Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-01
SLAVES IN THE SULUS
Impossible to Abolish the
Conditions by Proclamation.
PATRIARCHAL SYSTEM
THE SULTAN.
It is Expected That There Will Be a
Gradual, but Not Radical, Change
in the Situation.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

MANILA, July 1, 1904.
The form Of slavery prevailing in the
Sulu Cor Jolo) Islands, concerning which
so much has been said, is very different
from that which formerly prevailed in the
United States, and cannot be abolished by
an emancipation proclamation. Nor have
the democrats any right to make a politi-
cal issue out of the failure of the Philip
pine commission to remedy the evil 1t is
a sort of patriarchal system, similar to
that prevailing among the Bedouin tribes
OF Arabia, Syria and Egypt. Every Moro
Dat the Sultan of Sulu may be called
slave and the degree of servitude is indi-
Gated by wealth, rank and influence The
sultan, theoretically, is the owner and mas
ter of all his subjects, and is entitled to
their labor, their time their earnings their
property their lives or anything else that
they possess; and he can take it at will
without compensation, or even asking
leaVe. The predecessors of the present
Sultan of Sulu frequently awaited them
selves OF this hereditary privilege. The
present sultan undoubtedly would do the
same II he dared, but his power is limited,
jects.
Under the sultan are 200 or more chief
talns, called dattos, the heads of clans,
VINO are his slaves or vassalS. and have
in numbers from a few hundreds to sew
eral thousands. They are despots in the
second degree, claiming as much from their
subjects as the sultan claims from them,
and receiving 1t in a more practical way.
The datto is the real thing among the Mo-
ros the actual practical Shareholder, who
receives tribute from the members of his
clan in the form of military service.
money. produce and labor. He is like
feudal duke of the middle ages. for his
power and influence in the islands depend
upon the number of warriors he can mus
ter.
Under him, composing his clan, are
groups or bands ruled by despots in the
third degree, who are responsible to the
datto. Then under them are the heads of
families, who are the masters of their sons
and sons-in-law, their nephews, younger
brothers and other relatives, like the pa
triarchs of Bible times. And they claim abb
solute control over the lives, property, the
bodies and the souls of the younger mem
and political system of the Moros, intro
duced among them centuries ago by the
Mohammedan missionaries who taught
them the religion they profess. 1t is an in
heritance from the Mosaic era, modified to
mt local conditions and circumstances.
Condition of the Slaves.
Scattered all through these various strata
of society are actual slaves who have been
captured from the mountain tribes brought
Z,
the tribes of other islands, or purchased
from Chinese or Malay pirates from the
southern islands. These slaves are house.
hold servants, farm hands, laborers or
mechanics employed about the towns. They
receive no pay for their labor but shelter.
food and clothing, and are usually treated
as members of the families to which they
belong. They are sold. exchanged or sur
rendered to pay debts, according to the cir
cumstanceS and necessities of their mas
tiers. The sultan or the dattos seize
them at any time without compensation,
but they can also claim the bodies or the
services of any of their subjects.
According to the evidence of Catholic mis-
sonaries, traders and other people who are
familiar by personal contact with the habits
and the behavior of the MOrOs, the treat
ment of these slaves depends entirely upon
the personal character and disposition OF
their masters Some are the victims of the
most atrocious brutality; others are we'll
taken care of and treated as kindly the
sons and daughters of their owners. and
former slaves are now occupying many
several tribes. Piang, who is perhaps the
most important and powerful of all the
dattOs, was once slave, kidnapped from a
Chinese junk when child 1 wrote you
about him yesterday.
The government has abolished slavery,
and has given notice that it will support
and defend the rights of every man to his
life. labor and liberty, and it has imposed
the most severe penaltleS upon the slave
trade But that is all the officials can do
about it. The officials cannot go into "a
house or invade a plantation and drag the
slaves away, and SO far as 1 can ascertain
no slaves have thus far demanded the pro-
lection of the officials. Several of the
dattos who refused to concur in emancipa-
ton have been punished by the military.
The Situation Unchanged.
Things are going along just as before.
III nd
fed in their bondage. They have never
known any other condition; they would not
know what to do or where to go If they
were forcibly emancipated. They have no
homes or farms. and 1t would be difficult
If not impossible for them to obtain en-
ployment. Hence the only policy the gov
eminent can pursue is to leave things as
they are and let time solve the problem,
making 1t clear to all whom 1t may con-
Germ that slavery is unlawful and that
every man and woman and child Is entitled
to the fruits of their labors. Then, as fast
as those who are held in bondage desire to
be released, they can appeal for the protec
ton of the courts or the police.
There will undoubtedly be gradual but
not radical change in the situation.
Schools are being introduced, and the new
generation of Moros are being taught to
become useful members of the community.
They are said to be ingenious mechanics
and Industrious laborers, but so long as the
dattos have the right to interpose and APP
propriate their earnings they have no in
centive to labor improve themselves.
Under the new regime, as they discover
that the government will protect them in
demanding and collecting wages and will
defend their property rights as well
their personal liberties. they may be expect
ed to develop ambition and manhood. They
have never had any money. None but the
dattos and the heads of families have ever
held any property. The entire people have
been treated like vassals and slaves.
Protested Conversion Of the Sultan.
One of the most interesting events in
Philippine history was the visit of the Sui
tan Mahamad Alimudin of Sulu to the gov
ernor general of Manila in 1850 and his ex-
traordinary behavior there. The governor
general at that time happened to be an Au-
gustinian friar, the bishop Of Nueva Sego-
via, and, taking advantage of the situation
he endeavored to persuade his distinguished
guests TO renounce Islam in favor of Chris
tianity Perhaps from motives of policy
perhaps to escape opportunities of his host
the sultan yielded and was baptized by the
monk governor In the name of Ferdinand l.
with all his wives, conoubines and the other
members of his suite who. men and women
altogether numbered sixty persons. Mag
nificent ceremonies and bountifuI displa VS.
of hospitality followed the important event
for Ferdinand the first Moro of any
standing who had ever accepted Christian
ity The festivities continued for four DAYS
r---Yl a .l~tt r-x,xly. l,.k.,