The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-11-02
PROF. SCHURAAN'S VIEWS
NO RIGHT To USE FORCE IN THE
SILU ARCHIPELAGO.
That spain Had. TO Exercise Ex-
ternal Proteetorate. and Cannot

WASHINGTON. Nov LIN view 81 the
current discussion Of the military agree
nent between Gen. Bates ana the Sui
tan 81 s0lu. tns views VI President Schur-
man oi tne Philippine commission. on
this subject. are interesting. Mr.. Schur-
man vas one OF the first Americans 70
visit Jo!o, the seat Of Spanish govern
nent IN the SUN archipelago. and had
al extended interview With the sultan be
lore the arrival ~ Con. Bates The AK
rangeInent entered into between Cen
Bates and The suuan was considerably
influenced by this meeting. Although the
fal! text OF the agreement with the sui
tan has not been made public By the
" ashlngton authorities. x can be stated
'Aas IL practically conforms 10 the previ-
Gus convention existin. between the sui
tan and The spanish government
In this agreement Spain never claimed
any more ,han an external protectorate
i'll the Suiu group, the right 70 suppress
piracy In its waters and prevent The
periodic migrations Of oathbound Mo
hamInedans who went TO the northern
islands under vow 10 kill Christians
and thus secure an entrance into para
disc
Port- SChurman said today when cues
toned about the probable continuance Of
poiygaTny and slavery III the islands
after they came under the American
dominion. that this was a subject which
would have 10 De dealt with in the most
careful fashion to bring an ultimately
satisfactory solution.
1t seems 10 me said he that were
II not for the ignorance displayed. the
present hue and cry about poiygamy and
slavery in these islands would be abso-
lutely criminal. In taking over the Sulu
group We have acquitted no rights OF any
sort there except those bequeathed US by
Spain She was bound by her agreement
with the sultan not to interfere with
the religion or customs OF the islanders
and il would he most unwise for us &c
attempt this by force when IL can be
ultimately accomplished by the slower
method ~ civilization and education.
The Sulu group proper contains about
10000 inhabitants. They are all NOLAN.
rnedans. as are about $50 900 Of the resi-
dents Of Mlndanao. directly east. To at
tempt 10 interfere with the religion Of
these people would precipitate one Of the
bloouiest wars In which this country has
ever been engaged. They are a differ
ent race. physically and mentally, from
the residents OF the Ntsayan islands
powerful men and religious fanatics OF
the most pronounced type. who care
nothing for death and believe that the
read 20 heaven can be attained by kill
ing Christians. Polygamy Is a part OF
their religion and slavery, about which
SO much Is being said just now. ~ a
mild type Of feudai bondage The sui
tan believes from what he has seen OF
Americans, that they are ready 10 be
friendly and deal honestly with him. Our
soldiers and officers already travel into
the interior Of Jolo with perfect I'm
punity. where Sraniaris have never
dared 10 set foot II has been suggested
indirectly. 70 the sultan that he should
maintain m American OF good standing
as confidential adviser AZ his court
10 ala him In the work ~ material devel-
opnent for which the beautiful group
Of islands IS ready. and which ia bound
10 come when they are thrown IN touch
with the civilized world l believe that
he will take kindly 20 This suggestion
and the aaven ~ civilization Introduced
In this way ultimately viii 40 the work
which armed Interference with immoral
religious customs never could accom-
pifsh We have before va IN this case
the example ~ England in her various
possessions and of the Dutch IN Java
where a ren-rh4u.e work ~ civilization
and progress has been accomplished We
should taxa a leaf out ~ their book.
which shows rs that semi arharo us poo
PIE frequently can be led where they
could not be ariveu
u have been already harShlv criticised
for taking this stand in regard 10 the
Sulu islands. since returned 10 The Unit
TOD Statea bat - - my honest belief
tina, what have fuSt stated &c the truth
ar1 that any attempt ~ interfere hv
force IN the Srlu islands. ~ This time,
WI bring on bloody and wholly un-
rnTaGGQvss war