Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-11
SULTAN OF SULU
Continued from page 4

remain with us always" Miss Roosevelt
accepted the saddle with thanks. She
could not well accept the perpetual hospi-
tally offered and made no reference
to it.
This would have ended the incident,
but for the jealousy existing between
the Sultan and young and wealthy
Moro who burned to be included as well
IN the historical picture. He stepped
forward, whispered word to the inter
prefer and thrust into his hand a small
parcel in white paper. The interpreter
unwrapped it and disclosed three hand
some pearls, one large and the other two
OF medium size. These were offered on
behalf Of the young Moro to Miss Roose-
welt, who after glancing toward Secretary
Taft smilingly accepted them.
His Majesty was furious. He tugged at
his incipient mustache, too faint to appear
in the photograph, and otherwise mani
tested his displeasure. Then he slipped
from his finger his choicest pos
session, heavy gold ring set with an
enormous pearl, and offered it directly
to Miss Roosevelt. Somewhat embar-
raised, but again instructed to accept,
ollC IOON TIC ing, DONSu HSI IIldHhS, ara
the incident was closed. 1t was merely
a declaration of courtesy and cordiality,
and but for the interference of his rival
His Majesty would have been as gratifed
as were the other parties concerned.
This rival, who is a Moro Chief, is
actually much more powerful than the
Sultan in all temporal affairs. The in
fuence of the Sultan in the Su1u group
is, politically speaking, small. He could
not stop any revolt or local war; but, as
has been said, he could originate a rising
compared to which any local troubles
would be trifling. He is the spiritual
head of million Mohamrnedans, and in
this respect his sway is undisputed. This
is why we are paying him thirteen thou
sand pesos (S6,5oo year to be good,
and this is why his cordially was of
interest and Importance.
All the preceding Su1tans of Sulu, Lis
ancestors, have been handled by tie
Spanish with great delicacy and con-
sideration. They understood the potential
danger. The Spaniards first landed on
.Jolo in COS. At intervals during the nett
two centuries and half they had many
bloody battles with the Sulus, but never
succeeded in conquering them per-
manently and never obtained permanent
foothold on Jolo until the middle of the
nineteenth century. A Sultan of Sulu
was invited by them to visit Manila in
1884 and was received with the highest
hono-s, being toasted and made much
of by Governor General and Archbishop,
in connection with his protesting the
Christian faith and receiving baptism
in the Roman Catholic Church. Once
back in Jolo, however, His Majesty
promptly recanted and the Spaniards
learned that he had been shamming, his
visit being part of an elaborate plot
to capture Spanish and Filipino slaves.
A treaty was made with the then
Sultan of Sulu by the Spaniards in 1854
which recognized the independent status
of that ruler and his successors. In
somewhat qualified way this independence
was recognized in later treaty, which
remained in force till the end of Spanish
sovereignty in the archipelago. To
some extent the treaty made with him
by General Bates in 1900, on behalf of