The Indianapolis journal., 1901-07-09
HOW TO GOVERN.


Brooklyn Eagle.
We have established stations in various
parts of the world TO teach Americans how
to govern other people. and incidentally
certain OF themselves. The experiments in
Cuba have been successful and both gov
erned and governors are happier and more
self-respecting to-day because OF them.
Porto Rico has had less attention, but is
holding its own. and so soon as the native
police are assured that they do no; have TO
Kill man before they arrest him. and the
public is assured that il is expected 10
work and not subsist on charity rations.
and the children are assured That IL is
better to go 10 school than TO take maps in
the gutter the need for any rebukes or
suggestions on part viii have gone by.
Hawaii requires little instruction. The
fact that judge who owns a newspaper
inflicted a long imprisonment on a citizen
who refused to subscribe for IT needs in
vestigation, but a compromise can be ar
ranged on the citizens agreeing TO adver-
tise in the sheet without taking It. The
Philippines have ceased TO be a problem
since Aguinaldo came in. and the Sultan OF
Jolo stopped getting married. Indeed. the
only hostile remarks now made toward
this government are those OF a Filipino
envoy in Paris, and he has mace them
from a window on the fourth floor, with
the street door locked-an entirely needless
precaution.
The one part of our possessions that calls
for more than usual quantities OF author
ity seems to be the little island OF Guam
At present ii is a naval station and is un-
der the direct rule of Annapolis graduates
They teach queer things at Annapolis. but
useful ones. Captain Leary, who was TIE
first Governor issued instructions TO the
populace requiring them 10 keep hens. 10
practice truth and sobriety till they came
natural TO attend school. 10 read the sec
ond-hand magazines that he besought the
American people 10 send 10 them, and 10
get married instead Of flirting outrageously
TO the age OF seventy and then taxing the
blushing husbands 20 church. There Is not
a single item I'm these rules TO complain
about, yet Captain Leary was recalled. lie
was unusual. and unusualness In ofhcial-
dom will not do. Yet. what are expert
mental stations for2 An experiment is al
ways a departure from the usual-a VEN
ture toward the unknown.
The successor of Captain Leary Is Conn
mander Schroeder. and he Is more un-
usual than Captain Leary-so unusual that
ne has made a hutter at headquarters
His order No. 4. entitled an act 10 suppress
hoodlumism in Guam and to induce the en-
listed men OF the marine corps 20 stop
stealing hospital whisky and causing great
distress 10 an officer who has a fever and
is dependent on II; especially on the one
United States uniform and commanding
that no further liberty be given 10 the gar
rison after taps. and 10 enforce this order
even IL the roll has TO be called fifteen-
minute intervals al night. and not 10 steal,
gamble OF get drunk any more. because
while the Innocent shield the guilty none
are innocent-th.s order. we say. has
created unusual interest. and IN Guam some
CONSERVATION. Because Of little bar
rel OF whisky all the garrison must stay
indoors on hot nights. Can IL be possible
that tropic conditions affect maginatiOns
tropically and magnify end lend warmth
10 tepid circumstances
An officer stationed on the island says
that there were only six guilty men and
that three OF these were arrested and the
why the other l94 should be punished for
the gix. and says that II per cent. OF the
Inhabitants OF an American city went
wrong the other % per cent. would take
IL most unkindly II they were locked up
or spanked. So they would. But Guam
Is not Philadelphia. and In a place where
there IS no canteen the men OF the rank
and ME and forecastie will do desperate
things. The point 10 be decided is whether
under tropical influences officers do des-
perate things also.
IL may be that in future we shall have
10 give a special training 10 officers who
are 10 serve their country away from IL.
We shall begin TO boil them In Texas. move
them 70 Porto Rico and complete the
process by compelling them 10 live IN New
York In summer. IL they survive this last
can be safely dispatched 10 Guam or Ma
Mia. Until they have thus qualified Il 10
possibly better for all concerned that they
should not continue as governors OF Guam
too long: IL Is too heating and wearing on
the intellect