The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-06-09
THE ISLAND OF GUAM.
Many Associate II With Philippines
About as Close 10 Manila as Kansas
City 10 New York.

Christian Science Monitor: Few more
prevalent and persistent mistakes are
made By the people Of the United States,
so far as geography is concerned. than
that which associates the Island OF Gu
am with the Philippines. As a matter
OF fact, its principal town. Agana, is
just about az close TO Manila as Kansas
City is 10 New York That is to say.
the Philippine group and the Ladrones
group are about 1900 miles apart. Guam
Is that distance east Of Manila. nearly
the same distance southeast OF Yokoha-
ma and 5000 usually placid miles west
Of san Francisco. II is the largest OF
the seventeen islands forming the La
drones. sometimes called the Mariana
Archipelago. and is the smallest Of the
insular possessions Of the United States
When the island was ceded by Spain
TO the United States. by article Of the
treaty Of peace concluded at Paris on
September 10. 1898. the little that ysas
known about the place OF its people en-.
couraged humorous paragraphers and
musical comedy writer's TO make heavy
drafts on their imagination. and 40. for
time. Guam was regarded as In the
nature Of a Joke. II len: itself readily
TO the requirements Of comic opera. and
when II ceased 20 entertain. II ceased
20 interest the larger portion OF the pub
Tic. The history Of the island had. how.
ever. been tragic. rather than amusing.
Guam had been occupied originally By
Chamorros. intelligent people. most OF
whom perished under Spanish rule I'M
migrants from the Philippines had
largely taken their place, and these were
80 ignorant that the island population
became little better than savage The
later incursion Of Tagalogs and Malays.
however. helped 20 neutralize condi.
tions and when the United States seiz.
ed the island. on June 10. 1888. the pop.
ulaiion was found 10 be engaged. rather
perfunctorily. In the agricultural and
/ fishing industries The natives, from
the beginning. evinced a friendly dispo.
sition toward the invaders. and their
tractability has greatly aided the work
carried on. during the last nineteen
years. for their general Improvement.
The possession has been continuously
under the control OF the navy depart
ment. and under the governorship Of q
naval officer. For a number OF years
after Il became United States territory
or from the time Il ceased 20 yield copy
Tor the humorous pamgraphers and N,
comic playwright. until about four year,
ago. little more than passing notice hat
II NanFs FuN Naa % /. fI.
the natives had been taught. and In ev
cry manner encouraged. In the art o.
agriculture. and were shipping the pro
ducts Of the island. such as oopra. co
conuts. rice and sugar. to merchant
In Manila and other places. never unit
the early fall OF 1918. however. wa
Guam placed regularly and formally OF
the trade map. IL had. OF course. beel
an important naval station. and Il hal
received frequent calls. not only from
warships. but from merchant vessels
but Il had not been on a regular rout
or lane OF commerce until. az the tim
referred 10. the naval transport steame
supply was ordered TO make four regt
lar trips annually between the islam
and Manila.
United States occupation has spelle
progress for Guam and lis people. TheI
Advancement In every respect is plainl
seen by those who have watched IN
affairs Of the island since 1898. A grea
deal Of money and time have been give
TO experiments with the SOIL that hay
not been altogether successful. and on
OF the latest results is that. while whit
potatoes cannot be grown there. cotto
be produced profitably. Not until 1sl
can b. produced profitably. Not TN isl
this innovation h regarded as a lon
~ step forward In the same year ovs