Morris tribune., 1902-05-03
mOROS A PERILOUS FOE.
Savages Of Mindanao Promise
! Fierce Resistance.
NOTED FOR VALOR AND FER0OITY

Dur New Enemy In the Philippines,
Numbering a Half Million, Said to
BE Worse to Fight Than Natives of
Luzon and Samar-Have Plenty of
rs 't't''
It is because of the grave conse.
luences certain to ensue that the ad.
ADMINISTRATION at Washington is embark.
ing with such great reluctance upon
Mindanao, says the New York Herald.
Half a million in numbers, noted for
their bravery and ferocity and imbued
with the fana ticism and fatalism of the
MohammeGa this people will be foe
that, it is sad, will prove far more diff
ticult to Conquer than the natives Of
Luzon and S;;nar.
Under the policy adopted by the late
president Mckinley, the American au-
thorities in the Philippines acted in the
most conciliatory manner toward the
Noros. This policy was fruitful Of
peace until recently, when Major Gen
eral Chaffee reported to the war de-
partrlent that the NIoros had murdered
several American soldiers. Demands
for the surrender Of the murderers
were met by refusal from the datos, or
chiefs. In the hope of effecting a set
Element General Chaffee himself visited
Mindanao, but the datos declined to
meet him.
Reports received by the war depart
ment regarding the armament Of the
Moros are conflicting. Some officers
have declared that the people are pro-
vided with large number Of guns and
considerable ammunition; others say
they have few rifles. All agree, how
ever, that they have plenty of bolos
made Of steel brought from Borneo.
Major O. J. Sweet, commanding the
Twenty-third infantry, informed the
military governor Of the Philippine Is
lands that lit was reported that there
were Krag rifles in the hands Of the
MOros of the island Of Jolo An inves-
tigation showed that they were all of
the model later than any in the hands
OF the Twenty-third infantry and that
they were all bought in Mindanao and
brought to Jolo. There are four that
/ know Of. They will all be recovered"
Major Sweet subsequently estimated
that there were 1000 guns in the island
of Jolo alone The Moros of Mindanao
are believed to be equally well sup
piled.
The NIoros are fortunately divided
into four different tribes, speaking diff
ferent dialects, and it may be possible
to prevent their cooperation. All, how"
ever, profess the Mehammedan relt-
gion, and this may induce them to act
together against the Christian invader.
The Koran requires the conversion OF
the Christian or, in the event Of fail
ure, his execution. Major General
Chaffee in his report to the war de-
partment said that he believed large
majority of the datos were friendly.
The troops, however, will enter the
Jurisdiction Of the most powerful dato
of Mindanao, a man known as Piang.
Brigader General Kobbe, who was
last year in command of the military
department Of Mindanao and 'Jolo,
says:
1.-The Moros Of Jolo differ from those
Of Mindanao, speaking different Ian
guage Their meeting ground is Ma
lay. The MCros Of Mindanao acknowl-
edge no vassa age 10 the sultan Of joio.
The hereditary rights Of the sultan
of Mindanao have lapsed. Dato Man
Il is reputed to be his heir or successor,
4c 70 70
may regard it as important, but it gives
him little or no practical rights or au-
thority. The only datos with whom
the United States has any political
concern are Mandl, in Zamboanga;
Piang, Ali and Utto, in Cotabato.
''It Is difficult to segregate the terri
tory occupied by Moros from that oc-
cupied by pagans and other tribes.
The lake Moros have few rifles, as the
sale of arms and ammunition to them
is prohibited. Captain Hagadorn, who
has visited the lake, described the
country as being exceedingly rich, pop
nlous and we'll cultivated. Some gun
boats were taken up and sunk in the
3ake by the Spaniards. The soldiers
nave QdO 10 lEOuDIc Will Iuc AdGFSSs
but there would be trouble If the whites
entered the country In any considera-
BILE number, especially with the lake
Moros."
The sultan Of Mindanao Is one Man.
gigin. but all the MorossSo not acknowl"
edge his sovereignty. The Philippines
commission, hich visited Mindanao,
lnterrogated dato named Mandi, pro-
fessedly friendly to the Americans, in
regard to the lake Moros.
he said the Lake Lanao region was
thickly settled and comparatively well
cultivated. In 1895 the Spaniards at
tempted to invade this territory. An
expedition went from Iligan to Lanao.
A railroad was built from Iligan to the
lake. and three small gunboats We're
transferred to the inland body Of water.
At that time the Moros were indiffer-
ently armed, but they fought vigorous
b. firing stones as projectiles. The
Bpaniards killed only few Moros.