Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-12-21
The sultan Of suIu, offioehOlder

From the FU0ttc LedgefY fnlla Dec. 10
The text of the treaty with our bench
man, the Sultan of Sulu, which has been
withheld for such q long time, probably
from sense OF shame or for fear OF ridi-
Guile, has been made public, and is sub
stantially in accord with the reports
printed on the subject. The treaty has its
amusing features. The United States, that
is to say, as this is military measure, the
Commander-in-C of the army, who is
the President, undertakes to pay the sum
of 1920 yearly to the Sultan and his
chiefs. The backsheesh, brides, grants or
subsiders are to be paid in monthly install
ments, and, in the eYasive language of the
treaty, are called salaries" General
Bates, who negotiated the treaty, also made
a fine stroke when be stipulated that the
salaries should be paid in debased Mexican
dollars regular Bryanite currency, at
time when we are struggling to establish
the gold standard beyond caYil. The
third article of the treaty is as follows
.sThe rights and dignities of his Highness the
Sultan and his Datos shall be fully respected the
Moros shall not be interfered with on account Of
their religion, all their religious customs shall
be respected, and no one shall be prosecuted on
account of his religion"
The religion of the Moros, who are ruled
by the Sultan and his datos or chiefs, is
Mohammedanism. Polygamy is a part Of
their religion, and slavery is as well estab
lished as any institution can be- The
peculiarly easy imperialist organs in this
country have attempted to paliiate and
apologize for slavery in the Sulus on the
ground that it is 81 only a mild form Of
feudal bondage Mr. ]. F. Bass, the cor
respondent of Harper's Weekly, in an inter
estipg letter throws some light ON the
mildness of the bondage. The Dato Jokan-
inc, who is one of the signers of the treaty
and who is now on our salary list at $40
per month, was little provoked some time
since by the articles of a certain blacksmith,
one of his followers, but not a slave. The
Dato, our Office holder, went to the smithy
one day, and Mr. Bass thus chronicles the
interview -
The smith was just finishing off large barong.
Let me see that knife isaid Jaka1ine. Then,
running his finger along the edge, he added: at
seems sharp; may l try it?,'
'CerLaily Dato. said the unsuspecting smith.
without seconds hesitation, Jokanine raised
the knife and split the smith TO the chin
The right master has TO kill slave is. there
fore, no stronger right than that exercised by all
the Datos and the Sultan over the life of every
man in Sulu.h
In the various reports about the ue-
gotiations that led to the signing of the
treaty the noble Dato Jokanine is described
as our most active and sympathetic friend
to whose efforts the success of the mission
to the Sultan was largely due. The ques-
ton is, What does the United States get BY
the treaty Article says that American
sovereignty is established 10 the Sultan's
domains, and Article II stipulstes that
the flag of the free shall float over the
archipelago. Article x stipulates that
slaves may purchase their freedom {" by
paying to the master the usual market
value" and this makes beautiful prob
lem, which an imperialist orator should be
willing to solve. How long will it take a
slave working for nothing a year to earn
the money to buy bis freedom?
In striking contrast to the ease with
which professed polyanists in the SuIus
get on the Federal salary list stands the
case of Brigham FL. Roberts, from Utah
whose attempt to take his seat in Congress
has aroused the nation. Ii consideration
is shown to the polygamous Datos of the
Sulus because polygamy is part of their
religion, although they are limited to four
wives by the Koran. Roberts may plead
that polygamy was part of his religion
WHICH, nc bdffitO HIS WIVES vi course,
polygamous Morm0ns should not be law
giYers; but is Roberts, who is covered with
obloquy, not better man sta ding By his
unlawful wives than the polygamous
pirates whom we welcome with effnsion
promise to defend and protect in their
polygamy and slavery, and pay money to
all in the name of expansion Article
XIII of this notable treaty say -
''The United States wiz give fun protection to
the Sultan and his subjects ia case any foreign
nation should attempt TO impose upon them"
1t seems that we have firmly established
the Sultan in his polygamous and slave
holding rule; but as for Roberts, he is a
Woodworking, industrious citizen, who has
given evidences of ability and courage.
Let him flee the execration of all people
who wish to extend trade, fly the glorious
flag in foreign fields, and carry out our
mission Of civilizing and converting
heather; Roberts is no pirate, and he lacks
picturesqueness. He should 90 to Sulu
become Dato, and enjoy not only poly
gamy, but the right to hold his brethren
in bondage under the Old Flag and a
salary.