Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-01-08

ARS-MANNERS AND GUS
TOMS.
Hioners. in the course of their negotia-
BINS at Paris, insisted on the cession
{ the Sulu archipelago to this country
he United States acquired a very pic
uresque and possibly unrly vassal in
be person of his highness the Sultan
Sulu, together with his harem of
ultanaS and something more than
5000 Mussulman subjects. Thus for
g first time is the Mohammedan re-
Jon brought under the protection of
Stars and Stripes.
he Sulu archipelago over which this
SULLIVAN monarch holds sway is the
|hernmost portion of the remark
Philippine group, lying east of
rneO, which was at one time under
Is highness' jurisdiction. Portions of
indanao and Palaman still render al
glance to his highness, two vassal
lltans in the former paying tribute
the Sultan of the Sulus as their
eudal lord. Although for nearly three
centuries the Spaniards waged war
against the Sultan of the Sulus, not
until 1877 did this potentate acknowl-
hedge the sovereignty of Spain in his
DiominiOns, which was also formally
recognized by England and Germany
In a protocol signed March H. 1877.
No military post was established in the
archipelago until 1880, when a convict
corps took possession. Two years later
garrisons were established in Bongao
and Siassi, two small islands of the
Sulu group.
In 1887 the Island of Sulu was par
tally conquered by Gen. Arolas, who
was lately in command of the Spanish
garrison at Havana. In this conquest
the Sultan did not fare so badly, for
he secured the title of excellency and
an annual pension of 81, 400 year, be-
sides a renewal of the decree of 1877
exempting the entire population of the
archipelago from taxation for a second
period of ten years, from 1887 Spain
has never been able to levy tribute up
on the Sultan of the Sulus. In fact,
Spanish jurisdiction in Mindanao and
the Sulus has always been of the most
limited description Mr.. John Fore
=
vgave information regarding the Philip
pines to the American peace commits
sioners, observes on this point:
1t is at great sacrifice that the
Spaniards can retain the little possess
sion which they have acquired in the
south, and frequent acts of violence
are still perpetuated on them by the
\turbulent Mussulmans, who virtually
refuse to recognize other rights than
those OF their Sultans, to whom they
give allegiance. Indeed, it may be un-
eSitatingly asserted that the Span
is bold no more domain in Min
l.lllll Ifrd -ci1e 5ufC81ate OF Sulu than
that Or@a days march from their re-
spective garrisons; and in Mindanao,
lin particular not one hundredth part
of the territory"
A VISIT TO THE SULTAN.
His highness the Sultan resides at
Alaybun, in the island of Sulu, the
largest in the archipelago. 1t is about
thirty-four miles long and twelve
broad. There are 14O or $50 islets in
the Sultanate, eighty or ninety of
which are uninhabited. Sulu, the
Spanish capital of the group, was for
titled and put in good sanitary order
some years ago by Gen. Parade, re-
Gently stationed at Havana, and a
\ member of the Evacuation Commits
zion. This officer was in the early
kghties Governor of Sulu. He erected
nd. defences and furnished the water
pure water supply. His gov
ment was one of martial law. The
tan, at Maybun, on the southern
asst, ruled without Spanish inter
renee.
IA visit to this potentate is described
Mr.. Foreman. who found the palace
large and we'll constructed building
wood and bamboo, with a spacions
stibule decorated with shrubs and
Opical plants. He was received by
rec chiefs, who conducted him to the
rone room. Mr.. Foreman says:
His excellency was dressed in very
hit silk trousers fastened partly up
sides with snowy chased gold or
lc,bpttons-a short Eton-cut olive
een jacket with an infinity of but
bns, white socks, ornamented slippers,
red sash around his waist, kind of
Iturban and kris at his side. One
could almost have imagined him to be
a Spanish bull fighter with an oriental
finish off. We all bowed low, and the
Sultan, surrounded by the Sultanas,
put his hands to his temples, and on
lowering them. he bowed at the same
time. There was pause and the Sui
tan motioned to us to repose on cush-
ions on the floor, and we did so. The
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