Semi-weekly herald., 1908-06-15

The American governor is assisted by
a legislative council composed of off
GERS OF the garrison and natives. whu
adopt ordinances to regulate local af-
fairs, assess and collect taxes, author
fze expenditures and administer the
governments generally. For convent
ence. the island Is divided into four
caides, justices of the peace and other
officials elected by popular vote. A
civil service board has been appointed
for the examination of candidates for
positions. a working knowledge of the
English language being the first re-
quisite. There are three judges who
are elected by the people
The climate of Guam is dry and
healthy, the mean annual tempern-
tire is 81. Although the sun is hot
there is always a pleasant breeze, and
during the rainy season. from June 10
December. the precipitation is about
i02 inches. At intervals the island has
been visited by typhoons, which have
utS'iptth tiopnS ~ biiSs ohh i'sfhS ~
the houses. In November, 1900. tho
most disastrous OF these storms occur
red and the people have not yet recov-
cred from the effects. The soil Is ex
ceedingly rich and produces lice. corn.
coffee, cacao. sweet potatoes, sugar
and every other fruit and vegetable
known to the triDc-. nut the produc
tion is seldom larger than IL required
for the local demand. Occasionally
there has been d surplus of coffe and
and the chief export is copra. the pulp
of the cocoanut dried in the sun. The
total exports do not exceed more than
$500 year, and the imports are
valued at about the same amount.
They consist chiefly of cotton cloth,
groceries, kerosene oil household uten-
sils and various notions. Nature Is
very generous and the inhabitants can
easily supply their own simple wants.
In order to enable them to be en-
tirey independent, the government has
established manual training school.
in which carpenters, blacksmiths. ma
chinlsts, plumbers, shoemakers and
other tradesmen are being educated.
There is a department in which girls
are taught plain sewing, dressmaking-
embroidery, cooking, nursing, laundry
work, the chemistry of food, weaving
mating and baskets, and other
%
The children are also taught to sing
our patriotic songs and the rudiments
of music. A native band Of twenty
eight pieces, organized and trained by
the open air with great satisfaction
to the people.
A certain degree of paternalism has
| been exercised over the people for their
| welfare, and several of the regulations
and orders of Commander Richard p.
Leary of the navy, the first governor
of Guam, excited much opposition and
| ridicule. But they have demonstrated
his wisdom. and have justified his
| course. For example, Leary prohibited
concubnage and required every man
and woman who were living together
10 go before priest for the ceremony
of marriage. He prohibited the sale
of liquor; he compelled every inhabi-
| tant to cultivate a certain amount of
| ground and to keep at least twelve
hens, one cock and one SOW; he pro
| hibited the use of vulgar and profane
language; he required every person to
wear clothing, for the most of them
were in the habit of going about
naked; he prohibited cockfghting; he
abolished the celebration of saints
days. which kept the people from
labor seventy or eight days in the year
in addition TO Sundays, and abolished
all public holidays except Christmas,
New Years day, Washington's birth
| day. Decoration day, the Fourth of
July and Labor day. He required ev-
cry inhabitant to submit to a medical
examination, and compelled those who
were diseased to submit to treatment.
He prohibited gambling and regulated
| the morals of the natives in puri.
tanical manner. Many of the people
| resisted, but the result was wholesome
| and generally beneficial.