Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-21
POLICY OF KINDNESS
Many Instances Where Moros
Have Been Won Over.
PRELU DE TO MT. DAJO FIGHT
Major Scott Tells of Conditions in
Jolo.
GEN. WOOD AVOIDED BLooDsHED
Sought to Restore Peace and Order
Without Resort to the Use of Arms
Many Times Successful.
GEN. WOOD AVOIDED BLooDsHED

Secretary Taft has made public report
prepared by Maj. Hugh L. Scott. 14th Cav
airy, governor of Mindanao, In regard to
conditions in Jolo leading up to the recent
fight at Mount Dajo. The report was pre-
pared at the suggestion of Gen. Wood. who
said Maj. Scott was perfectly familiar with
the situation Maj Scott IS now in this
city. lie was Gen. Woods chief of staff
In Cuba. and accompanied him to the Phil
ippines
The text of his report was a cable mes
sage from Gov. Gen. Ide, at Manila, saying
that the killing and wounding OF women
and children in the Mount Dajo fight were
due to Smelling from a distance.
Gov. Ide highly praises the American
troops. and adds that no one was killed.
except as was indispensable to end intol-
cradle situation.
The dispatch states the attack was not
ordered until every recourse looking to a
peaceable adjustment was exhausted. The
Moros refused to surrender to the last, ac-
cording to Gov. Ides message. and repeat
eddy attempted to murder the United States
troops who were resruins wounded Moros.
Origin Of the Trouble.
The text of Maj. SCOTS report is as fol-
lows:
1.-THE recent trouble in Jolo had it's be-.
ginning over a year ago, when Sulu Moro
by the name of Pala ran amuck in the
streets Of Lahud, PATIO. British North Bor-
neo, and ran away after killing and wound
ing twenty-six people. He returned to his
Gotta, on the south side of the Sulu Islands
about fifteen miles from Jolo. 1t was not
to be tolerated that the citizens of friend
~ power should thus be murdered by saw
ages under American jurisdiction, and an
attempt was made to arrest Pala by sur
prise. His Gotta was taken and destroyed.
but he himself escaped in the jungle He
had many sympathizers, relatives and
friends in various parts of the island:
among others the people settled about
Mount Dajo. who fired upon the American
troops and deprecated upon friendly Moros
in the neghborhood Gen Wood came
down with troops from Mindanao Uhe 18th
Cavalry was about to leave for the United
States and had become depleted in num-
bers) to surround Pala's jungle and arrest
him. He was fired upon on the way to
Pala's jungle in the Tambang pass by the
Dajo people. One soldier and several Moros
were killed. Many of the Daio people then
ran up on Mount Dajo and began fortifying
themselves. The troops went on, fought
Pala, who would not surrender, and killed
him They then went to Tando Loco,
where another band of sympathizers. who
had been depredating upon friendly Moros
We're fortified in crater on q mountain
about twenty-five miles from Jolo BY
means of an old Moro, who was captured
Oii NiiS Nc the CllieI b1 lilS Ddnu was IN
duced after many efforts and long waiting
to surrender without a fight to the com
mander of the force and give up his guns
Gen. Wood, with the troops. spent the
greater part OF the day, far from water
under a tropical sun, waiting with the ut
most patience on the dilatory tactics of the
savages In order to accomplish the sub1u-
cation of this band without bloodshed
Took Refuge in the Crater.
Upon the return of Gen Wood to Jolo
1t was considered that the ringleaders were
dead and the Moros had been punished
enough, and the expedition disbanded 1t
was soon discovered that Dajo fugitives
from the Tambang fight were on top of
Mount Dajo They put in a crop of rice
and sweet potatoes inside the crater and
mad plenty of water there all the year
round. They said they did not want to
fight, and only wished to cultivate and
reap their crops. A demand was made on
their dattos. Joakanain and Kalbi, for the
guns OF the ringleaderS, which were sur
rendered. and they were told to come
down and settle below, but could cultivate
thelr crops above, so as not to lose all their
food. They promised to refrain from depre-
dating upon anybody and to prevent any
body from using the mountain as a strong
mold for thieves. DattoS Joakanain and
halbi (from whom the Dajo people had run
away exerted their power of command
over them and kept them from depredating
during the summer and fall. They accord
1ngiy caused about hundred and fifty of
the original two hundred reported to be on
the mountain to come down and settle In
their old homes below. A day or so before
Thanksgiving l went to Zamboanga, a
hundred miles north and returned about
December l. found that during my alb
sence some Moro had told the Daio people
that the governor would attack them at
daylight on November 80. They all ran
away on top of the mountain, sounded their
gongs all night and made ready for the
attack. They considered that a state of
war was on, and reported that forty armed
Moros were going about at night to take
property from friendly Moros. Several
buffaloes had been taken when 1 arrived.
Pressure was at once put upon Joakanain
to allay this excitement and stop all depre-
datlous.
Gen. Wood Warned.
"a letter written Gen. Wood, detail
ing the circumstances and warning him of
the proximity of trouble If Joakanain
should not have the power to control the
DaJo people. Whereupon Gen. Wood or
dered two companies of the 10Th Infantry
to Jolo, as the cavalry squadron had not
all arrived from the United States. Joaka-
main was able to prevent any further dep
relations and said that If he was allowed
time he would succeed in getting all the
MoFOS OFF the mountain. All during the
month of December he kept them quiet and
brought In Ahko. who was the most promi-
nent man there Ahko wanted very much
10 get Il cog Inc governor gave MIN one,
and he went away much pleased. and did
mis- utmost to make the others come off
the mountain. The sultan and his brothers.
Raja Muda and Datto Attll1- also Majarajah
Opaus and Sawajain. all influential Moros,
went to the mountain and used their utmost
eudeayors.
II saw Gen. Wood last about the 10Th of
December and told him the two companies
or the 10th Infantry would not be needed
for the present, as the Moros We're being
kept down by Joakanain. and the order
sending them to Jolo was revoked. While
the elements OF trouble were still there
(the elements of trouble are always some
where in Jolo), It was thought could leave
them as well as at any other time, and ae-
cordingly / started on leave of absence on
January /.
The last advices by mail from Jolo were
dated January % and. the Dajo question not
being mentioned. it was supposed the Moros
remained quiet at least until that date. It
is presumed that they got out of Joaka-
mains control entirely and began to depre-
date other Moros according to the Moro
custom and had to be subdued else IL
would be necessary TO abandon the effort
to preserve the law and order in Joio.
Gen. Woods Policy.
.'rhe policy Of Gen. Wood in that archi-