The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-11-26
JURAM[NTADOS OF
THE JOL0 GROUP
Reports Show They Constitute
Quite an Element in the
Festive Moro Situation.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. ga
strong picture Of conditions in the
Jolo group of the Philippine archipel
ago is contained in letter from Col.
H. L. Scott, the governor of that
group, to Col. Clarence Edwards, chief
of the insular bureau of the war de-
partment. The letter, which is dated
Sept. %, is made public as an explana-
ton of the campaign now waging in
the Jolo group. The writer says:
Il find that the condition is one Of
peace SO long as the big Moro chiefs
are allowed to have their own way I'M
reservedly-to rob and to steal and en-
slave. The sultan is man of no pow
er of his own, and must depend on the
chiefs, who may or who may not do
what he wishes. They are all sur
rounded by gangs of ruff1ans who do no
useful work, but who live through rob-
berry and by filming both sides in case,
irrespective of which may be guilty,
the full amount Of the ability to pay.
If the victim refuses to pay he is en-
shaved. No peace or order can be
maintained in these islands so long as
these conditions exist. Movable prop
erty is always on the move without
the desire of the owner. Men say they
will not work and accumulate prop
to enjoy, and there are constant tur-
moils, murders and enslavements go
ing on.
mo one is allowed to go beyond the
outposts here without an armed guard,
and it is even advisable to go about
the streets here armed on account OF
the juramentadoes, one of whom got
through the gate past. a sentinel about
four days ago, with his arms, ran
THROUGH hn no otr rd olo q
soldier across the back and fell dead
on the main plaza and in front of the
commissary office, shot five times by
fusillade from our soldiers, which killed
also a trumpeter who was getting
ready for guard. This makes the sixth
or seventh juramentado who has ap-
peared since last spring. One engt-
neer soldier was chopped up last
spring by one Of them after he had
seven Colts thirty-eight balls in him.
He chopped off a leg and an arm at
each stroke of his barong. All during
the spring the garrison has practically
been in stage Of SIEGE"
Gen. Davis Reports.
The annual report Of Maj Gen.
George w. Davis commanding the d.
vision Of the Philippines, recites that
the losses among cavalry horses in the
islands have been very great and there
has not yet been found any means Of
preventing these tropical animal dis
eases. It is recommended that mount
ed troops as their terms expire be
largely replaced with infantry, recruit
ed for four or five years. Referring to
juramentados, the report says:
z 1.-THE MorOs are accustomed to suffer
from all of the caprices of their des-
potic authority. Laws of centuries
permit men to be recruited for any
purpose whatsoever. The debtor who
cannot pay becomes, with his family,
the slave Of the creditor. The debtor
thus loses all his rights to his children,
and they can be sold throughout the
archipelago. He can, however, buy the
liberty Of his family, at the risk of his
own life, l. e., for the largest number of
Christians whom he can slay. If the
debtor accepts the proposition he be-
comes that moment juramentado,
knowing perfectly well that If he man
ages to get in the midst of a Spanish
settlement all hope for escape is
gone. Death is therefore certain for
all juramentados. When they arrive
at a certain state of exaltation, but
never before, they are sent into a
Christian community"
In dealing with affairs in the Moro
country the report says that the Bates
agreement with the sultan Of Sulu,
which, it appears, was recommended
by the Schurman commission, is an OBJ
stacle to the establishment of good
government and the continued prac-
tice of slavery is instanced as justifi-
cation for declaring the agreement null
and void.