Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1910-11-30

pensive tastes, there would be no dir
hcu1ty in obtaining labor, though il
is doubtful if he would be benefited
by the change"
Recent letters and reports from
Governor Dorm and from others ia.
m1liar with conditions there, indicate
the grave apprehension that is felt
over the situation and the need that
exists for heroic measures. Last year
there was bad rice famine, because
the natives had neglected their land.
Supplies were secured from Japan to
relieve the shortage and Governor
Dorm then tried to force the people
back to their ranches, but his efforts
have been only partly successful.
When the Jobs Wear Out.
AS soon as the government work
now under way is completed, which
will be in a comparatively short time!
there is going to be a panic in the
peaceful land Of Guam that will live
in memory as long as any Wall street
panic ever engineered in this country
There will then be a whole host OF
Guam laborers without employment.
With characteristic energy, the
United States has set about relieving
the result of American occupation OF
the island On the station ship Sup
ply when it sailed for Manila was J.
B. Thompson, young American sent
over by the agricultural department.
two years ago to build up an agricul1
tural experiment station in the midst
of Guam's jungles and deserted
ranches.
Agriculture In Guam has been of Al
most primitive character. Cocoanuts1
from the meat of which the dried
copra is produced, formed the only
article of produce insuring a fair re-
turn on the labor expended; so every
one planted cocoanuts and depended
upon Japanese traders and the Span+
ish authorities to see that they did
not want for other food. Bananas!
oranges and pineapples grow half
Wild with no care or cultivation; and
the bread-fruit tree furnishes an easy
living for those who will not work
at all.
Kindergarten methods are neces-
sary to start the work With his
cxops of corn, rice and forage plants
under way, Mr.. Thompson sent to
San Francisco for a small American
hand cultivator. When it arrived the
natives viewed it with delight and
took turns in practising with it. The
Guam method of cultivation had been
| to take every member of the family
| from grandfather to the baby, into the
| fields when hoeing was to be done,
and set them all at work with primi'
| tive hoes.
| Satisfied that the new toy would
! tighten their work as well as please
their senses, Mr.. Thompson's expert
ment has been followed by the pur-
chase of a considerable number Of the
implements in San Francisco for use
nv the native farmers. 1t is the hope
| of the agricultural department later
| to introduce reliable stock into Guam.
| The native will have to be educated
gradually away from his caraboa, or
native OK.
| Compared with the caraboa, the
| slowest American OK that ever moved
is an express train" says DR.. Walter
H. Evans of Washington, who planned
the Guam experiment station.
Guam came into Uncle Sans fans
lily Immediately after the Spanish war.
1t has a good harbor and was looked
upon as an important way station be-
| tween Honolulu and Manila, for the
establishment of a naval base At
| the last census there were just 224
white people, men, women and chill
dren, in the population of 11,760 on
! the island.