The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-08-27
WHEELERs GUAM REPORT.
The General Describes Conditions on
the Pacific Island


his observations in the island of Guam.
which he visited last winter in obedience
to an order from the President. which re-
| CURED him to Investigate conditions ex-
listing there. the administration of the
United States officer in charge, the work
accomplished and in contemplation, and
the public advantages the island affords By
reason of location and physical features"
The island contains an area CT about $50
square miles, and IN four days the busting
and energetic general traveTsed it in every
direction. noting its physical features and
advantages with me eye of a trained SOL
| der. No detail seems 10 have escaped him
and into a pamphlet of fifty pages he has
crammed a vast amount OF useful and in
teresting information about this distant
island possession Of the United States AMI
its people.
The latter number about 5000. and most
of them live in the half-dozen towns scat
tered over the island. Agana, the capital.
is the largest, with d population of 6,400.
General Wheeler found the towns very
neat, indeed" In AgaUa, probably half
the houses are of stone, and the rest of
nipa and bamboo much like those IN Lu-
zon. The people were cordial and friend y.
! AT every town we entered" says the re-
/ port. we were met by the leading men of
the place: at two places with United States
flags flying White flags were upon many
of the houses, bells were rung, and other
efforts were made by the natives to mani
fest regard for the Americans.
The people met me at some distance
from the town. As l approached they fired
guns, rang bells, and made all possible
display of welcome and good feeling to-
ward our Government They insisted upon
| our partaking of an entertainment which
they had prepared, and in many ways eX-
hibited desire to receive US with cordi-
atty The school children, with their
bright, intelligent faces, the girls with neat
I dresses. and the boys with equally neat
clothing, were brought out in a bo'g and
presented to US. Here, as in one. towns
everything had a clean and cheerful ap-
peaTance- The town now has about 300
people
Agat. which has a population of about
900, was also visited, and General Wheeler
says:
"Agat is now one of the most important
places next 20 Agana- In 1876 il contained
only thiTty-siX native houses, a poor
church, and a stone house for the padre.
When l approached the town every pos
slble expression OF welcome 10 Americans
was manifested. Their one little cannon
saluted small arms were fired and the
bells were rung. The padre was absent.
but his commodiOus house was occupied
by a SpaniaTd, who, with the leading men
Of the place, gave US d very nice luncheon.
The streets. houses, and people all pre-
scented a very clean appearance"
General Wheeler spent a night al YnaTa-
jan, the second town of the island in size,
with a population Of $50 where ne was re-
ceiVed with the most marked hospitality"
He writes:
We were met by the leading citizens
as we approached, and il was touching TO
see The efforts of all the people TO show
respect to the American Government. Guns
were fired, bells Tung. and the little son
OF tae towns governor walked by my sde
playing the ACCORDION We were taken TO
the best house in the place, where We were
entertained by the people We were given
an excellent supper and were
furnished comfortable beds with
very clean, nice, snow-wniJe
sheets. and pillowcases. The next
mo. ming the population. including the
women. called. We were given a good
breakfast, and six OF the citizens insisted
upon accompanying Us 10 ApTa, distance
OF nearly. if not quite fifteen miles.
General Wheeler furnishes a summary
OF the general orders issued by Governor
Leary. and says that the Governor and his
assistant have used their bsst Judgment
in framing the orders which have become
the laws of the island" The summary
shows that the orders made the following
provisions:
General Order No. i dated August 16,
1899, prohibited the disposal Of liquors 10
any person who was not a resident Of tbs
island prior 10 Angus Z.
General Order No :. Of the same date,
prohibited the importation OF liquors ex-
cept by special license
General Orde.> No 3. Of August q pro-
hibited the sale Ct land without first OBJ
tanning the consent OF che Government.
General Order No 1. OF August p. lin
tied the celebration Of religious feast days
10 the walls of the church, chapel OF pri-
vate residence, and provided that the only
public holidays recognized would be sun
days and the holidays authorized by the
United States statute laws and by the
proclamations of the President Of the
United States
General order No. 5 prohibits concu-
binage and commands all persons living
together out of the bonds of wedIocI 10 be
married
General Order No. q. of October I. pro-
hibits the expectation of certain products
of the island
General Order No. 7. of October i, COM
mands inhabitants who are without trade
products and keep certain live stock
General Order No. s prohibits the i'm
porta.ion or disposal of any intoxicating
stim Ilants, except by special license Issued
by tue Government
General Order No. Q. of December g.
1899, requires that dogs be licensed and
states that animals. large and small. must
not be permitted to run loose in the roads
or streets.
General Order No 10. of January >, 1900,
abolishes the Spanish system OF taxation
on real estate and provides for new sys-
tenn.
General Order No II, OF January 10,
condemns the lawless conduct of certain
persons belonging to the station.
General Order No. II of January q
pro- ides a system of public education, and
prohibits religious instruction in favor of
any particular church or creed
General Order No. 10, Of January %. re-
quires each adult resident 20 learn to
write his or her name before July /, 1900,
unless prevented from so doing by physi-
cal disability.
General Order Ne. Il, of February g.
provides regulations regarding men at
tached to the command and who absent
themselves from the station.
Governor Leary established a system of
compulsory education by requiring that all
children between the ages of eight and
fourteen should attend school. The wages
of teachers were low. At Umata General
Wheeler found "a nice school of little
children in charge of male teacher who
received in wages the munifeent sum OF
three pesos equal to about $1.50 gold
a month. General Wheeler was informed
that this rate of wages was about to be
i pp