The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-09-11
Captain Pershing an Honored
Chief Among the Moros.
RANKS WITH TIE PRINCES OF auLU

0Ae hliHN ttlc AettN VI a. N4l1EetsN a4lA1f
says a dispatch from Chicago to the
New York Herald Every day IN lli-
gan. i'll tie Lake Lansa district Of the
far away island Of AIiudanao. Captain
John J. pershlng calls about him the
dusby Inhabitants and dispenses what
little law he has to guide him Cap
tain Pershing is what Kiram calls
datto "A datto Is bigger man in
Iligan than tie mayor Is in Chicago,
and Captain Pershing Is the first Amer
lean to become a datto.
The present datto Of Iligan was for
merly Il well known bachelor Of Ken
wood ana there he led many a eotiIon
and created many a hutter in one 81
the smartest circles. He was one OF
the eligibles. But he went to war,
and now he is a datto as well as a
bachelor He was chosen by the sui
tan upon request Of the latter's sub
| jects and has the same rank as the
princes Of Sulu enjoy
To be d datto is almost as interest
ing as being the sultan himself, Datto
/ Pershing is subject to the commands
Of the sultan-that is, so far as is com
mensurate with his duty to the stars
and stripes. But in spite Of the fact
that the sultan Of Sulu is supreme fiji
| authority Captain Pershing is virtual
| ~ an independent ruler In his own dis
| trict Of Lake Lanoa. welding a kind
/ Of mystic power over the Moros which
not even the sultan himself may boast
Of, for Datto Pershing is a white
man. ana the pale skin Of Americans
Is an awesome thing to Moro supersti-
ton! He has been hailed as d 'proph-
ct" as a divine messenger. sent by
/ Afohammed and the president Of the
/ United States to teach them the ways
Of civilization.
Datt0 Pershing's councils held each
morning with Moro chiefs are famed
from cornor to corner Of Mindanao,
and a continual procession Of savages
visits the white mans tent He is
counselor, guide and prophet for the
. entire district, and every conceivable
kind OF business, both private and pub
llc, Is taken to him for adjustment
When General Davis commanding
the department Of AIindanao and Jolo
sent Pershing to Iligan as commanding
officer, he selected one Of the most eff
cient officers in his command to pre-
side over the turbulent district Of Lake
Ianoa. Data Pershing's leyees art
more like family councils than any
; thing else The swarthy, brilliant
eyed Moro bellies bring gifts Of tropical
fruits and rare woven textures to lay
at his feet. Their attitude toward hin
Is one Of worshipful alteration. Moth
ers carry their children to him TO re-
ceiye his commentator, for it is said
= that the favor of Datto Pershing will
insure bright future. He lives on
t terms of friendlfness with the natives
? and his very npretentious bearing, his
very apparent attitude of ffiendliness
won Them from The beginning. and
, they made him their chief officer when
/ they found that rule with him meant
t kindness. sympathy and understand
ing. Alone and unarmed, he ventured
7 into the district which he commands
! establishing himself there al the Very
doorstep Of the Moro stronghold iii,
very GOODNESS won their admiration
and when they found that he had come
: as a friend instead Of an enemy it wor
them Internationally.
The savage AIoros appreciate genuine
friendship. They know the datto is il
sympathy with them, for be has paiC
them the compliment Of respecting
their customs, and they carry thet
grievances and their difficulties to hin
as children would to Il parent. Hi
rule seems to be absolute without ex
cepdon. They 90 TO him for permission
to marry. even persons of distinction
showing him this confidence. II,
stands sponsor at the wedding. settle
differences between rancherias and il
judge, ruler and friend in one. HI
rules by persuasion mainly, and thu
all respect and reverence him becaus'
he has taken the trouble to come il
touch with them and to understand
them. When he sits in council witt
the Moro chiefs In a circle about him
they hang upon his words in rapt at
tention and follow his requests TO tn
letter.
So firmly ixed is he in this respec
that the Chicago bred datto may ven
ture with impunity into any fortified
stronghold under Moro command
. Leaders from all parts Of the counts
e crowd about him when he ventures on
= Of Iligan. tie has had iudgmen
{, enough 10 Talk Of no religion save thei
5o AIohammedan beliefs, and be quote
.. the Koran with them daily and dis
81 cusses their own laws better than tn
Il best informed priest or pundita anon
30 them. He has placed them upon thei
ID honor in carrying out his orders.
His influence is SO strong that b
makes periodical expeditions about th
lake with mere handful Of mer
II passing en- route under the very gate
p Of Bacolod the native stronghold, yeI
a turing among rancherias where th
q Inhabitants have never seen a whit
= man, and he is invariably receive
.. with barharic ponp and ceremony. 4
an outbreak Of hostilities IN Mindana
he held the North Lake 1loros out
> the resisting force solely by persona
nj Influence.