The Coolidge examiner., 1934-08-31

TINE sultan % Sulu. the only
oriental poten;ate ruling IN.
- der the protection % the Unit.
81 states. has recently been bereti
OF all political power. although be
siili exercises religious authority
over his Moro subjects IL \ little
group Of Islands which are part %
the Philippines The new governor
of the Philippines. Fraak Murphy.
decided DOT 70 appoint the sull "a to
the Philippine senate Although the
sultan seldom took bis seat. the
honor had bccn accorded him since
the time o. Gov. Gen. Dwight g.
Davis
In real llfe the sultan OF Sulu Is
not the amusing SENT savage that
George Adc pot into comic opera
three decades ago. but a decidedly
modern ruler of the sulu aTchipel
ago. which forms q series OF oceanic
stepping stones from the Philippine
group 20 British North Borneo. %
writes George M. Hanson. former
United States consul at Sandakan.
British North Bornco.
Although he partly acknowi
edged the temporal sovereignty Of
the United States In lSga. and CON.
plciely 50 In 1915. be retains some
OF the Einmor aseribed 10 him by
the dramaiist and remains locally
a poteniaie 20 the native sulus. or
Aoroa
PURIFY religious. his title con
notes nothing more than leadership
IN the Nohammedan church within
the limits of his sulianate The
sultan of Brunei. British Borneo. the
recognized royal hIEhncss' IN the
greater part Of the territory. Is In.
clined % regard him as n poor re.
iatlon who pays tribute 20 Brunei
but nevertheless be Is a fuli.aedged
sultan and has authority of a sort
over zoo small islands and that part
of British North norneo with Rd-
mlnlstratlye headquarters at Sanda-
kan
In Borneo. or elsewhere. the
British are good colonizerx They
believe ~ Is wiser 10 placate the
Sulns on the Borneo side of the
Suiu suliaunte than TO run risk of
trouble: consequently they still pay
tribute TO the sultan and accord
him military honors on bis visits 20
Sanhaknn.
Many Wives But No Children.
The sultan prldes himself on be-
ing an American. though his domes.
tic arrangements have hardly been
of Kind sanctioned In the United
States Under the Koran he may
have four wives af one time: and.
since he has power 10 dismiss n
wife or divorce her by waving his
royal hand. the limitation OF num-
her has not been lrksome. II Is said
that in his day be espoused many
wives Re has no children. how.
ever. and the Rniamnda. or heir ap
parent tmuda Il Malay word
meaning ~unripe'D. Is his younger
brother. Although the 1915 treaty
recognized him as the splrltua; head
OF the Sulu Mohammedans. its
terms were such as win eventually
cause polyEamy 10 be abandoned.
"NIafrlmony Is somewhat casual
among the Sulus. and II Is not un-
usual for girls OF thirteen. twelve.
or even eleven 20 be claimed as
brides when I was United States
consu, NJ Sanaakan. I had an anus.
ing experience which Impressed
upon me the pecullarity OF native
marriage customs.
shortly before the sultan's visit
60 Borneo that year. a German land.
holder whom the British had ordered
out OF the country for the duration
OF the World war requested me to
take charge of his rubber planta-
tion near Sandaknn. | agreed. since
Il was then my duty 10 take over
representation % German interests.
Go co there on each pay day and
check the accounts, but I declined
90 assume official control OF the
plantation. Thus I became for
short time master OF the Malay
labOrerS. pending appointment OF
n permanent superintendent.
upon my arrival on the first pas
day. the accountant. n Singalese
from Ceylon. brought to my atten-
ton a plea from Alus. the house
boy. who seeded an advance Of $40.
Singapore currency. for wedding ex-
penSes. Alus' prospective bride. the
intermediary explained. was Cana
pa. daughter of Samat. the chief
Taper.
Canapa Was Too Youno.
-Canapa was rather n little girl.
and. Il seemed 90 me. when her
mother presented her for inspec-
ton. much too young 10 be think
Ing OF mstrimony. I decided n little
delay woUli do 10 harr1. Although
the mother. herself only twenty