Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-05-27
Correspondence, Associated Press.)

DAPITAN, Island of Mindanoa. April
8.-For the Past week the United States
commission has been steamsns around
the coasts of Mindanao, touching at its
principal ports, to interview the lead
ing inhabitants gathered in from he
adjacent districts. Two important
points were settled; namely, that Min
danao shall moi be ruled by local gov
ernments, and that slavery shall be
abolished. The commissioners came to
Mindanao with the intention of estab-
fishing several provincial governments
but they were not long in abandoning
that intention. That much was soon
decided at Zamboanga, and the further
the commissioners penetrated into the
country and the more familiar they be-
came with the heterogeneous character of
it's people, the more they were convinc-
ed of the unwisdom of attempting to
apply any considerable measure of civil
government on American lines to peo-
pie, the great majority of whom are
nothing more or less than savages,
peaceful and thoroughly friendly to
the Americans, perfectly willing to be
advised and overruled by them; but
having nc conception OF nor desire for
anything approaching self-government
ideals. There is therefore no longer
any question but that Mindanao and
adjacent islands are to be
Ruled for Years to Come
by a government general in character
and indirectly representative of the
central government to be established in
Manila, July LIST. There will be local
representatives of the governor in the
half dozen districts of the island who
may recommend as to the propriety OF
what the people desire, but the latter
will have no direct voice In affairs of
government, excepting those in the
pair of provinces to be established on
the northern coast.
AT Cattabo, one day out from Fam
boanga, the commission party got into
contact with one phase of the real life
of Mindanao. The town was found to
be practically all Chinese. The Fill
Pine population of C~atabatto control
the town and the trade of the whole big
region; they conduct themselves with
such honesty and tact that they seem
to be on the best of terms with every
body. The leading Chinese traders at
Catabatto have business connections
at Singapore and Hong Kong which
bring advantage both to the Moros and
themselves. When the commission
party d~isembarked ON the high river
bank they were greeted with
The Singing of "America'
in English by the Chinese and Filipino
school children. At military %headauar-
tiers a long private conference was held
by the commissioners with representa-
tives of all interests involved. The Chi
nese testified with frankness, intelli-
gence and sincerity concerning their
doings and their relations with the saw
ages. Questioned whether they intend
ed returning to China, they replied in
the negative.
The w%ealthiest. greatest and cleverest
Datto in all that region is Piang, who
is half Chinaman and half Moro. He is
also the original friend to the Ameri-
cans. having sent to ~Zamboanga for
them soon after the American occupa-
ton there. He came into power by the
combined influence of wealth, brains
and fighting prowess, In relatlnS some
thing of these things to the commits
sion, Piang told of how, after he a
reached a certain degree OF power II
was making Entertainments upon the
territory of another influential Datto,
he and his counsellors and the other
Datto, with his mead men, had a con-
ference, at the conclusion of which Pr
ang made a certain signal to his men
and "the other chief died" Ga polite
way of saying that his head was cut
Off. and that. his opponent being dead,
the latter's followers rendered him (Pi-
ang) their allegiance which he
Had Since Happily Held.
Piang is immensely popular. He has
a sort of joint arrangement with Ali
a n~eighboring Datto. by reason of which
the two WELD a very great influence and
authority.
While the Chinese hearing was in
progress, the town was rapidly filing
With clans of Moros from far and
near.
The principal Dattos, with their adj
visers. were brought in for conference,
a group at a time, and encouraged to
talk about their conditions and affairs.
The gist OF their testimony was that
they were more prosperous and contents
ed under American rule than ever be-
fore. because they felt their rights to b