Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1910-11-30

LHouotlAu ulilC5 Dan
Francisco and fifteen hundred
miles from Manila, there Is
an island that temporarily
deserted by It's foster parent, the
United States, Is an easy prey for
the wandering cruiser Of any nation
shat may want to kdnap a Pacific
naval bare.
The American flag still floats over
the island OF Guam, but the greater
part OF the governing and protective
force recently sailed away to Manila
for its annual vacation trip. EN-
barked on the station ship Supply,
which constitutes the entire navy or
tho island, the governor, most OF the
marines and American officials left
agana.
For tho next few weeks, while the
Supply Is being ovcrhauled at Manila
,And the island officials are rccuper-
ntlng at Philippine health resorts,
Guam will be permitted to work out
It's own salvation. protected from In
~Haslon only by a handful of marines
and the majesty and authority OF the
Stars and Stripes. But should any
Aation or any lilibustering expedition
proceed upon the idea that the United
States IS trying to lose" It's little
possession, it would find that 1t had
acted upon an entirely wrong theory.
This country is very busy just now
trying to work out certain problems
in Guam which may ultimately make
that island q valuable part Of the ma
tional domain. Wcla the little spcck
of land to be turned over to some
other nation now 1t would be with Il
peck of troubles accompanying 1t that
would cast q lasting suspicion over
tho efficiency Of American civilian
tion.
For Guam not only remains tho
most unique OF the insular acquls-
tions of Uncle Sam, but 1t has been
found that In proportion to it's size
and Importance 1T can furnish more
troubles and pcrploxing problems
than all the other island possessions
that the Spanish war forced upon u.s.
A concrete example Of the speed
with which the cost of living, the
rush of farmers to the cities and the
chase of tho "almlghty dollar" in
crease as Americans draw near, there
is no equal to this little Gem OF the
Mariannas," lying just OF tho track
of Acknowledgements ocean travel.
When all OF these evidences of clvili-
zation strike land only thirty miles
long and six miles wide, and which
has never been sclf-suppOrtlng, they
produce situation guaranteed to give
sleepless nights to those intrusted
with its solution.
The trouble with Guam Ia not only
that 1t has never been a selfsupport-
Ing country, but that American civili-
cation, so called, has introduced some
ideas OF living that arc complicating
tho situation more and more every
day. The cost Of ordinary supplies
has increased with jump; tho "sim.
pie Arcadian tastes" of the natives.
described by former governor, have
been nurscd into real American de-
sires and ambitions; and most scri.
GUS Of all, there has been a rush of
farmers to the city, which has com.
Dlctcly depopulated the ranches.
They Quit the Farm.
And the lure of it all Ia the GOV.
ornment job. When the United States
took hold OF the island, about seven
thousand of the eleven thousand ma.
tivcs lived in the town of Agana: but
every family had It's ranch and made
It's real living out Of the soil, When
tho Guamite first heard OF "a days
work on government job" he dIdn't
appreciate its significance. He had
no use fc: money and continued I'd
squeeze his living out OF tho island
soil, the only method he knew of OBJ
taining It,
With naval repair shops, a water
works system, bridges and roads un
der process Of construction American
monoy began to circulate freely. and
the Guam native suddenly awoke tc
tho full appreciation OF the advan
tages OF his now citizenship All Of
the 11,00O islanders who were mol
then living in Agana began to look
longingly Aganawards; and hundreds
aS them packed their belongings If
grass fiber copra bags and started fol
the site OF tho government job.
This state OF affairs is the growth
of the last two or three years mainly
In recent report Capt. r. J. Dorm
naval governor of tho island, says.
1.-THE ranches are being more ant
more neglected by reason of the popu
1ation becoming government laborers
The extensive improvements going OF
under federal direction have called
away from their. farms very man,
who anl The ready monay paid To-