LAST HURRAH FOR THE TERRITORIALS

MARC Collection

The photo above shows the members of the 8th Guam Legislature being sworn into office in January of 1965.

This was a legislature that made history. After four prior legislatures, or eight years, when not a single Territorial was even elected, the Territorial Party swept the majority in the 8th Guam Legislature.

There were 21 members of the legislature back then, and the Territorials won 13 seats while the Democrats retained just 8 seats.

From these 13 came some of the most prominent Guam statesmen.

Carlos G. Camacho, who later became the first elected Governor of Guam.

Paul M. Calvo, another future Governor of Guam.

Kurt S. Moylan, future Lieutenant Governor of Guam.

Carlos P. Taitano, who was elected Speaker of the 8th Guam Legislature, was the famous leader of the Guam Congress Walk-out in 1949. Later, Taitano became a staunch Chamorro culture advocate.

On the Democratic side, Ricky Bordallo would become Governor of Guam twice in two separate terms.

But the glory days of the TP were brief. In the very next election, not a single Territorial candidate won a seat in the legislature.

The party fizzled after that, with many former members forming or joining the Republican Party of Guam. Taitano, however, moved over to the Democrats.

Carlos Pangelinan Taitano

Speaker of the 8th Guam Legislature

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TERRITORIAL ORIGINS

The Territorial Party began in 1955 when the majority of the senators (called Congressmen back then) switched their support to vote in a new Speaker.  Antonio B. Won Pat had been Speaker of the 1st and 2nd legislatures and put his name forward for the speakership of the 3rd legislature.

Others wanted a change and rallied behind Francisco B. Leon Guerrero. Leon Guerrero was indeed elected and when the two camps could not get back together, the majority formed the Territorial Party, Guam's second political party. The only party before this was the Popular Party, which became the Democratic Party of Guam in 1960.

Won Pat and the Populars defeated the Territorials in the next election, with all 21 seats going to the Populars. In those days, they called that "Black Jack," and it happened many times. All 21 seats going to the Populars/Democrats.

Francisco B. Leon Guerrero

Speaker of the 3rd Guam Legislature

MARC Collection