Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-12-18
OF THE SULUS
WE HAVE ANNEXED HIM BY ANNEX
ING THE ISLANDS.
A Unique Character. This New Citizen
of Ours-His Nizier and Harem
Ours AIso-Hfs Title is Sui
tan of SuIu.

From the Philadelphia Times.
Americans now have a sultan for a fellow
citizen. His title is sultan of Sulu. we
have annexed him together with the Phil
ippine islands. His subjects are all devout
Mohammsdans. He is everything that u SUI
tan should be. He has a harem and a grand
vizier. He bowstr!ngs his enemies and
friends, and is in constant danger of assas-
sination.
The Spanish peace commissioners in Paris
acceded TO the entire American demands.
These stipulated that Spain should sur
render all the Philippines, including the
Sulu islands,.
These islands are a small group. stretch
ing between the southern extremity OF the
Philippines and the Island of Borneo. They
have a population of 1900 and an area Of
$50 sGuare miles.
The inhabitants of the Suits are called
Moros. 1t is their chief peculiarly to be
is Malay, as in the Philippines, but the
Moros have been strongly influenced by
Arab blood.
In the seventeenth century an Arab
named Said Ali conquered the Sulu islands
and forcibly converted the natives TO Islam
ism. He and his followers took large num-
berS Of wives and thus added an Arabian
strain to the Malay race.
The Moros are governed by a sultan
and hereditary chiefs called datos- The
latter are often supreme in their own do
AIiNiliIS, ptI IN supposed " saw 'ShAtSO
to the sultan of Sulu.
The sultan lives as We expect n sultan to
live. He has a great harem. replenished by
periodical raids among all the Philippine
islands. He has a grand vizier and a barber
who tells him stories.
The Moros are not particularly obedient to
their sultan. Sometimes they XII him
and sometimes they set UP another in his
place. They are the tiercest and bravest Of
all the races in or near the Philippines.
Their skill in the use of curved knives is
marvellous. They have defeated the Span
iards again and again with plain steel
against firearms. Spain made no sort OF
effective occupation of the island until 1871.
What the Sulus Are.
Dean C. Worcester, the acknowledged
American authority on the Philippines. de-
votes considerable attention to the Sulu
Stands, their rival ~sultans. and the blood
curdling features of life there. A few years
before the SpariSh-American war the Span
iards Geposed Mahmoud, the rightfui sultan
of Sulu. and appointed in his place a chief,
under the title of his excellency, Paduca.
Majasari Malauna Amiril Manuin Sultan
Harun Narrasid.'
The Spanish had invited the rightful sui
tan to come to Manila and be invested with
his crown. Remembering that a predeces-
sor. who received a similar invitation. had
been kept in prison foc life by the Spanish.
the sultan did not eSpond. Thereupon the
Spanish put Harun in his place.
That did not worry the legitimate sultan.
Harun occupied the palace in the city of
Sulu. carefully guarded by Spanish soldiers.
Nahmoud occupied the rest of the island
with 1900 well armed followers.
The most interesting character in SUlu
is the old s%uitana, mother of the Sultan
Mahmoud. Although born q slave, she mar
ried n previous sultan. h fastened his
departure from this world with corrosive
subiimate. When Harun was appointed sui
tan she sent him an offer of marriage. but
he declined it. as he wished to die a nat
ural death"
Mr.. Worcester remarks that she has a
genius for organization. but a mania for
poisoning.
nerent Spaniards, ruled the Sulus, they We're
fairly quiet. When he departed. his success
sor thought he could collect taxes from the
asked their decision. They promptly de-
cided not to pay taxes On the day ap-
pointed for paying taxes Harun presented
himself before the governor with a large
number of his followers. Harun presented
a large bag of pearls TO the governor. AS
he took them Harun drew a barong-the
Moro ~sword-and split the governors skull
to the chin. The other Moros fell on the