New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-11
SULTAN OF SUIU
Continued from page 4

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 we'll
in the historical picture. He stepped
forward, whispered a word to the inter
prefer and thrust into his hand a small
parcel in white paper. The interpreter
unWrapFed 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.
she took the ring, bowed her thanks, and
the incident was closed. 1t was merely
declaration of courtesy and cordia1ity
and but Tor the interference of his rival
His Majesty would have been as gratified
as were the other parties concerned.
This rival, who is Moro Chief, is
actually much more powerful than the
Sultan in all temporal affairs The in
tluence of the Sultan in the Sulu 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 a million Mohammedans, and in
this respect his sway is undiSputcd This
is why we are paying him thirteen thou
sand pesos $50, 500 year to be good,
and this is why his cOrdiality was of
interest and importance.
All the preceding Sultans of Sulu, his
ancestors, have been handled by the
Spanish with great dehcacy and con-
sideratiOn. They understood the potential
danger. The Spaniards first landed on
Jolo in 1908. At intervals during the next
two centuries and half they had many
bloody battles with the Sulus, but never
succeeded IN COnquering them per
manently and never obtained a permanent
foothold on Jolo until the middle of the
nineteenth century. A Sultan of Sulu
was invited by them to visit Manila in
1854 and was received with the highest
honors, 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.
\ 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 a
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
our Government, followed the old Spanish
lines But the Rates treaty has been