The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-08-27

Palaman another important member of
this group. Each of these is ruled over
by subordinate sultans who pay tribute
lord Under the Salic law, which gov
ems. the sultanate is hereditary mon
archy with women excluded from the
throne. Every year the monarch makes
pilgrimage to Mecca and rerlews his
allegiance to the supreme authority of
the sultan of Turkey. To enable him to
do this one of his three ministers is
appointed regent pro tenn. In their turn
the minister of war, the minister of
justice. and the master of ceremonies
likewise make the journey to that cess
pool of fanaticism, that incubator of
immortality and pestilence.
In the treaty which the sultan has
just signed and in which this govern
ment agrees 20 extend the jurisdiction
of stars and stripes for the first time
over the Mohammedans of the Orient,
his adroit majesty obtained a promise
that his people should not be prosecuted
on account of their religious views and
practices, and that, in all affairs be-
tween Mohammedans his Will should
be allowed to remain supreme. Plurality
of wives is thus guaranteed. and
slavery, one of the fixed institutions of
the archipelago, again flourishes be-
meath the emblem of liberty. Slavery
exists there by birth and by conquest.
and insolvent debtors as well as prison
ers of war and children boln in bondage
are held in servitude.
Nor will it be an easy matter to con-
vert these people to American ways
Efforts by Jesuits and Franciscans, the
most persevering and successful mis-
sionaries that invade the far east. have
resulted in repeated and total failures.
Better Roadway is made in Turkey and
Turkestan. More tolerance is found
among the dervishes of Soudan. For
the Musselmans of Sulr belong to
that class of fanatics known as Jura
montGdos, or sworn Mohammedans,
who believe that vow to die in taking
the blood of a Christian. if carried out,
will insure eternal bliss and the highest
favor of Allah:
By the terms of this treaty the Sulus
are to acknowledge the sovereignty of
William Mckinley, to pay taxes. sup
press piracy and the sultan is to re-
ceive salary Of $4,000 per year from
the taxpayers of the United States for
his submission. But there is a vast
difference between the promise and the
performance of a MohGmmodan- Every
one who has read or Travelled knows 1t.
John Foreman, the English traveller
who spent some time in the Sulus under
the protection of a passport from the
sultan of Turkey. has written of the
inhabitants that they are of quick
perception, audacious, extremely sober,
ready to promise everything and do
nothing, vindictive, and highly sus-
picious of a strangers intentions. They
are very long-suffering in adversely.
hesitating in attack. and the bravest of
the brave in defense"
Spain put in three centuries trying to
enforce her laws and levies and compel
the sultan TO live up to his numerous
agreements. When Spain consented to
pay salaries to the chiefs according TO
their rank and exempt the islanders
from taxation and prosecution under
Spanish laws, the sovereignty of Spain
was acknowledged in 1877. But it didn't
amount to anything. The Sulus drew
their pay and did as they pleased. In
all her period of ownership, even after
the establishment of garrsons. and
with the pretended cooperation of the
sultan, Spain never was able to collect
cent of revenue from the islands or
to protect her own commerce from the
MORO pirates.
Those who feel that there are not
problems in our own country to occupy
its time and attention for the next
century or so are no doubt glad to well
come the Mohammedans of Sulu 20 the
protection of the stars anG stripes.