The cause for which Governor Arolas shed the blood of several hundretl
Spanish soldiers and killed some thousands of Moros was utterly defeated.
The tenacity with which the Sulus resisted Spanish domination, their
obdurate opposition and bravery in battle, and their obstinate passive
resistance in peace, baffled all Spanish efforts to subvert their political
organization or gain a single point of advantage without paying too
dearly for it. The Sulus succeeded at last in inaugurating their can-
didate as Sultan of Sulu. Their laws and the administration of their
internal affairs were not interfered with. Their religion, social c(m-
ditions, national usages and customs were unaffected by any change what-
soever. Spanish influence and jurisdiction did not extend beyond the
limits of the garrison and no material reform or progress reached the
Moro community through that channel. No effort was made by Spain to
educate the Sulus and no adecjuate measure was proposed by her governors
which was applicable to the needs of the Sulus and acceptable to their
ideas. The Sulus felt that there was a strong inclination on the part of
the Spanish (lovernment or some (^f its recognized agents to change their
religion ^nd destroy their national unity, and consequently they never had
complete confidence in S])anish officers and representatives and repulsed
every influence that tended to establish close relations between them and
the Christians of the Spanish garrison.
Xo tax or tribute was collected from the Sulus, and their territory was
exempted from the operation of the laws of the Philippine Islands.
Sulu imports could come in Sulu craft free of duty and unham])ered by
any vexatious regulation. Duties could be collected by Sulus at all ])orts
unoccupied by Spain; and if hostilities could have been brought to an
end, the Sulus, in their pursuit of the ])eaceful vm^ations of life, might
have felt no appreciable difficulty or inconvenience from Spanish occupa-
tion of Jolo, except the loss of the revenues of the ports of Jolo and
Siasi and some control over the trade of the Chinese.
Slavery remained an established instituticm of the land and its con-
tinued i)ractice among the Moros was neither denounced nor restricted.
The pearl industry remained in the hands of the Sulus and pearl fishers
and shell dealers i)aid a variable tax to the sultan and Icx'al chiefs.
Piracy was completely suppressed, and the inva^^ion of Christian com-
munities and the capture of Christians as slaves by Sulus terminated
at the conquest of Jolo in 1876.
Before the campaign of 1876 the sultan ruled with a strong hand, lived
in state, was prosperous and had considerable wealth. The principal
datus lived at Jolo, and the Sulu forces were united. Jamalul A*lam
remained rich until his death, but subsequent wars and licentiousness
reduced the estate of his sons. The separation and dispersion of the
datus, however, weakened the Sulus more than any other cause. Each
datu began to feel more or less inde])endent of the other, their jealousies
increased and became more intense and effectual; their forces were dis-
united, and each chief relied solely upon his own fortifications and
following. ITnited action was ignortnl or became impracticable. Soon
the subordinate chiefs began to feel their importance, gradually asserted
their rights, and assumed greater dignity and power in proportion to
their prosperity and the following they could command. Jamalul A*lam
ruled firmly, had every chief under his control, and held the state intact.
Three chiefs outside of his house were sufficient to sign the treaty he
made with Spain. These were Datu Harun, Datu Raja Lawut Zaynul
^Abidin (Asibi), the father of Datus Kalbi and Julkarnayn, and Datu
Muluk Bandarasa Pula, the son of the famous Datu Daniel, and the
father of the present Datu Pula-pula of Mubu or Tandu. No vmharajas
or hadjis figured prominently in those days, and the panglimas served
as state messengers.
As soon as it became known that Jamalul x\*lam was dying a condition
bordering on anarchy arose and disorder prevailed as in the days of
Badarud Din. Things grew worse during the regency of Datu Aliyud
Din, and w^orse still during the civil strife between the latter and Raja
Muda Amirul Kiram. General Arolas and Sultan Harun had to fight
every chief in his turn and every island by itself. Each chief felt in-
dependent of the rest of the country and had his own ideas as to who
should be appointed sultan. Each datu was defended by his own men
only and each had to meet the Spanish forces by himself unaided. Even
Maymbung had to face the mighty foe with forces which could be as-
sembled from the immediate neighborhood only. Small detachments did
sometimes reenforce the forts of their neighbors, but the proportion of
help so extended to the actual strength of the forces that could have been
united was so insignificant that no accoimt can be taken of such coopera-
tion.
Thus the total or combined strength of Sulu was reduced to small,
insignificant and disunited entities; the power of resistance to outside
invasion was diminislunl, but at the same time the susceptibility of the
country to foreign influence became nil. It was an easy matter for
General Arolas to defeat one party or chief alone, but the necessity of fighting each chief by himself defeated his piirj)ose and efforts in tlie end.
Unconsciously, Spain brought on an abnormal condition of affairs in
Sulu, extremely difficult to manage and for which she never found the
proper remedy. The ruling sultan, though well supported by the greater
mass of the people, had neither the knowledge, the tact, nor the strength
necessary to con-ect the wrong done, and things in general tendinl rather
to the worse than to the better. The parties created by the civil strife of
1884 existed in 1899 with very little change, and their enmity had
become deeply rooted and ineradicable. The whole northern portion of
the island east of Jolo and eastern Tandu represented a distinct party
unfavorable to Jamalul Kiram II and at times set^med to be wholly under
the leadership of the two brothers, Datus Kalbi and Julkaraayn. Similar
parties existed in Tapul, Lugus, Siasi, and the Tawi-tawi Group, many
settlements having two chiefs, one representing the sultan and the other
the hostile party. To add evil to existing wrong, the chiefs took ad-
vantage of this condition and vacillated in their alliance from one party
to another as it seemed to them more advantageous for the time being.
General Arolas fought both parties, incurred the bitter enmity of all
chiefs and gained for himself and the cause of prosperity no advantage
whatsoever. All the Sulus hated Spain at heart and welcomed the end
of her sovereignty, with the hope of having more peace and better rela-
tions with her successor.
