The Topeka state journal., 1899-11-21
A RUSH TO WE'D.
Governor General Leary of the
Isle of Gaum
Causes the Entire Adult POpu-
latiOn to Marry
IN A GREAT HURRY.
Has Also Undertaken to Make
Every body Work.
Says He Doesn't Need Any More
Marines.
IN A GREAT HURRY.

New York, Nov. 21.-A special to the
Tribune from Washington, D. C., says;
Governor Leary of Guam or THE Isle
of GUAM as it is called on the Official
gubernatoriaI seal, is having novel ex-
periences for an American in an alto
gether utNQue community, but the IN
frequency of communication with the
outside world permits little information
to reach Washington regarding this in
nOvatiOn in colonial establishments and
the little that does come is promptly
filed away in the secret archives of the
navy department, as if it were the
adopted policy to starve out the Curl
OSity that exists regarding affairs there.
Governor Leary was always a pictur-
esque character in the service and his
mission in the lonely and scarcely
known island was regarded by those
who knew him as Singularly apprOpr1-
ate. 1t was expected that an interest
ing experiment in civilization would
begin when he assumed absolute control
of the new possession and so it has
turned out, although the navy depart
ment for some reason, has retra1ned
from permitting the details of his re
ports to get into circulation. That these
reports are highly interesting and in
some instances wholly uncOnN entiOnalis is
evident from portions OF one which mas
Just come to Washington. In this Gov
ernOr Leary inclOses two of his recent
orders to the citizens of the Isle of
Guam, which are unlike any other or
ders ever issued by naval officer.
The report, which is dated October IL,
gives a terse resume of affairs in the
captains dominion since the last mail.
1t shows that the islanders are in
ordinately lazy having acquired the
habits of their ancestors of raising only
such crops as will keep their bodies
and souls together, and that they can
not be easily induced to value money
or exercise their earning power. With
a minimum Of eXertiOn, they are salts
fed if they do not Starve. The whole
island is full of examples of neglected
nr-t1T
to Americans.
The governor has set out to bring the
people of Guam to a realization of the
natural wealth of the island and to
make all under his jurisdiction as pro-
ductive as possible. He tells the navy
department that he does not want any
more marines sent to him, as he cannot
provide food for them and does not
need them for his defense as he has
nothing to fear from the natives He
begs however, for more officers to assist
him in carrying out his plans for inn
proving the condition of the population.
He says he wants an ice machine, none
of the water on the island being of pro-
per temperature. He has established
the seat of government at Agana, six
miles from Port Louis D'Apra, and over
this distance his men have had to haul
all the materials for the buildings they
are erecting as well as all supplies.
But the interesting part of the report
relates to the reforms begun, of which
the governor says:
progress will be made and no further
resistance will be encountered"
He explains the two orders which
were printed in English in the cuStO-
mary official form on the first English
printing press in the islands, and dis
tribUted broadcast. %lSe first of these
is calculated to compel each adult ma
tive to contribute to the support of the
government by engaging in food pro-
ductiOn. This order was dated October
A, and directs all who have no trade to
plant cereals vegetables, etc, under
more or less severe penalties. 1t is stip-
ulated that each citizen shall have az
least L hens and one SOW and continue
in possession of them indefinitely. They
must bring eggs, chickens and Vegeta-
bIes to sell to the governors house and
to the barracks at stated intervals and
they must pay their taxes and dis
charge other Indebtedness.
The other order issued September Is,
was more radical. It demands that
cOncubinage, which was general all
over the island, shall stop Immediate
ly. In this order Governor Leary NOR
alizes as follows to the natives:
The existing custom of raising fam
lilies of illegitimate children is repulsiVe
! to ideas of decency, antagOnistic to
moral advancement, incompatible with
the general recognized customs of civ
ilized society, a violation of the ac-
cepted principles of Christianity and
a most degrading injustice to the inno-
cent offspring, who is not responsible
for the conditions of his unfortunate
existence.
The governor, in conclusion, com
manded immediate wedlOck for the
whole adult population and made the
license and civil ceremony free until
November 8. AS a result the officers
in charges of licenses and maria ges
were worked half to death until nearly
! everybody on the island was legally
married. There was a rush to obey
the order, and, in fact, the people have
shown a disposition to be Obedient to
| anY Suggestion from their governor.