The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-02-23
Births More Frequent
Now Than
Deaths.
American School, System Success.
MabiRi Refuses to Take Oath
OF Allegiance.

| Zone of the most gratifying features
Of my administration in Guam has been
the appreciable change for the better
in health and sanitary conditions among
the people, and the increase of births
over deaths among the Chamorros or
natives of Guam" said Commander
Seaton Schroeder. u s. N, late COVER
nor of Guam, last evening on the hur-
ricane deck of the Naval transport Sol
ace. Governor Schroeder was relieved
as governor of the little Island of the
Thieves" the title given by the sailors
OF Magellan's ships, by Commander
Sewall. For more than two years Gov
ernor Schroeder has guided the affairs
of the insuIar possession, and he goes
home with the feeling that the natives
have been started on the right road to
prosperity. Governor Schroeder, when
asked if he was glad to be approaching
the mainland. expressed regrets that he
has had to leave Guam.
II have never enjoyed better health
than in Guam, and my family were
always in good health there, although
Agana, the capital and largest city on
Guam with it's three thousand inhab-
itants, is located on somewhat low
ground. 1 like the island and like the
people, and it is some qualification to
me to know that they have a very
friendly feeling toward myself. Since
have impressed upon the people the
need of better sanitary conditions.
Sanitary regulations have been pressed
the island, until now the re-
suit is shown by a large increase or
births over deaths.
zone of my pet theories has been the
development of the school system. The |
schools. under the Spanish. did not
priation that I could use for starting
schools on the American system, but
[ saw the need of education by the
American methods. 1 was able to es-
tablish three schools in Agana, and
others in Asan and Agate. I managed
20 get American teachers out there, and
hey were paid from the revenues Of the
sland. English was taught in these
schools until the Chamorros were able
% speak and read a little, and then
hey were taught arithmetic In only
few of the very small places We're the
spanish schools conducted as of old.
must say that the children are very
right and capable and willing to learn.
7heir progress was remarkable. and
ast year we had commencement exer-
ises which were surprisingly good.
-hen the length of time they had stud
I'd English was taken into consider
ton.
When the American occupation took
lace the revenues of Guam were about
I,500, about so per cent of the money
II carrying on the government coming
ON Spain. Since then there has been
D appropriation made by the Federal
overnment, and the taxes in certain d
rections were increased until the rev.
lues yielded $4,000 per annum. From
lis fund I took money TO pay thei
hool teachers, as well as to carry on
e government, which of course in
1ded the judiciary. The islanders, 0
ID the satisfaction of knowing. how
er, that every cent of the s4s, 900 went
-ck TO the island in the expenditures
INJURIES of Spanish misrule had made
EN- believe that when they approach
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