The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-23
A NEGLECTED INFANT.

So many matters have conspired of late to divert attention that our little principality of Guam has been serious ly in danger of being forgotten. That this little dot in the ocean should be neglected Is not to be thought of, and we note with some satisfaction that the few white women who live there are bringing it into the 1imelight, even though in the way of complaint and so- licitatson. These women are the wives of naval officers and other American officiais who are compelled to live there. and they have sent an appeal to the people of the United tSates, which, in the language of an exchange. "sets forth that there are upwards of 11,0oo natives of the island who are living without schools, doctors, nurses, med icines and pure water. There Is no hospital for the natives and those of them who fall sick are treated in haIf-civilized fashion. The death rate Is practically as large as the sick rate, owing to lack of proper attention"
 Reading this we are somewhat dis posed to wonder how the natives man. aged to live at all before the whites mixed up with them. It might be con- jectured by some that their condition was much worse before civilization struck them than it is now. but that would not be a correct conclusion by any, means. The practically universal history of the savage and the white man has been the same. The effect of the introduction of the white mans civ ilization and the effect to at once lift the savage up to it and to make him conform to 1t has been to lower his physical powers and to make him a burden on his would-be benefactors, or to gradually exterminate him.
 This. we admit, is not complimentary to us as d people, but all readers of history know it to be true. It has been the case in America from the begin- ming of European occupancy. The hab- its and customs of ages cannot be set aside at once, nor can savagery give way to civilization at a single move- ment In all our dealings with our In- dian inhabitants. from the days of De Soto. John Smith and Miles Standish, the efforts to elevate the savage have been gradual extermination. where those efforts were directed to suddenly change their modes of life Where the work of elevation or of adaptation has been gradual and intelligent the con- sequences have been different, but all attempts to force white civilization on the savage have been detrimental
 It may be that something of the same kind has been the result of our occu- patton of Guam. We do not know that this is so. but we suspect that too much has been expected and too much attempted within the limited time the island, has been an American posses sion. It may be that these good women themselves are expecting too much. They may compare conditions there with those to which they have been accustomed at home and have become disheartened because Guam is not the United States.
 The appeal of these women to our Government is of little effect. however zealousIy they may urge 1t. There are matters of much more importance--to the members--than looking after the interests of a little dependency that has no political influence. and there are matters of real and pressing moment that occupy the time of the administra- tion to the exclusion of Guam and all connected with it. If conditions are re- ally as bad as represented by the ladies 1t is time something was being done in the matter. but we suspect that 1t will have to be done without govern mental assistance.