The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-05-17

poor hunters who live for the most
part on what they IAN pick from the
trees or dig out OF the ground. III
the Mangyans. they esteem as q great
delicacy the huge white bugs which
bore in the trunks of the sago palms.
These they pick out and eat alive.
Pelawan, the westernmost Of the
islands, is an old maids paradise, be-
cause among the Tagabanos who in
habit 1t there are no old maids. The
men greatly outnumber the women and
the young lady who has not caught q
husband by the time she is IL years
old must be very unattractive indeed.
On the island OF Enyo, on the other
hand, 80 per cent of the inhabitants
are for here 1t is the custom
for a man to start forth into the world
to seek his fortune as soon as he gets
old enough. The Sindangans are in
corrigible polygamists, and the indi-
vidual braves have a penchant for
marrying sisters. "A United States
government investigator discovered
one headman among them who had
married two sisters and subsequently,
after he became a widower. their
mother.
Uncle Sam has no citizens as prim-
tive as the members of some of the
tribes in the Philippine group. Ha-
wall, which has been a territory for
over a decade. is pretty thoroughly
Americanized and 80 is the newer col
ony Of Porto Rico. Guam and the is
lands in the Samoan group, including
Tutuila and Mamma, are typical south
sea islands.
One of the most interesting Of Uncle
Sans islets, by virtue of its position,
is the Midway, a few acres Of coral
sand stuck in the very midst Of the
Pacific. 1t is a cable station and its
only inhabitants are the score or more
, attendants Of that link in the long
stretch of wire that binds America
with the far east. Once a month a
little boat steams up from the Sa-
moan group with newspapers a season
old, but the exiles on Midway get some
news of the big world every day owe
the cable. They are practically all
Americans.
All Of Uncle Sans island groups
have developed rapidly under American
auspices. Our government has taught
the islanders the modern principles Of
sanitation and hygiene, reduced the
death rate. built good roads and estab-
lished the model colonial schools of
the world. The prosperity Of the
groups has been a truly wonderful
growth. In Porto Rico, ten years ago
the total yearly exports and imports
amounted to SIT, $780, 600. Today they
are SIS, 1905 600. OF this great trade SO
per cent is with the United States, as
compared with so per cent a decade
ago. The Philippines show a cores
ponding increase. The United States
has fostered trade with the islands by
admitting their products free. so thar
the islanders enjoy the same measure
of tariff protection as producers IN tie
United States.
AS to what will be the ultimate fGte
politically of the great family Of is
lands that the United States has gath
cred in somewhat hsphazarded fash
ion. in is difficult to say. The ambition
of both Hawaii and Porto Rico is to
become full members of the union in
the course of time, and a DELEGATION
from the latter recently visited Wash
ington to present a petition for terri
torial rights. In the case of the Phil
ippines, the majority of the natives,
as well as many Americans look for
ward to seeing the islands become IN
independent nation under the guar
dianship Of Uncle Sam, The smaller
Islands probably will retain their pres
ent status, relying upon the American
navy for protection against foreign
| aggression.