The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-08-25
MORO PROVINCE.

learn that the American occupation ang government of Moro province, is- land of Mindanao Islands, is produc- ing good results. For centuries the Moros have been a people apart unto themselves in race and customs. The Moro province occupies half the island of Mindanno.
 The policy of the American adminis- tration of the island has been to aid, to the extent of it's power, the develop | ment of agriculture, commerce, fisheries and the timber industry; to furnish cheap transportation to producers, and to give equal opportunities to all, re- gardless of color or position in life. When the Americans took hold of Moro province two years ago, slave raiding was rampant, and every form of law lessness and outlawry existed, especial ly in the island of Jolo, in the upper reaches of the Cotobato Valley, and in the country about Lake Lanao. Many Christian Filipinos had been carried in- to slavery, their settlements and ranch | erias captured and ransacked and their women carried off.
 After two years of active operations against the fighting Moros, the author. i ity of the United States Government has been recognized, and for the first time in their history the Moros are paying taxes to a Government outside of their own tribal relations. The peo- pie are handled Gas in India) through their native chiefs, who in turn have native deputies. The head men report to the direct governor, Special agents of the five district governors are placed among the wild people, to gain their confidence and good will to teach them how to trade and the value of observ- ing law and order.
 To encourage trade, exchanges or trade stations have been established at the instance of Capt. John F. Fin ley, United States Army, Governor of l Zamboanga. To these stations Moros and other non Christians bring their products and secure ready sales forf them People are coming in to trade who never before saw men meet with out fighting and who never saw the seacoast. The Moros prohibited until recently any fishing or seacoast trafic by the inland natives, They held 1t all for themselves and lived on the profits of the labor of other tribes. That is chiefly the reason why they resisted American occupation and the open- ing of the country to the death. Island natives now come and go as they please | htfxY ca1 Ch 0atttnU and paying the current prices in open market.
 The Mohammedan religion has not been interferred with, nor any too dra- tic reforms established, except in the suppression of slavery human sacrifice and the autocratic powers of the dat tos."
 Public schools have been established in all the principal towns; some Amer can teachers have been employed, and many native assistants The schools are well attended, and the children are making good progress. Children oi many tribes, speaking different Ian guages, are now started on the roat toward learning English. For the Moro children text books written in Arabic and English characters had to be pre- pared Native teachers are learning English at a normal school in Fam boranga. Tn the same city there is alsC an industrical school for Moros ant Filipinos.
 Public works in Mlndanao have beer limited only by the funds available Wharves and landing places, passablt roads and trails and many bridges have been built, also many schoolhouses, as well as district and provincial offices In Zamboanga provincial building oi concrete and native hard woods Is un, CT construction; 1t will be the best ant most permanent type of building put up in the islands since American ac cupatlon began. The Moro province k solvent, though its revenue is small.
 The enormous island of Mindanao 1, practically covered with forests of val uable woods. It's undeveloped wealth 1, very great especially in timber ant jungle products, such as crude guttt percha rubber, cinnamon and allspice Many rubber plantations are being started Through the south and eas coasts of the province large amounts of hemp are being cultivated. Int product is of excellent quality and tn, crop large. Cacao (cocoa) also does yer! well, and Is quite a profitable crop tt handle,
 The success of the cocoanut industr! in Mindanao Is well known. It is ont of the principal sources of revenue O the province. Planters are putting in ; great many cocoanut trees everywhert Rice and other native food products thrive generally in all sections of the province
 Coal is present in many places, bu cannot Yet be proftably worked. Ther, is an unlimited number of mango trees which have a bark most valuable fol tanning and dyeing. This industry, SC profitable in the Malay peninsula ant aprts of Borneo is as yet undevelopet in Mindanso The sea swarms witt many kinds of valuable fish, and tn, pearl fisheries of the Sulu Sea are ex tensive and profitable. The Moro haC this industry corraled, but 1t is nov open to all who comply with the lega requirements. Sugar grows we'll, ant large areas are especially adapted t its growth The Cotobato Valley is pre- eminently so, Many hundreds of sduar miles of superior sugar land is lyinl idle, while Americans are paying mil lions of money for foreign sugar. Philip pine sugar should come into the Unite' States free and the American none! st. into American owned sugar mill