El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-02-24

Zealauders are getting this gold out
with dredges, and others are now bring
IN dredges TO take up and wash out
the soil Quartz boulders are some
times found at the bottom and some Of
the best dirt averages over, 81 per
cubic yard. The gold is coarse ana
melted down 1t has a value OF. SIS per
ounce. There is also gold In Afndanao.
and there are copper, iron, coal and
other minerals of value in Luzons Cebu,
MindorO and elsewhere
The MOros in 1912.
Before leave the Philippines I wish
to say a few words about the Moros.
I saw much OF them when I went
through their country visiting the
ports and coast villages on a steamer
loaded with Uncle Sans mules. We
delivered the mules TO the soldiers, and
often came 10 places which had been
opened only q few days before. I thus
had q chance to see the Moro as he
was under the Spaniard- There were
about 100000 of them. and they were
all slave dealers, slave holders or
slaves. Many had been pirates. not a
Few were murdererS and all had q low
state Of civilization. An internecine
war was going on among them. and II
took Us several years TO subdue the
various. tribes. Here is the news that
comes from that section today.
The Moros are gradually engaging in
different kinds Of gainful occupations
Along the coasts they dry fish for sale.
Farther inland they are raising cattle
and horses. In some places they have
little farms and in the wilds they
gather such things as wax, bark and
nuts demanded by trade. They are
making some copra and they are also
doing a large business in pearl shells
and other such things. The pearl in
dustry now employs about 80 schoon-
ers, and there are buyers from Paris
ready TO take the pearls as fast as
they are found The divers are Japan
csc and natives.
The 1Ioros are also fishing for
spOnges. IN some places they weave
mats and in others make excellent
cloth. On the island of JOlo the gov
eminent is teaching them how TO i'm
prove their herds of cattle and horses.
and about Lake Lanao IL is telling them
now to make more out Of their farms.
The people are coming to trust Ameri-
cans. They protest against their gov
eminent being given over TO the Fill
pinOs and say they prefer to be ruled
oy Uncle sam under their sultans and
dattos- This is the situation today:
The Moro Province.
1t was In 1903 that Uncle sam formed
the Moro province. separating these
people from the rest OF the islands and
giving them government which was
different from that Of the Filipinos
themselves The MOros are under mill
4 itary government with a provincial
capital at ZambOanga and district capt
tals al Jolo, ZambOanga, Iligan, COtto-
battO and Davao There are five dis
tricts and they cover the island Of
Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago
Each district has both Moros and
Christians, but the Christians are com
paratvely Few They form, perhaps.
One-seventh or one-eighth OF the whole
population.
As soon as the country was so divided
each district governor made a count OF
4ne tribes Of the districts and study
OF them with a view to giving theus, a
Tar as possible, self-g government. Coun-
CHS were formed. courts were organ
lzed and there were tribal courts. It
Is provided that both Christians and
non-Christians might appear before the
justice Of peace courts and the first
courts of appeal. and that II there
were disputes concerning the decision
the cases could be appealed to the
supreme court of the Philippine islands
police force was organized and in
ADDITION the constabularies or govern
menJ police Of the islands were placed
everywhere The officials did every
thlng they could to get the people to
go TO work. They realized that the
only successful future OF the province
could DE along Industrial lines and
they tried to teach the natives to raise
.helr own food supply. They got some