Evening star., 1899-03-07

How the Law Works
BY wiping out slavery in the Philippines
President Mckinley will simply carry out
the thirteenth amendment of the Constitu-
ton which forbids slavery, not only in the
United States, but in ''any place subject to
their Jurisdiction" No further action by
Congress will be necessary.
Slavery in the Philippines was just as
illegal under Spanish control as 1t Is under
ours today. By an ancient decree made by
King Philip II. 800 years ago, all slaves IN
the islands were set free and no more We're
to be taken in the future either oy span
iards or natives. Child slaves were 10 pe
free upon becoming twenty years old anu
those above twenty at the time of the de-
cree were to serve five years longer before
gaining freedom. Any slave before reach-
ing the limit prescribed could purchase ms
liberty by paying price determined py
the governor or the bishop. In spite OF TINS
prohibition slavery has ever since existed
in the islands The Spanish governor of
Sulu Just previous TO the war, allowed his
Moro scout a home within the Spanish
capital and permitted him to keep there
several wives and forty slaves 1hls was
done to humor this native, whose services
were valuable during expeditions against
his people.
Not the work of Spain.
According to the ancient historian, Juan
de la -Concepcion, writing in 11SS. there
were at the time the Spaniards conquered
the Philippines headsnen who owned as
many as 800 slaves apiece. AS property
they were ranked second only to gold in
value. Thus it viii be seen that the intro
duction of slavery In her Asiatic posses
sions was not the work of Spain, although
she never took pains to wipe it out. AS
elsewhere in the orient, 1t is of Moham-
medan origin. The Koran recognizes
slavery, but demands that it's victims be
well treated. The Moros religion, though
founded upon Mohammedanism, contains
an element of Christianity The bad prin-
ciples of both religious stocks are adhered
to, while the good are uiheeded. White
slavery still exists among the enlightened
Mohammedans, but white slaves. rule.
are humanely treated The blacks, how
ever, suffer all kinds of atrocities. The in
terror of Africa even today is a hunting
ground for negro slaves, caught mostly by
Arabs. who Sell them to the Mohammedans.
In 1880 an agreement was formally drawn
up between Uncle Sam, the European pow
ers and several oriental governments to put
a stop to African slave capture. These ma
tons also agreed to forbid the importation
or expectation of slaves. Turkey was a
party to this agreement, and, although the
sultan is the head of the Mohammedan
church. he is not likely to aid the Moslems
in a holy war against the Yankee Chris
tianS. Mohammedan war junks ravaged
every coast OF the HhI1pplneS before the
Spaniards succeeded in reducing their pi-
racy.
Thousands of coIonists have been mur-
dered by these, villages have been sacked,
churches looted and Spanish subjects driven
far inland. AS one historian remarks. the
Spaniards probably would never have pene-
trated these islands further than the coast
line had these bloodthirsty pirates not
scared them into the highlands. AT one
time her Philippine colonists became SO abb
solutely penniless and miserable result
of this slave hunting among them that the
crown had to emit the payment of the reg
uiarly collected tribute for four years. Ma
tives whom the Spanish friars had Chris
taniZed were carried off with the Spanish
Christians, while the priests themselves,
even today. are looked upon the richest
prizes whom the Moros can capture. AT
one time the sultans of Sulu and Mindanao
formed an alliance to further piracy and
slave hunting, which previously had been
confined mostly to the waters of their
neighborhood. They spread the business
over the entire group and organized fleets
of junks, armed almost as strongly as the
Spanish vessels, did the work. The Span
iards failed to eradicate this wholesale
piracy until large fleet of gunboats was
placed in Philippine waters. Mindoro, the
nearest island to Manila bay, is still called
white mans grave"