The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-06-14
TRIBES OF THE PHILIPPINES.
An Elaborate Report ON the Peoples
of the Archipelago

An Elaborate Report on the Peoples
of the Archipelago
Secretary Root has forwarded to Sena-
tor Lodge. Chairman Of the Committee on
the Philippines, q A-ery elaborate report,
prepared by the Philippine Commission
and the War Department, on the native
tribes of the archipelago While the re
port contains much that is valuable re
garding the numerous bands in the isl
ands. much space is devoted to the MoTos
and a very interesting account of the orr
gin and present condition Of these people
Is given. The tribe is traced back to 1910
when a BoTnco chief fed his country in
disgrace and took possession Of the ISL
and of AIiudauao. Here the MOros were
orisinated-a mGrciIess. warIike, piTatiCaI
( baud-and after wreaking vengeance on
the Filipino aDorigines an attack was
made on Sulu, which was easily captured.
| The Spauiards who had pacified many of
the islands, then induced this chief to ac-
knowledge the sUzeraiuty of their king
/ For centuries there was a struggle be
! tween tn Moro AIussulman and the Span
| fsh Catholic. ard at the time OF the
= american occupation OF the Philippines
/ the battle was being waged as feTceIy as
ever. The MOTos were betrayed by the
/ Spaniards and their lands confsCated-
/ They were put to death and subjected to
/ terrible fortunes. which they have never
! forgotten Their revenge covered 4 period
/ of more than 3U1 years and was terrible
in its persistence.
/ The Nioros proved themselves brave
warriors, and despite the superior weap-
! ons Of the SpanIards managed time and
! again to defeat the latter in open war
fare. In 1876 the Moro chiefs had gained
| sufficient strength to menace the Spanish
dominion and when their Sultan, AlirnU-
din, visited Manila and was held d
prisoner, the tribe was relentless in its
attacks upon the Latin race
For centuries the Moros were the sea
/ PIRATES of history and were UncOnquer-
| able They defied both Spanish and Brit
| ish sailing war vessels and usually relied
| upon savage assaults by means of which
they effected a boarding Only the intro
GuctiOn of steam gunboats in 1860 broke
the power of the Moro pirate fleets
The report states that the struggle be-
! tween the Cross and the Crescent has
drenched the soil of Mindanao with the
blood Of Moro, Spaniard, and native 1t
IS strange, says the report, that today a
man may carry the American flag through
the Moro country with greater safety than
through any other portion of the Philip
pine archipelago.
In describing the present strength of the
Moros, the report says:
The Moros now extend over the whole
OF A1indanao and the Sultanate of SuIu.
! which comprises the SuIu Island thirty
four miles long from east to west and
twelve miles in the broadcast part from
north to soUth) and about 40 others, over
half Of which are uninhabited The pop
ulation according to Mr.. Foreman Of
the SUIu SuItanate alone would be about
10000, including free people, slaves. and
some 20,0OU men at arms under orders OF
the DattOS- The domains of the Sultan
reach westward as far as BoTneo. The
Sultan Of Sulu is also feudaI lord Of two
yassaI SUltanates in Mindanao Island
Only a small coast district OF this island
/ was really under Spanish empire, al
though Spain claimed suzerainty over al
the territory, subject to the Sultan Of
5 Sulu by virtue Of an old treaty, which
never was entirely carried out. There Is
also a haif-caste branch of Moros in the
: southern half of Palauan Island para.
gua) of a very peaceful nature, nominaIIy
under the rule o. the Sultan of Sulu- The
! United States forces have not yet beer
sent to these islands. They were gratuit
Dusly ceGed to spain Jy the Sultan aJou
1870 at the request of the Spaniards. Tn,
= only Spanish possession at the time OF
: the evacuation was the colony Of Puert,
I Eriucesa- or the east coast. which is
r good haTbOr and affords fine outlet To-
, / the products Of the fertile lands surround
: / ing It
' THE Moros Of Hindanao are di, idec
2 into five groups or tribes: IHanOs. San
Z guiIes, Lutaugas, Caiibuganes. and va
p / canes
I The Mcros HIanos are the most i'm
/ portant and the most dangerous com
: munity- They inhabit the country be
= I tween the bay Of IIligan and Illana Bay
: ! also around Lake LaEaO, the Rio Grande
1 / and Lake Liguan.
/ The MOros SangUiles live on the soutl
/ coast. from the bay Of Sarangani TO tn
Z / River hUIut.
2 The MOrOs LUtangas occupy the ISLAND
- Of Olutanga and part Of the adjaCen
? coasts. all round the Bay of Dumauguiia
I / and MaIigay. and the eastern coast Of TIL
= I Bay Of SibUgUay-
I The Moros Caliluganes occupy TIL
| | western coast Of the Bay OF SibugUay
z ! they are also dotted along the cute
coast of the peninsula as far as the Ba-
e Of Sindangan- They communicate b.
land across the mountains
The MOrOs YaCanes occupy the ives
I tern part of the Island of BasIlaH ant
= the islands Of the Tapul group.
, The M0rOs Sauales are not iuhabitant
/: I Of NindanaO. but occupy and dominat
OF the smaller islands of those groups.