The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-08-08
INTRACTABLE RACES.


questions, it is often difficult to say
what ought to be done with an In.
tractable race of people that are un.
governable. blood-thirsty and vicious
The civilized world is not reluctant in
repressing or exterminating the can
nibal races Of the different islands of
the Southern Sea and the Orient, and,
generally speaking, where a race of peo-
pie makes itself a nuisance to commerce
and relentless menace to human life,
there is small regard paid to that race,
and its determination is generally held
to be an international benefit. These
considerations seem to be somewhat at
variance with comment which we find
in the Springfield (Mass.) Republican,
upon the putting down of the piratical
Moros in Mindanao. That comment is
as follows:
What 10 do with intractable uncivilized
races is a problem, but II is certain that
some better way can be found than eX-
termination. Take the hSht at Ba gsak,
for example. OF which the papers lately
arriving from the Philippines give graphic
details One viii search the annals of
war in vain for more heroic hgntinG than
this last stand OF Anil and his men.
Worthy OF better cause" their Ma
Mia chroncler calls their bravery, but
resistance 10 Invasion has always been
deemed a good cause--it was good enough
for Deonidas and his 500. who could do
no better than Amils Joloanos In fight
Ing I'LL the last man fell. And why
should Invasion be necessary? An island
has been dedicated TO wild birds. islands
arc being offered for blue foxes, enthu-
siasts propose rescrving tropical Island
foy tigers and other big game. Why
should not an island here and there be
left OF fine wild specimens OF man? 1so-
lated, they can do no harm; n tin gum
boat can prevent piracy. and II strangers
keep away they VIII not be hurt-well
disposed strangers like missionaries and
n. l.. Stevenson manage 10 win the
friendship OF the ficrcest natives. There
Is no reason why everybody should be
civilized. and there is no reason why we
should not seeregate and save interest
Ing races which are incapable OF civill-
zation. The white mans bullets cxter-
minated Anil and his band. the white
mild Kanakas Was IL worth while?
Millions are spent OH museums why not
dedicate some islands as museums of
primitive races?
In order to make any such comment
10 any way plausible, it would have to
he conceded that the intractable race
that is TO be perpetuated shall not be
itself a constant menace to the people
in its neighborhood who would become
orderly, peaceful, and progressive; and
Immunity against shipwrccll on the pro-
posed island would have TO be provided
II is one thing to perpctuate Il race of
implacable savages. if they can be put
out of the track OF the world s. COM
merce and communication. and so iso-
lated as TO cease to be a menace TO the
world. But in the case of these fighting
bands of Moros, they were savages, and
murderers, who were not content TO live
their wild and intraetable lives by
themselves and let their neighbors
alone. On the contrary, they made their
living aud gratified their bloodthirst-
mess and their propensity for robbery
and pillage BY attacking their peaceful
neighbors, breaking up the settlements,
slaughtering men, women, and children,
without any reason whatever except
their own thirst for blood and rapine.
Under these circumstances, it is diff.
cult TO see what can be done with an
intractable race like these bands of
Moros.
II barbarous tribes like that would
consent to be intractablo among them.
selves and let other people alone, that
would be different proposition; but
that is precisely what these pillaging
Moros would not do. They would not
consent 10 withdraw and live among
themselves. but they were constantly at
tacking their neighbors and making
peseeable life in their neighborhood, or
anywhere within the range Of their
depredations, impossible Nothing re.
mained, therefore, except to attack
them in their strongholds, especially as
they bad been given warning that they
must disarm and cease their troubling.
This they refused 20 do. They were
determined 10 live their lives of lswlcss-
ness, murder, and pillage in spite of
the warning Of the United States. Geu-
eral Pershing was given troops and au-
thority 20 deal with those iHEA-LAAsa