The Washington herald., 1908-06-28

through the Navy Department with Capt
Edward J. Dorm, L. S. n. as its captain
Also. of course. he is called governor.
This island does not amount 10 much.
but it is the only one Of the Ladrone ISL
ands worth having. and it belonged TO
Spain. So when, in the Spanish war, the
Charleston was on her way TO Manila she
stopped in at the little port OF san Louis
dApra and took off the Spanish governor
and his soldiers and annexed the place
Guam was the first land seen By Magel-
Ian after his long wandering about the
Pacific. and II had a sentimental value
for the Spanish mOnarchs. Ii has some
strategic value for this country, and is.
at any rate a curious little plaything in
the way OF q colony"
The government has been 10 much trou-
BILE. thought. and expense 70 try and inn
prove tEe island and its inhabitants and
has succeeded fairly well. Naval officers
have generally administered IL since IL
came into the possession Of the United
States. and each officer has taken the gov
ernorship Of Guam just as he would the
command OF a ship which was not in first
class condition-taken IL with the idea Of
getting II in condition 10 pass good in
Has Nine Thousand Subjects.
The present captain OF the good ship
Guam was appointed 20 the Naval Acad-
emy from Missouri In 1870 and after his
four years al the academy and his two
years at sea, received his commission and
settled down to the ordinary work of a
naval officer in the time Of peace. lie
might, some time in studying a chart Of
the Pacific. have seen the name Of Guam.
II is ten 20 one that II before the war
with Spain any one had asked him where
Guam was he could not have told of
hand. yet NE IS 1T now In this outlying
post OF CONGRATULATIONS real governor
Of a real island % miles long by 100 miles
en- circumference. with 1900 subjects to
govern as absolutely almost as he would
a ships crew.
Capt. Dorm has a palace AZ Agana, his
capital. OF course. Il is not such a gorge
ous palace. but fl does very well for the
climate. and IS considered by the natives
10 be a rather wonderful building. HC
also has a station ship az Saint Louis
and. altogether. possesses a very compact
/ agreeable, and interesting government
I He has his troubles. Of cCurse-what pro-
/ consul has not2-but they are not so seri-
/ Gus as those which distract the minds OF
| some of the greater proCOnsUls. 1t must
/ be rather nice. for a change, 20 run thi.
/ "far-off isle of Eden lying In dark purp.,
( spheres Of sea"
/ Something over 5000 miles 10 the south
| east OF Capt DOrns domains lies anothe
navally administered outpost or American
/ power and possessions. We got it whel
we dissolved partnership with Englan,
/ and Germany in the management OF IA,
/ Samoan group. and 1t Is called TUtuila
] Few people have even heard Of the place
or If they have. they have forgotten ab0U
/ it. Nevertheless. here Commander c. r
I r. Moore. L. :. n. presides over a gov
/ ernment consisting of two considerabi,
/ islands, a number Of smaller ones. aut
/ the strongest naval station in the SOutl
/ Pacihc-the harbor Of Pago-Pag0. Tutu
/ ia. ManUa. Ofu are the names Of IN
| principal islands OF Commander Moore
| government. There are about 100 sQUar
miles OF land altogether under the COVER
nOr-commandcrs sway, and he has abCu
a crew OF between five and six thousan,
! people 20 man them.
Natives Are Good Fighters.
It is a most interesting government. Be
fore the white men took charge the peopl
of Tutuila were great fighters and oftel
carried war into the neighboring and larg
er Samoan islands. The commander ma
chiefs under him, real. old-style, naughty
and courteous South Pacific chiefs, wit
real legendary ancestry and royal songs
The commander himself entered the Nava
Academy from Illinois and is now abou
dfty-one years old. He has an eXcelIen
record as a navy officer During IN
Spanish war he was attached 20 the mOni
tor Monterey. went out TO Manila IN hel
and took part I'm the capturing Of the city
When the Spanish war broke Ou
Charles +. MagOOn. as most newspape
readers know, was quietly praCtiCing Lar
in Lincoln. Nebr. lie did not dream q
'swaying the rod Of empire or OF mold
ing the government of a nation. TO-da
he sits in the palace OF the representative
of the King of CASTLE and Leon at Ia