The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-05-12
The Rebel Chief Is Killed While
Fighting for Liberty.
MAT sALLEh A COURAGEOUS PATRIOT
His Death From q Maxim,.Bullet
Ended the Revolution. s

While the British have been carrying
on the war in South Africa, straining
every nerve to digest couple OF little,
unfortunate liberty-loving republics,
they have not been too busy to do
little blood-splling in other foreign
lands. The poor natives OF Bornco were
thoughtless enough or criminal and ma
licious enough to imagine that because
they we're SO careless as to be born in
Borneo they had some rights there.
This was where the islanders made their
fatal blundcr and Great Britain, with
shot and shell, has been teaching them
better, "Chris,ianizing' them and show
ing them the light.
So far as British, military activities
arc concerned, public attention has been
centcrcd i'll the Transvaal and the
Orange Free State. Comparatively few
people have even been aware that there
has been any fighting in Bornco. With
most people this island is known only
as the place from which the wild man.
came to town and they probably regard
it as All unimportant land. Little is
ever heard Of it because it isn't regarded
as much OF news center and intelli-
gcncc facilities arc poor. But there are
hundreds of towns and villages in Bor-
nco and thousands and thousands OF
people who cat and drink and who love
light and air and freedom in much the
same way as the queen OF Great Britain
and ireland and the empress of India.
Little comment has escaped from the
interested parties and found its way into
print respecting the origin OF the war,
the chief cause Of which, however, was
doubtless this love OF the natives for
freedom. The British may we'll bless
the poor news facilities, as they can con-
duct the slaughter undsturbcd by the
troublesome public comment which has
followed them into South Africa. So,
with free and unrcstraincd hand, the
forces 0! her majesty have been blowing
off the heads and pig sticking" the
backs OF the rcbcllious Borncans.
The government at Washington may
well shake hands with the British over
kindred troubles in the same ncighbor-
| hool. Bornco is next door ncighbor
| OF ours in the far cast, being situated
Immediately and a short distance south
| west OF the Philippine Islands. 1t is in
! direct line between Australia and Asia
and is a little nearer the latter. Bornco
is one OF the largest islands in the world,
but from the standpoint OF production
! has been OF little Importance. 1t seems
the island produces little but monkeys,
butterflies, tobacco, jung1cs and fcvcrs.
! But Great Britain will grab monkey
or butterfly or a jungle any day, and ii
there arc no jungles, monkeys or butter
flies around she will take fever rather
| than get nothing at all.
Apparently the inhabitants OF North
! Bornco, which is British possession,
! caught the desire for freedom from the
followers OF Aguinaldo and endcavorcd
to emulate their example. They failed
to understand why Europeans, who
came to the island only to dynamite the
fish in the streams and hunt wild ami
mails in the junglcs, should govern them
! and have prior rights and claims in
every direction. A rebellion was organ
lzcd last year under chief named Mat
Sallch and an attempt to throw off the
British yoke was begun. In a short
time her majcsty's forces, who were ac-
customcd to pass most OF their time
sleeping and loaiing in the tropical sun
awokc TO the fact that serious rebellion
had begun.
The British governor bestirrcd himself
and organized 4 campaign against the
rcvolutlonists and soon the soldiers of
the crown were chasing suspected rebels
through the junglcs, burning huts and
entire villages and shooting down ma
tlvcs by the score.
Much OF the earlier part OF the war
was confined to jungle fighting. Here
the native had tremendous advantage
on account Of long familiarity with the
few paths through the tangled brush and
their remarkable agility in sliding
through what is apparently impenetrable
masses OF bamboo and underground. So
long as the rebels clung to this style of
warfare the British made little headway
in Suhdl1inp them Time and aoa;. IL.