The Sulu Archipelago and its people, by Sixto Y. Orosa ...

36 STILU ARCHIPELAGO AND ITS PEOPLE

the "Bates Agreement." Under it the sovereignty of
the United States over Sulu was recognized.
The Sulus have always made first-class fighting men,
and among them every able-bodied ma'n might act as
either soldier or sailor. After the first occupation of
Sulu in the sixteenth century, the Spanish garrisons
were not strongly maintained, and Spain's influence was
little felt beyond the limits of the town of Jolo. The
datus and the people recognized no head other than the
sultan. One hundred years before the time of Legaspi
the Sulus had become fanatically Mohammedan. They
maintained an independent state and had customs of
their own. It was impossible and absurd to attempt to
change their religion and character at one stroke. The
Sulus always opposed the payment of tribute, and withstood any interference in their internal affairs. No effort
worth mentioning was made by the Spanish government
to transform them gradually. Evil was dealt with by
evil. The governors, although some were good post
commanders, were generally poor civil administrators,
and they were frequently changed. No definite policy
was ever pursued. No attempt was made to study local
customs and peculiarities, and no governor could speak
the dialect. The Sulus hated any foreign aggression, as
was but natural, and Spain's final military victories
were neutralized through the tenacity, valor, and patriotism of the Sulus.