Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-02

N''HN'"i NOpu was Setll over
here by the President as the proper man to
reduce" TIE horos. the Spaniards put
1t. and provide them with a new form of
government. The treaty negotiated by Gem
eraI Bates with the Sultan OF Sulu soon
after the American occupation of Manila
was only an emergency arrangement. a
military necessity based upon "A mistaken
idea of the cOnd ton of the Mohammedan
population of the islands. General Otis the
StEurman commission. Secretary Root and
President Mckinley all supposed that
aiHicahle arrangement with Mohamad ia
ndlul-kiram absolutely essential to
prevent a war with n funaticaI and savage
people whereas they have learned since
that single regiment and one two gun
boats are all that 5 necessary to keep the
peace down there
The treaty was made subject to the action
OF Congress. which has never approved it;
the Sultan has violated the compact repeat
eddy and continually. and the mere fact
that he has allowed slavery to continue JUS
titled the United States in declaring it null
AMI void which has been done. and General
Wood, as military governor under the au-
th0rity of the commander OF the Division of
the philippines, has organized a provisional
government, SeDi-military. semi-Cvil. 1t is
ii form OF civil administration under mill
t&ry supervision. The governor. who is
military commander of all the Mohamme-
dan islands. reports to the civil governor at
Manila respecting all civil matters and to
the commanding general of the army at
Manila concerning all military affairs. He
appoints all his subordinate officials either
from civil life or by detail from among the
officers of his command.
Divided Into Provinces.
The district is divided into Provinces each
province has an American governor whose
authority is supported by military garr-
This governor appoints local magis-
trates. who are almost exclusively natives
and exercises a supervision over their Of
fetal conduct. These local officials are Sc
lected far possible from among the
dattOS or native chiefs. Indeed, the existing
tribal organizations are utilized and fitted
Into the new system as far AS possible. ana
the new officials are careful not to excite
their prejudice or opposition. although in
many cases 1t has been unaVolddDie ana the
military forces have had to be brought out
several times to discipline them. The
amount OF actual fighting and bloodshed
has been very small. The dattos and their
warriors have proved to be cowardly and
incompetent and are seldom willing to fight
in the open; trusting to treachery. ambush
and other savage methods of warfare.
The governor of the Moro province is as
sisted by council or cabinet which acts
both as Il legislature and administra-
tive force. Customs duties, the control OF
the forests. the public lands and other
general matters are regulated by the IN
sular laws. but al revenues derived from
such sources go into the provincial treasury
for local expenses. The Legislative council
enacts laws OF purely local application, and
under its supervision municipal councils
provide laws and regulations for local pur-
poses.
Schools are being established as rapidly
as possible and the people show an earnest
dc sire for education. The extent OF hos
tility and resistance is much less than was
expected, and the government Is encour-
aged to believe thai the insubordinate
ddttos will soon recognize the justice and
Ia
down quietly to accept it. Slavery is the
greatest source of trouble Emancipation
has been proclaimed. as l have told you in
previous letters. but it has not been en-
forced to any extent.
New Code of Laws
Some of the dattos seem to be eager to
accept the situation and exhibit their 10y
atty to the new government. The Sultan of
Sulu, for example, has prepared a new code
OF laws which he asks the commission at
Manila to approve. They illustrate his
ideas of justice and Jurisprudence. The
following is the copy of the code which he
sent to Manila for approval:
BY ORDER OF THE SULTAN HADJI MO-
HAMAD JAMALI'L. HIRAM OF JOLO.
THIS Is THE CODE OF LAW FOR
THE MORO PEOPLE. WRITTEN ON
THE TENTH DAY OF FEBRUARY.
1903. AND AGREED UPON BY THE
PANGLIMAS AND THE SUBCHIEFS
TO SUPPLANT THE OLD CODE OF
LAW OF THE YEAR OF THE He
GlRA. 12JJ
ARTICLE IRRITATING TO THEFTS.
II anybody. high low, commits theft
he shall be fined seventy pesos No matter
who he steals from. whether from high or
low. he shall be fined seventy pesos
The line shall be distributed as folowsg
If anything is stolen from the sultan the
sultan shall receive fifty pesos of the fine
and the state twenty pesos; IL from dattos
with titles. including Habb Mura they
shall receive forty pesos of the fine and
the state thirty pesos: II from dattos with
out title. including Hadji Butch and the
Salips. they shall receive thirty-fve pesos
and the state thirty-fve pesos: If from
Mantilis with title, including the Hadjis of
the capital. they shall receive thirty pesos
and the state forty pesos; If from MantiIis
without title. including the PangIimas of
the districts and the priests of the CAPITAL.
they shall receive twenty-fiv pesos and the
state torty-tNe pesos. II from chiefs below
the rank of Pangiima including the Judges
appointed by the sultan and the priests out
SIDE or the capital. they shall receive
twenty pesos and the state fifty pesos: II
from any other person they shall receive
fifteen pesos and the state ffty-ftve pesos
rms Is how the fine shall be divided in all
cases where the fine amounts to 10 pesos
anu u the stolen property consists OF slaves.
cattle, horses or anything else of high
value In all cases the stolen property or
It's equivalent shall be returned to the
owner.
- N"'NS "h''t a. liSt person was stolen,
the fine shall be divided equally between
that PERSONS relatives and the state: the
person stolen must be returned: no euu,va-
lent other than the family or the thief II
the latter be a free man. shall be accepted
III slave steal a free person the owner OF
that slave must recover and return the
stolen person. and the guilty slave or slaves
shall be held by the relatives of the stolen
person. and IL the latter Is not recovered.
the slaves shall be retained by said reia-
tives
Ii the property stolen has value of less
than one peso no fine shall be imposed The
thief shall pay twice the value of the stolen
property and shall receive Atty Iashes
ARTICLE II.-RELATING TO HOMICIDE.
OF WHICH THERE ARE FOUR
CLASSES.
l. MURDER. II a person commit MUIR
der he shall be fined 100 pesos for each per-
son killed. 40 of which TO go to the relatives
OF the murdered and 81 pesos to the state.
For attempt OF murder where the victim Is
wounded and RECEIVERS. the fine shall be 52ta
pesos. 34i. pesos to go to the victim rela-
tives and IL pesos to the state.
For
H. MANSLAUGHTER and
III. ACCIDENTAL KILLING
the fne and the division or the fine shall be
the same as in case of attempt of murder
Nv. DEAD BODY (KILLED) FOUND
IN VILLAGE OR NEAR A DETACHED
INHABITED BUILDING WHEN THE
MURDERER Is UNKNOWN