the medium of exchange was bullion, not coin, exactly as
in China, and the bulky copper coinage used to make commercial
transactions of any magnitude wellnigh an impossibility. This
antediluvian monetary system has now been replaced by the up-to-date
monetary system of Japan.Japan has poured money like water into Formosa. She has established
factories for making brown sugar, white sugar, glass, pager, &c.; she
has sent out many of her ablest men as administrators, and she will no
doubt in due time receive her reward for her enlightened policy.Only a few years have elapsed since the island has been completely
pacified. Nevertheless, the economic ordinary progress which has
already been made is very striking. The increased prosperity of the
inhabitants may be seen from the fact that the general revenue, which
is principally derived from Government works and undertakings, the
opium monopoly, customs, and various taxes has expanded from 2,711,822
yen in 1896 to 12,738,587 yen in 1903, having grown almost tenfold.The ordinary local revenue, which is chiefly composed of taxes on
land, houses, businesses, &c., has risen from 747,850 yen in 1898, to
1,952,220 yen in 1902, having almost been trebled in four years. In
the collection of the general and local taxes, no undue hardship has
been exercised in order to obtain these magnificent results.It is, therefore only natural that the population of Formosa has
rapidly increased parl passu with the development of its resources. In
1897, the population of Formosa amounted to 2,455,357, but in 1903 it
had risen to 3,082,404.