Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-11-03
QUEER MORO CUSTOMS.
SULTAN THE HEAD OF THE
TRIBE.
Political Conditions In tho suiu Islands at
tho Time Gen. Bates Made His Famous
Treaty--uow Criminals Are Punished.

Correspond ence Chicago RECORD.
JOLO, August 13.-As soon as Gen.
Bates arrived at Jolo he at once began
studying the social and political prob
lens of the archipelago. In this inves-
tigation he was greatly assisted by a
young German named Schuck, who has
lived among the Moros for many years.
It may be timely to mention something
in connection with Mr.. Schuck's his
tory, for it certainly is an interesting
one. Many years ago. Capt. Schuck,
a German sea captain, piled his ship
in the East Indian waters and became
famous among the natives of these
southern islands. His children were
brought up in the Sulus and in Bor-
neo, and as they grew older they were
sent to German universities. The old
captain died, and the children, as pop
ular now as he had been. have been
trading ever since among the islands.
Young Schuck, whom the natives call
sTuan Eddie" is known all through
the archipelago. He has married a
Moro woman and has almost
become part of the Moro peo-
pie. He speaks the Moro and
Tagalo dialects, as we'll as Malay, Span
ish, German, Dutch and excellent Eng
lish. He knows more about the Sulus
than any other white man, and in Gen.
Bates subsequent Investigations he
proved to be of most willing and in
telligent assistance as an adviser and
interpreter.
THE POWER OF THE SULTAN.
Regarding the political conditions
the general found the following to be
true: The Sultan. Hadji Mohammed
Jamalol Hiram, is the head of the Mo-
ros, and has dominion over the Sulu
group, and is also the spiritual leader
of the Sultanates of Mindanao and
North Borneo. He lives in NAHUM, on
the southeastern shore of Sulu island,
where he has so-called palace, a
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of weak character is largely under the
influence of the Sultana and the Hadjis,
who have f1ocked around him.
He has tacitly acknowledged the SOW
ereignty of Spain over all the Islands,
but as Spain never spread beyond three
or four points, sovereignty means lit
tie. The terms of the treaty of 1885,
between England, Germany and Spain,
allowed Spain to collect tariffs at
places effectually occupied by Spain,
provided Spain have officials specially
appointed, and provided that six
months notice be given of the estab-
lishElent of the port.
Next in power to the Sultan is the
Council of Mobiles. or Dattos, one of
whom Is stationed in each of the more
important districts CT the archipelago,
to govern his own particular district
and to be, in measure, the represen-
tative of the Sultan.
DATTOS PRACTICALLY SUPREME.
These dattos are practically supreme
in their power in their own districts,
for there is apparently no organization
between themselves and the Sultan
which indicates any cohesion or CO.
operation. Every datto runs things to
suit himself. He is the Judge who
tries the malefactors, and there is no
appeal from his decision. A scale of
penalties is arranged, however, which
is general over the islands, so that any
particular crime is punishable by a
fixed penalty. The number of dattos is
great, there being many throughout the
archipelago, although the really power
ful ones are few. On the island of Sulu
there are four great dattos-the Paduka
Kaja Muda, the Paduka Datto Attik,
the Paduka Datto Kalbi and the Pa
duka Datto Jokanine. Datto Kalbi and
Datto Jokanine are the most powerful,
and they head a. rival party which
hopes to dethrone the present Sultan
and seat as his successor the Datto
Kalbi. There is fierce hostility be-
tween these two parties, the sultain's
end Johannes, and while l was in
Sulu there was a persistent rumor that
Jokanine was to lead his followers
across to NAHUM and attack the palace.
natto Jokanine is the clevere5t ard
most forceful of all the Sulus. His
men are we'll armed and he has fol-
lowing almost as great as the sultan
has. Kalki is his elder brother and is
in the line fer sultanship, but Jokanine,
the younger, is really the more aggres-
Give and cleverer of the two.
To the northward the greatest of the
dates is Mandi, who is the big leader
Uf the Moros in Mindanao. His terri
tory includes $50 miles of coast line
and his followers humble. over 100000
He is not subject to the sultan except
Ia religious sense and in the event of
q tribal war between the sultan and
Datto Jokanine he would probably not
take sides. On Basilan the most in
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