Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1900-02-08
TREATY WITH THE suLus.
President Sends All the Correspondence
70 the Senate.

President Sends All the COrfespondence
TO the Senate.
Washington, Feb. Sin compliance
with a resolution of inquiry, the presi.
dent has sent to the senate copy oi
the report and all accompanying papers
OF Brigadier. General j. G. Bates, in
relation to the negotiation Of treaty
OF agreement made by him with the
sultan Of Sulu, last August. In reply.
ing TO the request the president says:
THE payments of money required by
the agreement will be made from the
revenues Of the Philippine islands, un.
less congress shall direct otherwise.
Such payments are not for specific ser.
vices, but are part Of the considers
tion going to the sultan, tribe or nation
under the agreement, and they are
stipulated as subject to the action oi
congress, in conformity with the prac.
tice of this government from the earliest
times in it's agreements with the vari.
GUS Indian nations operating and gov.
erning portions OF territory subject to
the sovereignty Of the United States. "
General Otis in transmitting the
treaty, August 27, says:
"The attitude Of these people has
been subject of apprehension for sew.
eral months, and by this agreement,
believe, the apprehended pending diff
ferences are happily adjusted"
Secretary Root, in reply dated
October 27. tells General Otis tina,
the agreemnet is confirmed and ap
proved by the president, subject to the
action Of congress, and with the under
standing and reservation, which should
be distinctly communicated TO the sui
tan Of sulu, that this agreement is no
10 be deemed in any way to authorize
or give consent OF the United States Il
the existence Of slavery in the SulI
archipelago. At the same time whel
you communicate to the sultan tn
above mentioned understanding, tn
president desires that you should maxi
inquiry as to the number OF person
held in slavery in the archipelago, an
what arrangement it may be practicabl
for their emancipation"
In his instructions to General Bates
under this direction, General Otis says
| 1T is believed that the market pric
Of slaves in the archipelago is insigni
ficant, ranging from $50 to 800, Mexi
can, and that in some instances own
ers will be pleased to grant freedom I
their slaves il they can escape tn
burden OF supporting them.
| General Otis continues to the effet
that the character Of the domestic sla'
cry existing in the archipelago differ
greatly from the former slavery institI
tion of the United States, the slave
becoming members of the owner
family.
General Bates. in his report, state
that when he first asked to see the su
tan, the latter sent his greetings, ga,
ing he could not come to the general, b
cause he had boils on his neck, and coul
not put ON his coat, but that he won
recognize the protection of the Unite
States, requesting as favor that
might hoist his own flag alongside tn
of the United States. The sultan
brother went to Jolo TO meet Gener
, Bates, and the sultan afterwards joins
him. General Bates states in this Co
Z nection that the Sulus are very jealol
of their institution of slavery.
NJ In his original instructions to Gel
! eral Bates, General Otis instructed hi
to push TO the front the question of so
! ereignty, and told him he could promi
/. for the United States not to interfe
: with. but to protect, the Moros in g
free exercise of their religion and Gu
toms, social and domestic. and 10 i
4 spect the rights and dignities of &
: sultan. In return they must ackno'
! ledge the sovereignty of the Unit
States. He also instructed Gener
Bates that it was important that {
). United States should occupy the pri
cipal distribution centers of trade, al
that Siassi, the capital, should be occ
a pied by our troops at no distant day.