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Show THE MOROS OF THE PHILIPPINES The Island of the Philippines next largest to Luzon, on whiph is Manila, Is Mindanao. South of Mindanao is tho Sulu archipelago, extending almost al-most to Borneo. Both Mindanao and the archipelago are inhabited mainly ', ran uy the Mcros. Tho islands arc moiin-i anc tainous, -with all (he ymndeur ai5i "st; beaut of mountain .seoe.-y dotted'! F with lakes and fertile -valleys. Ta$ hice Islands ot this group are lor the lnostmit part spui'scly settled and It has been kBfte a pimple matter lor the Moro to gam Hlor a Ihing by hunting anJ f'shlnr. ' B. ; Centuries ngo the Moios wer,' jthe amonc the richest neonle of the- Eastf nan They wore shrewd tradors, good shl'i- floo buildors and as a result gathered a' large share of tho wealth of the Ori- ent. The Sultan of Sulu once nieij- - B. ured his pearls by th'j peck, and liu(' Bry; wore gorgeous sllk3 and gold orna-, t ments set with precious stones. To flgh be sure sometimes he had to turti- Yori so'mc of his subjects to piracy to take, of tl wealth wherever they could find It.. Tha But he wa3 a ruler, yielding to no one, by t and passing his power down throiigi hoi tht kinsmen, whom ho had niailo met datus, or dattos, whose descendants and still rule the Moro communities. V Nearly 400 years ago some Mohnra- com medans. came to these southern Isl- hag ands bringing with them the Koran, mal The Moro became n Mohammedan. He tee is still a Mohammedan though he is. flre a Moro first and then an Islamite. s Mohammedanism is but a veneer glv- tUCJ Ing outward form to tho feelings, be- &l liefs, customs and pride of the an- n cicnt Moro. His Koran is read to bhii: a in Arabic, but he neither speaks no;' flDl understands that language. He goes Bjt to his religious service, crude as It Is, j but he neither prays nor fasts as a j0ff true believer should. The Moro has, (ejI clothed his own social system, datln?, ,. back to antiquity In tho garb of Jlo"' ffia hammedaniam. Having made it his., own, however, he is roa-Jj to fight , fanatically for the Mohammedan faith. , Tho Moro of today, though he be- gan to lose both wealth and power In- j. I860 under Spanish domination of tho Philippines, Is as proud as ever. He cannot bear Insult, and he Tcsents co- J ' ercion. He Is courageous, hospitable . r and polite, but revengeful. Ab an en- c emy he is cruel and treacherous, but . jj as a friend he Is generous and faiths 'fl fui. ; SIncq the bitter wars of the first jaH years following American occupation tB of the Islands the American policy JM toward the Moros has been one of ; ' leading rather than driving. The Moro : CorH customs have been left unassailed bo , ,eH far as were compatible with order : H and sanitation. The datus hnvo been aH left in local subordinate rule and- the , BnH lineal transmission of the headman's., whH authority has been recognized. , i M oo - hM |