The Yale expositor., 1910-11-25
DHr czez6aN 0R ann ak

tages of his new citizenship. All OF
the 1000 islanders who were not
then living in Agana began TO look
longingly Aganawards; and hundreds
of them packed their belongings in
grass fiber copra bags and started for
the site of the government job.
This state of affairs is the growth
of the last two or three years mainly.
In recent report Capt. f. J. Dorm,
naval governor Of the island, says:
"The ranches are being more and
more neglected by reason of the popu-
lation becoming government laborers.
The extensive improvements going on
under federal direction have called
away from their farms very many
who find the ready money paid for
days labor much more attractive than
the uncertain reward ranches offer.
Nearly ten years ago, discussing the
Chamorra natives disinclination for
work, Civil Engineer Leonard Cox of
the navy, who designed the water
works system now being installed IN
Agana, said in an Official report:
If the native understood the art of
getting his enjoyment out of money,
and If he possessed more civilized
vices and could cultivate a few ex-
pensive tastes, there would be no diff
ficulty in obtaining labor, though It
is doubtful If he would be benefited
by the change"
Recent letters and reports from
Governor Dorm and from others ia
miliar 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 a 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 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 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 ].
Il. Thompson, young American sent
over by the agricultural department
two years ago to build up an agricul-
tural experiment station in the midst
of Guam's jungles and deserted
ranches.
Agriculture in Guam has been of a
most primitive character. Cocoanuts,
from the meat of which the dried
copra is produced, formed the only
article of produce insuring q 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
crops of corn, rice and forage plants
under way, MIR. Thompson sent to
San Francisco for a small American
hand cultivator. When 1t arrived the
natives viewed it with delight and
took turns in practising with IL. 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 print
tive hoes.
Satisfied that the new toy would
tighten their work as we'll 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
by 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 DIR. Walter
H. Evans of Washington. who planned
the Guam experiment station.
Guam came into Uncle Sans fam
lily Immediately after the Spanish war.
IL 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 we're just 224
white people, men, women and chill
dren, in the population Of 11,76o on
the island.