Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-09-11

man on the North, and was known as
tne Fourth Politico-M Military District
Oh Mlndanao. 1t was bounded on the
north by the Commandments of Sur
| isao and Butuan; on the west by Cot
| 10 patio; on the south by the Celebes
sea- and ON the east by the Pacific
| ocean. Besides the military duties
tue governor performed the duty of
coliector OF internal revenue, captain
OF the port, judge of the court Of first
instance, and the ordinary duties of
civil governor.
considering the comparatively
snort period of Spanish rule there, con.
siderable progress in civilizing the ma
yves and developing the country was
| ihaae, and it seems upon the whole TO
nave been satisfactory and successful
! Inns was due in large measure to
tue hlgn character of the Jesuit
priests, against whom no charges of
| immortality or fraud have been made
Ihey claim no property except their
converts, and have spent their lives
IN labor OF love; yet their zeal in
the cause of their religion has some
times blinded their judgment and led
them to resort to forceable measures
70 convert the savages and Moros.
Many of these people at the time were
with the aid of the military shorn of
their long hair and forcibly baptized:
they We're then known as New Chris.
tlahs and forced to build towns, etc.
Wnen the Spanish government was ov.
efthrown, the Moros renowned Chris
tlanlty TO man, and resumed their
former Mohammedan religion; few
saVages remain as Christians only in
name
Religious freedom and tolerance
by our government has removed the
principal cause of discomfort among
tne Moros. and all of the tribes profess
friendship for the American govern.
ment although to my way of thinking.
'hey are taking very peculiar way of
expressing their friendship. If as
sauits on American forces is an ex-
preston of friendship, believe
would prefer them not to express any
friendship for me.
The following is list of inhabitants
prepared from the best available
sources and Is approximately correct:
:, plsayans Christians ........... 20,429
Bagobaus, non-Christians SOM
,asaGaoiis' non-Chrlstlans ..... 1000
M nanolus' hoh-Chrlstians ....... 5000
oaiayahes, non-Chrlstlans $3.50. SOC
I n!,, iioh-Chrlstlans .......... 5000
Blians. non-Christians 9OOO
Sahsulis' hon-Chrlstlans ....... 1000
Moros, non-Christians ...11O 600
M anpayas, non-Christians 49,. 5000
Total $500
o'ai $3.50. $3.50. IA ,929
These people all possess the same
physical characteristics and appear to
Delong to the same race-Malay-dif
ieflng only in customs and dialects
put all understand, more or less, Wis.
ayan
lhey are more or less religious IA
natics after their own fashion, and
some OF the wild tribes formerly prac.
ticed human sacrifices. though they
pretend now to have discontinued it in
compliance with the requirements of
me American government.
Inc sacrifices were made to an
pease the evil spirit; usually when
there was sickness in the family, or to
avert impending danger. The unfor.
tunate victim selected for the sacrifice
was usually a slave, who by reason of
sickness or old age, was unfit for fur
ther service. Unlike the laws of old
they do not believe in offering up the
pest they have; moreover they usually
turned the. sacrifice into profit by Civ
ing feast to which all their neigh.
pors We're invited. Each one who
Drought a present to the value of one
peso Tor dollar) had the privilege of
cuttlng the person offered as a sacri-
nee, with a bolo or spear which thew
peleVed would keep the evil spirits
away from their household.
Practice PoIygamy.
An the tribes except the Christians
practlce polygamy, probably neces. |
sary lhstltutlonFto prevent extinction.
curing the time when many of them
were Killed off in their tribal wars.
WIN the Moros, the custom is sanction.
ed by their religion.
AN are equally adverse to labor
ana they will not work unless compell.l,
ca 10 40 SO. Ii they have little rice
nsh and sweet potatoes (Oh. Won
ought to see the sweet potatoes. or
rather taste them) they are satisfied
ihey often live on sweet potatoes
alone. p'''oes
ne lack or good labor is the most
serious obstacle to the proper devel-
opment OF the vast natural resources
OF the country. The women of all the
tribes weave coarse cloth of cotton. or
hemp Much cheap cloth of bright col
ors is imported and sold. In the less
civilized communities, the men are
armed with bolos, spears, shields and
BOWS and arrows. They have few
guns of obsolete pattern, but little
The island abounds in primeval for.
ests OF all kinds of lumber from the
best to the poorest. It's mineral
wealth is unknown but that there is an
abundance of good coal / have no
doubt Drift coal has hao., ss...>a