The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-07-26
RULE FOB MINDANAO.
TAFT COMMISSION DECIDES 70
ABOLISH SLAVERY.
Commlssionsrs seem 20 HAYS AbandSnsd
rheir Intsntion q EstsbIishinz Eoeal
Governmsnts-A Town controllsd ~
TIE Chinsss-Dastos and Adslssr-

A recent letter to the Chicago Tri-
bune from a Mindanao correspondent
says that the United States commits
sion had been steaming around the
coasts Of Mindanao. touching at the
principal ports. to interview the lead
ing inhabitants gathered in from the
adjacent districts. Two important
points were settled-namely that Min
danao shall not be ruled By local gov
ernments. and that slavery shIll BE-
abolished throughout the island. The
commission went 10 Mindanao
With the intention Of estab-
lisling several provincial govern
ments. but they were not long In aban-
doning that intention. That much was
soon decided at Zamboanga. and the
further the commissioners penetrated
into the country. and the more familiar
they became with the heterogeneous
character Of its people, the more they
were convinced OF the unwisdom OF at
tempting 70 apply any considerable
measure of civil government on Ameri-
can lines 70 the people. the great ma
jority Of Hhom are nothing more nor
less ilan savages. peaceful and thor
oughly friendly to the Americans. per-
fectly willing 70 be advised and .uied
over BY them, but having no ccncep-
tion Of or desire for anything aD-
preaching self government idasis. At
Cattabatta, one day out from Zamboan-
ga. the commission got into contact
with one phase Of the real life OF Min
danao. The town was found to be
practically all Chinese. The Filipino
population OF Cattabatto Is insignih-
cant both as tc trade and numbers.
The Cinnamon control the town and
the trade Of the whole region. They
conduct themselves with such honesty
and tact that they seem 10 be on the
best Of terms with everybody. The
leading Chinese traders at cattabatto
have business connections at Singa-
pore and Hongkong, which bring ad-
vantage both to the Noros and them
selves. When the commission disem-
barked on the high river bank they
were greeted with singing OF "Ameri-
ca" IN English By the Chinese and
Filipino school children. AT military
headquarters a long private conference
was held by the commissioners with
representatives OF all interests lnvolv-
ed. The wealthiest and cle7srest man
In all that region Is Plang, who is half
Chinaman and half Moro. He Is also
the original friend 10 the Americans,
having sent to zamboanga for them
soon after the American occupation
there He came into power By the
combined influence Of wealth. brains
and fighting prowess. In relating
something OF these things TO the COM
mission Piang told Of how. after be
had reached a certain degree Of power
and was making encroachments upon
the territory Of another influential
Datto. he and HIS councillors and the
other Datto, with HIS head men and
-the other chief died" Ia polite way OF
saying that his head was cut on. and,
his opponent being dead. Piang's fol-
lowers rendered him their allegiance,
which he has since held. Piang Is Inn
mensely popular He has a sort OF
Joint arrangement with All, a neigh-
boring Datto. BY reason Of which the
two WELD great influence and author
lty. The principal Dattos. wifi their
advisors were brought IN for confer
nnue. group at a time, and encour-
aged 10 talk about their conditions and
affairs. The gist OF their testimony
was that they were more prosperous
and contented under American rule
than ever before. because they felt
their rights TO be more settled and Sc
cure and they seemed TO have no OBJ
jection 70 continuing matters as az
present 80 far as goYernmental cantrol
went. Il developed At the bearings
that these people had simple tradl-
tional modes Of judicial procedure
which impressed the commission as be-
ing so fair and simple that they saw
no apparent reason for interfering
with them. Each community has .
man who acts as judge, appointed for
life By his Datto. on account Of his
wisdom and familiarity with Moro
traditions. In cases Of importance or
where close questions OF fact are In
volved, several pi the old men Of the
community are called IN q assiat IN
the decision. The decisions land un-
questioned. but the Datto must con-