EFFECT ov of SPANISH RULE BOLE the recent history of the caroline islands to Is an illustration of the fact that the natives in those parts of the world quickly adapt themselves to the requirements of civilization and that they although of a peaceful disposition resent injustice and tyranny the seeds of civilization were first sown in those islands by american missionaries who on their arrival there found a 9 race of savages tattooed warlike and addicted to cannibalism after some years of tabor labor paganism had almost disappeared on the island of lap for Ini instance tance a church was built large enough to accommodate the entire population ula tion about a thousand souls cloth was provided and made into decent clothing morning and evening the people assembled to hear the gospel liquor and tio tobacco bacco were banished and the ten commandments were adopted as a code of laws law dr wetmore a physician of honolulu visited lap in 1886 and gave his impressions of the people there according to dr am E B E strong in the american monthly review of reviews he found the change effected in less lesk than fourteen years perfectly marvelous the material prosperity of the place as an compared to what it was at his first visit was almost beyond benet belief similar conditions prevailed in the other islands in 1888 there were e in the mission 47 churches with members and 16 native preachers tave languages had been reduced to writing and school books had been printed in all of them this was wa due to american energy I 1 inam tn 1885 the caroline islands were by the pope acting as arbitrator awarded tv to spain in 1887 the spaniards a as 13 fumed control when the first governor landed he promised that religious liberty should prevail but it did not take long to demonstrate the value of spanish promises in three months seven mission schools had been suppressed and later a spanish force commenced to build barracks and a catholic church at one of the mission stations on land deeded to the mission and within a few feet of the mission church with the evident object in view of driving the american mIssion missionaries axles away dr strong says this incident following numberless other wrongs brought matters to a crisis and proved more than the natives could bear there was but a single american woman at the station at this juncture and she was powerless to prevent the sudden uprising of the people followed by a slaughtering of the spaniards the vengeance they took upon their oppressors was swift and terrible in september the spaniards were reinforced by a gunboat and soldiers from manila and the mission premises at oua were shelled and destroyed the natives retiring beyond the reach of the spanish guns all efforts toward conciliating the two parties though most persistent proved paved unavailing seeing that they would be practically prisoners if they remained the missionaries sion aries left on board the united states ship alliance and sought elsewhere a place for their christian labors since then no american missionary has been allowed to remain on pona pe the history of the caroline islands is but a repetition of that in every other part of the pagan world where spain has obtained a foothold it has been a curse to the people while american influence has proved elevating and refining were there any fear in the minds of the people of the united states regarding the result of extending american rule to the races over whose lands the stars and stripes has in the marvelous providence of the almighty been hoisted these days such fears should be dispelled by the facts recorded on the pages of history those races may be inferior but they are human cau capable pable of enlightenment entitled to happiness and their salvation is in keeping them under the strong protection of american institutions