Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-26
LEARYS RULE OVER GUAM
In Six Months he Has Transformed the
Islanders.
Lieutenant Spear Tells of the Expuf-
sion of Corrupt Priests and the
Enforcement of Marriage.

A special dispatch to the New York Tri-
bune from San Francisco says:
king" Leary's Iule in the Island of
Guam with it's ten thousand dark-skinned
inhabitants and its Spanish traditions, has
been rema r'fably successful, judging from
stories told by travellers who have recently
come from that Iotos-eaung land. He has
won the respect and goodwill of the natives
by his uniform kindness and his daily eff
fortS to improve their condition, moral and
2p0iittra1. hare been accepted in good faith.
During his six months residence in tho
island Capt. Leary has accomplished mar
veIouS amount of work. The corrupt and
graSping governors of Spain ard ignorant
priests who for a century have system
atically robbed the natives and ruled by
force and superstition have been swept
from the island. The marriage rite. long
ago fallen into disuse, has been re-estab-
lished. The old Spanish laws have been
nVcrhaulcd and revised so as to meet eX-
isting conditions. Thrift and sobriety are
not only encouraged. but required of the
natives. Schools and hospitals have been
established on the island. and public works
projected that will give employment TO all
who may need or desire 1t. These things
have all been brought about so gradually
that the natives have not felt that radical
changes have been forced upon them by the
new government.
An excellent insight into Governor Learys
rule may be gained from the observations
of Lieut.. Roscoe Spear. a naval officer who
left New York with Capt. Leary in the
Yosemite several months ago, and who re-
turned to the United States on the naval
transport SoIace. landing here few days
ago. lieut.. Spear speaks in the highest
terms of Capt Leary's work in Guam.
Tribute to Lenry.
1t has been a difficult task said Lieut..
Spear TO break down superstitions and
overthrow traditions that have been in
force for nearly century, and to teach
the people the meaning of honesty in gov
eminent. But even in short a time Cow
einor I.eary has accomplished this. and so
gradually, too, that the natives seem to
take it as matter of course. The cid
Spanish government was corrupt in the ex-
IRENE. and robbed the people without scru-
pie. The priests did their share, ruling by
superstition We drove three of them of
the island. leaving only one, n worthy old
native priest, or 'chimorro,' Padre Jose,
who alone commanded the respect of the
people l understand that the exiled priests
are trying hard to get back, but the people
do not want them
bidding the island of superstition was
the first step, and then the governor turned
his attention to the reconstruction of So
ciety. He resurrected the marriage rite and
enforced it 1t was popular. For 4 time we
had wedGings-aS many as forty
or fifty in a single night. One of the re-
quirements for securing a license was that
he man should first show his ability TO
seaport a wife: he must have a house and
cocoanut grove, pig and a dozen chickens
and must acknowledge his willingness to
work. Under the old regime If a man ac-
rUmulated any personal property il was
usually claimed by the governor or priests,
so that The natives preferred not to work
Holidays Cut Down.
THE natives accepted the new conditions
without 4 murmur, and then the governor
took another step. Under Spanish rule
about every other day a feast day,
given up to fun and frolic. and no one
might work. Governor Leary cut down the
public decree. and Will probably make an
other cut before the year is out. The over
hauling of the old Spanish laws and the
perfecting of land titles proved hard work
but 1t has been done. Lieut.. Stafford as
sisted the governor materially in this work
Then u scale OF taxes was arranged-not
heavy taxes. but sufficient to teach the ma
tIves that they have some share in the
government and some responsibility. A coll
Iector Of customs-a naIIYe-nas been ap-
pointed. and fifteen native guards do po-
lice duty throughout the island.
while the governor was working out
these local reforms we on the Yosemite
were not permitted to be Idle. First we
made complete survey of the harbor. and
found il deep enough for any ship afioat.
II is somewhat exposed to the southern
nonsoons. but that fault can be corrected
by building breakwater at no great ex-
penSe- The main trouble is that the reef 4
ssIle from shore. prevents vessels from get
ting in close. and the water between the
Seef and shore line is shallow, except for a