The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-02-03

and bayonet. However, the presence
of arms and ammunition usually form
an effective agument IN arranging diplo-
matte surrenders Gold, too, IL a great
peace-maker, and the annuity which the
United States gives to the sultan for his
good will and friendly offices Is a wise
and economical expenditure, considered
from a humanitarian standpoint.
These people are envirened By IDEAS,
habits and customs, bequCarhed to them
by the centuries, and, while force OF
arms may decimate their numbers. 1t
cannot. per Sc, add to the permanent
enlightenment of their race. Coercion
with bomb or Bible. however well In
tended, only violates and intlames the
half savage. superstitious, impulsive ma
lures of the uncouth Islanders They
think Christians are their mortal enc
niles. and that 1t Is their religious duty
to kill missionaries. Their Ignorance is
so dense they have not yet discovered
that we are Christians, and by the time
they find this out they may have q bet
ter opinion Of the people Who come un-
der this name.
Nearly all the Moros are devout Mo-
hammedans, and guard their religion
more jealsously than any other institu-
ton, They resent interference in their
faith more quickly than anything else,
and nothing would probably disturb
the peace and arouse them quicker than
the presence OF American mission
aries.
Their religion permits man to have
several wives. Priests perform the
marriage rites, and man cannot mar
ry woman II she protests too strenu-
ously. Just how much she could object
,ts,u - haV will I fn
not know: but there Is probably GER
tain fixed degree OF demonstration which
the man In the case must accept as
rejection Of his suit. When a man
Is much married he lives certain nums
Der OF days with each wife, and avoids
jealousy by treating all alike. Parlt-
iallty could not be tolerated. The ele-
ments OF human nature are not unlike
the world over.
A Moro may readily get rid of his vile
by sending her to her parents, with the
statement that he has no further use for
her. She Is. In this way, divorced. ana
cannot be bride again for three
months and four days. II her husband
dies she is compelled to walt before mar
rylng again, a month longer than when
divorced.
Last week couple OF officers who
were riding along the coast, came across
half a dozen natives who had just been
slashed to death by other Moros. Their
bodies were Vet warm. and lie haruly
extinct. The native who accompanied
the officers jumped OF his pony and
made few vigorous stnbs and slaSshes
into some OF the bloody and bleeding
bodies, for the purpose, he said, OF try
ing his new knife, which Is their chlef
weaDon of warfare. These knives are
large and heavy, and one skilltul stroke
will biscct a man.
BY patient. careful discipline, firm, In
telligent leading, wise and honorable
direction. the sunlight OF clHtlH1tiote
NAV sometIlne penetrate their benighted
jntellects, and elevate them to n lSnowl-
edge of better morals; 10 an appreciation
OF o higher life; to an understanding OF
civil government; even to an accept.
once OF Christianity, the fulcrum OF
modern progress, the keystone OF cul-
turc society and the safety valve of hui
man liberty. D. b. DEVoRE.