Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-05-03
DAzED THE MoRoS
Sights the SuItan's Suit Saw on
Board the Charleston.
FUN IN FRAMING A TREATY.

General Bates Had a Sort Of Circus on
His Hands While Negotiating With
the Filipino Potentate For the Trans
fer Of the Islands to Uncle Sam.
Few treaties ever were negotiated IN
more interesting and ludicrOus circum-
| stances than those that attended the
one made in 1890 between General
Bates and the sultan Of Moro.
When. after much dillydnllying. the
| Filipino %potentate was finally induced
to come on board the Charleston. the
generals headquarters. every effort
was made to put him in good humor.
He and his suit partook freely OF
| drink. but refused all food as coming
from the hands of Christians. Yet they
were In no danger Of starving. for
they had been careful to bring with
them enormous sacks Of rice.
When the guests were conducted
over the man-of-war they marvelcd
at its mechanical mysteries. At the
| suggestion OF an officer the sultan
touched an electric button. and instant
" Il Chinese servant appeared. Again.
in response to q suggestion. he touched
the button twice. and Il United States
marine stood in the doorway.
From that time every ornament
aboard the ship that in any way sug.
gcstcd an electric button was pushed
by the sultan or by some member OF
| his suit. An officer conducted him
into Il dark room and showed him how
to turn the button that adjusted the
lighting apparatus. The food OF light
! that resulted left him with gaping
mouth and dilntcd eyes.
His wondcrment continued to grow
throughout the afternoon. and when
ever an opportunity afforded he re-
peatcd the performance OF pushing
| electric buttons and turning electric
lights on and off. He even went SO
far, when he thought himself unwatch-
| ed. to try to appropriate II OF the
lighted bulbs.
When ice water vas brought in the
lump Of ice in the pitcher was iInme-
diatcly seized by his royal highncss
and as quickly dropped to the tloor.
AS the lump gradually diminished IN
size the sultan's party looked at it in
suspicion.
Mr.. Shuck suggested to the sultan
that he order one Of his men alOtt ana
recall him when he reached the crows
nest. The first order was easy to exc
cute, but when 4 return was ordered.
his voice having failed to carry, Il
megaphone was brought. and into this
the sultan shouted for the man to re-
turn under penalty Of instant death.
Immediately the thoroughly frightened
Moro dropped to the deck. The rulev
took the dimensions Of the strange
mouthpiece and declared that he would
make one for himself.
The most amusing incident occurred
when the sultan upon invitation fired Il
Colt automatic gun. The explosion OF
the first discharge appeared to root
him to the spot. His hands gripped
the trigger. with the result that shells
continued to pepper the surrounding
waters.
Again and again the royal gunner
begged the officers to stop the action OF
the Internal machine, o knowing that
the means Of doing it lay in his W
Ia 1ds. SO thoroughly frightened was
he that it was impossible to make him
loosen his hold. and an officer ordered
the tape cut, thus stopping the supply
Of ammunition.
The one FOUNDER was next brought
into play. but the sultan refused to 20
near one of the eight inch guns. which
he had been invited to fire.
Meantime the knives of his attend
ants had been taken to the dynam"
room and charged with electricity.
with the result that the suit were O?
the opinion that the evil n himself
was aboard. They begged and implored
to be taken ashore and. quite forgctful
of their bags of rice. scurried down
the gang ladder.
At night the searchlight was brought
to bear upon the Moro town Of Bus
Bus. and the instant desertion Of the
town followed. ever the dogs leaving
it. For many weeks thereafter no
amount of persuasion could induce the
inhabitants to return.
General Bates made his headquarters
in the town of JOlo. and thithcr the
sultan and his staff came on sewers
occasions to discuss the treaty. Sub
%seuuently they made another visit to
the Charleston. This time the mother
Of the sultan accompanied the party.
and during the visit Il photograph own
cd by one of the officers rendered sc.
l~ections for the entertainment Of the
guests.
The aged dame sat entranced
throughout the performance. and it
was not until the time came for her
son to afiX his signature to the treaty
that she awakened. On one condition
only would she permit the sultan to
sign-the photograph must become hers
ut once.
For a time that monograph threat
encd to be the means of upsetting all
General Bates well laid plans for the
amicable taking over Of the islands. .