The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-19
THE suLu SLAVES.
Their Lot is Far Happier Than the
western World Tmagines.


Henry o. Dwight, in the Forum.
Our arguments on the injustice of slav-
cry or our proofs of it's ruinous effects
upon the people who maintain it cannot
even be heard by Mohammedans. We
may by force stop slave-raiding in Sulu
and the Moros will admit that we have
the right 10 do so, as we have the right
to stop other forms of war. if we have
the power. But any attempt TO release
by force, from the houses of the people,
slaves whom these Mohammedants have
obtained in regular conformity to their
religious law, and who form part of the
family life which that law has conse-
Grated, would be an attack upon the Mo-
hammedan religion itself, 60 be resisted
with the fiercest wrath of fanaticism by
a general appeal to arms, whether made
in Central Africa, in Turkey or in the
Sulu Islands.
Clearly, then, a large army will be
needed if we seek to coerce the Moros into
freeing the slaves now in their hands.
But some who have had dealings with
the Moros say that ali his anxiety to
clear ourselves from reproach is need
less. Mohammedan slavery is not slavery
as we understand it. Much can be said
in favor of this opinion. Glimpses of
slavery in Mohammedan lands are far
from repelent. / once asked a Turkish
friend with whom was walking TO point
out 10 me some specimens of slaves in
ehe crowd on the streets We met n
party of yelled Turkish women. Walk
ing behind them was a girl of 10, plainly
bur comfortably dressed, and carrying
bundle wrapped in an embroidered cloth.
The bundle was so large that the slender
little arms could hardly encircle IL, and
there was a sense of relief when the la
dies hailed a cab and entered it-little
girl big bundle and all. THAT little
girl is slave" said my friend. ut is
the cheapest way of getting help for the
house. She is treated almost like a
daughter does what work she can about
the house; carries parcels in the street;
runs errands 10 the baker and the grocer
and goes to school when she has nothing
else to do. Her work pays for her keep,
and when she has grown there is sure
to be some one willing to buy her" The
lot of that little slave was certainly bet
ter than that of many child of the
slums in our cities.
A carriage came whirling by, drawn by
a peir of noble horses, and with two ser
wants riding on hOrs back behind. II
storped a little in front of us. The coach
man leapel to the ground, and the ser
vans hastily dismounted, one of them
cpefeing the door of the car iage- A negro
9 opoed out and passed into a shop, pro-
f.undly saiuted by passers IN the street
as wei as by the three servants, He was
black as ebony with very high cheek
bones, very small eyes and very thick lips.
But he was tall and he'd his head like
field marshal THAT man is a slave,
said my friend. (which one?" I asked,
10 king from one 20 the other of the
three servants why. the negro who
came in the carriage" said my friend;
"these fellows are his servants, but he
hims-lf belongs to some very high per-
sonage, and has charge OF the women;
probably he is chief Of the slaves in some
very great house" one can net find much
to ply in the lot Ct a slave who rides in
his coach.
A httle farther On we were crowded to
the wall of the ill-paved, arrow street by
another carriage, occupied by three Turk
ish ladies'. Their faces were covered by
the hin while 'yashmak," now used en-
full-dress occasions only The one who
sat alone on the back seat might have
Rem a Scotch lassie. so fair was her hair.
Diamonds flashed from some ornament
adjusted among the pretty tang.es. Her
eyes were blue as the placid Bosporus; her
plsxion was like alabaster, and on her
Well-e loved HANDS diamond rings were
corspc uously placed. AZ err the Garage
had left US more space, my friend re-
marked: "rhcse thr e women are proba-
bly, all saves. The one behind is s 1me-
b1dy's favorite, and the two IN front are
he maiC S. And he is another slave" he
ADDED. rodding with smile toward
wrinkled ola negroes dressed in faded
cl-thing and weaving white veil thrown
lo)sely over her head. She sat on a bit OF
carpet spread by the wayside, and Offered
for sale what e m o he mo'ss-e can
dy, arranged round the sides of a small
flat basket "She is 100 old 20 be of fur
tier use. and she has hired herself from
her master She Is glad 10 pay him
dollar or two a month fir the sake OF b.
ing free from his control. and he Is glad
to be ria of her" This slave, too, poor OH
wreck OF a gilded youth as she was,
seemed content with her lot. At least she
could breathe out in peace the remaining
years Of her life.
These are types of Mohammedan slav-
cry, and such a type also was the woman
who lsaped into the sea rather than leave
for a stranger the man whom perhaps
she loved The experience Of these slaves
may be duplicated in any Mohammedan
country and even among the Moros. af-
ter making allowance for peculiarities Of
local usage. So far as they 20 they Illus
trafe the character Of the Mohammedan
precepts relating to the treatment OF
slaves.