Semi-weekly herald., 1908-06-15
GUAM MAKES A GAIN
WITH AMERICAN RULE
By William E. Curtis, Correspondent
of the Chicago Record Herald.

By William Il. Curtis, Correspondent
of the Chicago Record Herald
WASHINGTON. - The island OF
Guam, which is now a part of the
United States, is the largest and most
important of the group known as the
in the midst of the Pacific ocean, l.506
miles from Manila, 1.S43 miles from
Yokohama, 3.30S miles from Homo
lulu, 5.044 miles from San Francisco.
1894 miles from Panama. The remain
der of the group were sold by Spain
to Germany at the close of the late
war. We retained Guam because II oc.
cupies strategic position OF great
Importance, has one oil the finest har-
bors in the world and will serve very
useful purpose as supply station for
coal, provisions and repairs for our
navy In the Pacific. II is also OF great
Importance as landing place of the
trans-Pacific cable from San francisco
to Manila and Japan, which now touch
Go at puaiii anu lhC ioidiihos
about seven hundred miles northwest
ward Guam and the surrounding is
lands are of volcanic origin and are
fringed with coral reefs. In the south
ern part of the archipelago are a
number of smoking craters, but there
have been no eruptions for many years,
although earthquakes are common. The
extreme length of the island is twenty
nine miles, and its width varies from
four to nine miles. The population is
1876. of whom 5000 live at Agana,
the capital and only seaport.
Guam was discovered by Magellan
on his voyage around the world March
6, 1921. and he remained there a long
time, recruiting the health of his crew
rious Dutch. English. French. Portu-
guese and Spanish explorers, who have
occupied 1t from time to time. Among
them was Woodes Rogers, a notorious
English pirate, with Alexander Selkirk.
the hero Of Robinson Crusoe," having
rescued him from the island Of Juan
Fernando off the coast of Chile a few
months before. Selkirk returned to
England the same year t710) and told
his extraordinary experience to Daniel
De Foe, who elaborated 1t into one
OF the most popular stories OF adven-
Guam was settled by the Jesuits un-
der the leadership OF Father Sanvi-
torres. who was known as ''The Apostle
of the Mariannes." He was born In
Burgos, Spain. in 1927, became mem
ber of the Society of Jesus, went to
Mexico as missionary, sailed from
| Acapulco for Manila In 1862. stopping
en- route at Guam. where he decided to
remain and erected the first church
He suffered martyrdom there in 1872
for having baptized native child
In spite OF the protests of It's parents
The aborigines of Guam are known
as Chammorros. They are closely re-
lated to the Tagalogs OF Manila, and
branch of the Malay race. They wor-
SHIPPED various demons and other spir-
It's and propitiated them by sacrifices
In their daily lives and labors. They
also worshiped the souls OF their an
cestors. who they believed, exercised
an influence over the affairs of earth.
They believed In the Immortality of
the soul. In heaven where the de
parted enjoyed degrees of pleasure ac-
cording to the lives they led on earth,
and that the wicked were sent to a
place of punishment. Curiously enough.
they held that the human race had
Its origin In Guam and that the in
habitants OF all the rest of the world
were descended from wanderers who
had strayed away from the island and
forgotten the language.
Many Of the islanders still adhere to
these traditions, although they were
converted to the Roman Catholic faith
centuries ago. and only very small
number OF Chamorros rsmain. There
Is a social caste among them based
upon the degree of Spanish blood In
their veins, and social lines are strict
y drawn among the people, Spanish |
officers assigned to these and the other
Pacific Islands invariably lived with |
the native women without the for.
'mality OF marriage and raised large
families OF children. The census of
Guam today contains the names of
many OF the proudest Hidalgos in
Spain. and 1t is said that there are de-
scendents OF every Spanish governor
Tor $50 years. When the Spanish off,
cials returned to their native country
after tour OF duty in Guam they
always left their wives and children
behind and did not permit their matri-
monial relations in Spain to interfere