Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1908-07-03
DR.. EDwosDs' LETTER.
Tells Of Some Of the PscuIiaritiss Of
The Moros.
Special correspondence.

Manila, P. L, Dec. 6-Had Moham-
mechanism become the religion of the
Philippines their history would have
been one Of bloodshed terrible to con
template. Accommodation among
the Philippine Malays, possibly more
than anywhere else, has instilled into
the minds Of the people disposition
toward continual warfare. The Moro
is a Mohammedan, but he has perver.
ted the Mohammedan belief until at
times 1t Is a wierd. grotesque and ter
ribie religion. In the heart OF. the
Moro there is no fear of death; 1t
is to him but an incident Of life. The
Moro idea Of government Is force.
He never knew anything else. and II
you are kind to him, he thinks 1t is
because you fear him. His whole
world Is ruled by fear and not love.
He has no definite comprehension
Of abstract principles Of government,
nor does he appreciate an absent gov
eminent. His allegiance is always
personal, and he pays 1t to the Dato
or the American officer with whom he
comes in daily contact. This dispo-
sition Of allegiance has been handed
down to him through legions of
Datos, or feudal chieftains. Until the
American occupation these Datos wer
continually at war with each other,
and 1t is largely through this lack of
unity that the Moros never subjugate
much Of the territory beyond the cou
try in which they lived.
Their wars with the Fillipinos, the
peaceable Christian tribes who live
hundreds Of miles to the north, are
confined to acts Of piracy and raid
ing. His religion as set forth in the
Koran, tells the Moro that he must
obey without question the commands
Of his superiors. Under rigid person
al supervision the Moro makes a goot
servant, but is not to be trusted wher
left alone.
The Moro, when not under the in
fluence Of a strong rulre, is subject
to strange, murderons fits of insanity
When a Moro without previous prep
aration on his part, becomes sliced
with desire to commit murder, he
runs amuck" and dashes about, Wild
ly slashing and killing even his own
people. He is in an insane frenzy
and Is not accountable for his actions
At other times however, he works
himself up into a passion of religious
frenzy, for the purpose of killing
Christians. When in this state of pas
sion Moro is said to be Ornamental
He has then taken a religious oath,
perhaps administered by some sacred
Hadji who has made a pilgrimage to
Mecca. The Moro having taken the
oath binds himself up with cords and
cloth until he suffers excruciating
pain, and then through. his physical
suffering is reduced tn a nervous
frenzy.
Having once taken the oath the re-
igious JuFamentado is bound to con-
tinue Staying until he himself is
slain. In Jolo, since the American.
occupation, a Moro went Juramentado
while the band was playing on the
square, and in shooting the Moro,
who had mingled with the soldiers, a
soldier was wounded and the trombor
player had his instrument pierced in
several places.
1t is recorded in Jolo that a Span
ish general who was much troubled
with the fanatical juramentados about
thirty years ago ordered out one of
his batteries, and told 1t to she'll the
palace Of the sultan. The sultan hap.
pened to be absent at the time, and a
few days later rushed 10 the resi-
dence Of the general exclagming
against the Smelling of his house.
While he was complaining the bat,
terry began again Smelling a part Of Il
Moro village.
The sultan exclaimed, General,
your troops are killing my people.
stop them"
II cannot stop them as they have
gone juramentado," replied the Gen.
eral, and from that day he had no.
more trouble with insane Moros.
There is very little Of this on the
islands now because Americans will
not tolerate a murderous mailman rur
ming amuck, especially as they know
the attack has been planned before.
hand. Prompt reprisals and the quicl
extinctions Of the turamentado by a
well directed shot, has had a most "a
utary effect on the Moro. and now
they confine their crazy spells to at
lacking each other. The saving clause