The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-06
Ihe Wonderful Island of Nindanao.

The Island of Mindanao which is in- habited by the Moros, of whom consider able has been heard of late through dis patches and communications from offi- cials of the United States army Is one of the largest as we'll as one of the most southerly in the Philippine group. It lies within five degrees of the equator and has about 6OO, 900 inhabitants, general ly known as .Moros, who are practically the subjects of the Sultan of Jolo, an- other island lying some eighty miles east of Mindanao. According to what Is known as the Bates treaty" made in 1899, the government of the United States pays the Sultan of Jolo s7500 annually to keep the Moros peaceful and on friendly terms with the United States. But little is heard of the Bates treaty" because 1t was viewed with much opposition by many prominent Americans who believed that this government should rule It's own possessions without employing a go-be- tween power.
 The majority, however, who have had an opportunity to investigate conditions
 
 government has been saved much and perhaps serious trouble in the manage ment of the inhabitants of this newly acquired territory by aid of the Sultan of Jolo. But judging from late devel- ,opments, 1t would seem that the main taining of peace relations with the Moros, even with the aid of the sultan, is becom- ing difficult task.
 An Unknown Region.
 The following facts concerning the na- lives and the island they inhabit were obtained from a member of the signal corps, U. s. A. who assisted in establish ing the line of telegraph and telephone stations on the island in mention. He spent two and a half years in the Phil ippines and was also with the Chinese relief expedition, and knows whereof he speaks. Prior to 1900, when the Ameri- can forces were landed on the Island of Mindanao, absolutely nothing was knowT concerning conditions in the interior, only five towns on the coast having been oc- cupied by the spaniards, who had been unable to penetrate Into the island re- gions of the island.
 The men of the signal corps, U, s. A, who were to superintend establishing the telegraph and telephone lines, were landed on the eastern coast of the island by cable ship. The orders were for a line of telegraph running from Davao or the east, to Cottobatto on the west. As the crow flies this is a distance of about ninety miles but, according to the round about way it was necessary for the en- gineers to make the trip, 1t was distance of over 300 miles. Mount Apo, the high est mountain in the Philippine Islands, had to be rounded for various reasons. one of which was that the Moros believe the mountain to be inhabited by race of headless human beings whom they fear and dread to such an extent that none of them can be hired or forced to climb its heights. It is volcanic mountain over 1000 feet high, always smoking and threat ening eruption, its crater white with sul- phur. Earthquakes which are frequent. E are so sharp and severe that those in z the vicinity often suffer all the agonies of intense seasickness, accompanying their great fear and agony of mind
 The Neighboring Sultan.
 The Island of Jolo. whose sultan stands in such authority among the Moros. is chiefly noted for the valuable and exten-