Asks Sultan's Aid To Civilize Moros.

New York Times 100 years ago today, May 4, 1913:
Major Finley, U. S. A., as Their Ambassador, Requests Porte to Send Moslem Missionaries.
WOULD STAMP OUT DRINKING
As Koran Forbids Alcohol, the Sultan May Help Check Drunkenness — United States Will Be Tolerant.
Special Correspondence to The New York Times.
    CONSTANTINOPLE, April 5.— A bundle of official documents, carried by a secretary of the American Embassy to the Sublime Porte yesterday, marked the official entrance of the United States among the Moslem, powers of the world.
    An important part of the diplomacy of Great Britain, France, Italy, Russia, and Holland at Constantinople has been their dealings with the Sultan as Khalif on behalf of their hundreds of millions of Moslem subjects. Although the United States, by the annexation of the Philippine Islands, became the ruler of several millions of Moslems, this was the first time that the Sublime Porte had been made officially aware of that fact. Major Finley, Governor of the Southern Zone of the Philippine Islands, has come to Constantinople, commissioned by President Wilson to treat with the Sultan concerning the welfare of the Moros, who look to the ruler of Turkey as their Khalif, the successor of the Prophet, and accept his authority as supreme in religious affairs.
    Major Finley not only represents the United States; he is the bearer of a memorial from the Moros to the Khalif, and is called by them their "Vekil," or ambassador. As symbol of his authority to treat with the Sultan on religious questions for them they presented to him a heavy gold ring, with his title inscribed in Arabic.
    The Spaniards, during their four hundred years' occupation of the Philippines, endeavored to convert the natives to Catholic Christianity. They succeeded with the pagan northern tribes; but all efforts to convert the Mohammedan Moros failed. The Moros are very ignorant, and know little of their religion. Any effort on the part of the United States' Government to deal with their religious problems would be immediately misconstrued by them, so Major Finley conceived the idea of appealing for help to Constantinople. At a Durbar summoned by him, a memorial was drawn up, and Major Finley, whom the Moros trust and love, was commissioned to ask the Khalif to send to his faithful Moros teachers to instruct them in their faith. After explaining the matter at Washington Major Finley received orders to proceed to Constantinople.
    In his interviews with the Sheik-ul-Islam, the real head of the Moslem orthodox faith, Major Finley has assured him that the United States, unlike Spain, has no religious object to pursue In the Philippines, and that the Government is not only willing to welcome Moslem missionaries to the Islands, but will arrange to have them transported to the islands, and grant them facilities for coming in touch with the Moros. Major Finley cited, as an illustration of his good will toward the religion of the people he was governing, the fact that he had urged upon them pilgrimages to Mecca, and had arranged with the North German Lloyd Company for their transport every year from the islands to the Red Sea ports. Major Finley has asked the Sheik-ul-Islam to assure the Moros officially that allegiance to the American Government is not incompatible with their religion, and that it is against the teaching of the Koran to kill Christians. He also asked that some definite statement be made to them concerning the prohibition in the Koran of the use or alcoholic liquor. As elsewhere, the coming of civilization has done great harm to the natives by the introduction or alcohol. Major Finley hopes to suppress the curse of drinking among the Moros by showing them that it was prohibited by the Prophet.
    The Sheik-ul-Islam and the Sultan have received Major Finley most cordially. In spite of the critical situation of the country, every attention has been shown to the Ambassador of the Moros. This mission will do more than military establishments to obtain the full recognition of the authority of the United States in the southern Philippines.

Special to The New York Times.
    WASHINGTON, May 3— Major John P. Finley, U.S.A., has apparently succeeded in his mission to the Sultan of Turkey and has resumed his journey to Manila. He was for more than a month in Constantinople on the special duty of securing the influence of the Sultan as the head of the Mohammedan Church to aid in the improvement of the Moro race.
    Major Finley has been Governor of Jolo for eleven years, and he has a knowledge of Moro character and traits that have enabled him to accomplish wonders in developing among the people under him a desire to become civilized and adopt the ways of Christendom. When he came to the United States recently he brought a letter from the leading Datos making him their envoy to the Sultan to invoke his interest and help. He explained to Henry L. Stimson, then Secretary of War, the mission with which he had been intrusted, and Mr. Stimson gave him a letter to Mr. Rockhill, the United States Ambassador at Constantinople, asking the latter to render every possible assistance in securing an audience with the Sultan. It was distinctly understood that Major Finley's mission was wholly unofficial and represented only the desire of the chiefs of 500,000 Moros to get the aid of the Sultan to help their people understand the great Government that now exercises control of their temporal conditions and to live right and obey the laws established for their welfare.
    It is understood that Major Finley is carrying back to the Philippines with him a letter to the Moros from the Sultan, which urges them to obey the laws of the United States and counsels them to send their children to the many excellent schools provided for them, to stop drinking in compliance with the mandates of the Koran, and to try in every way to learn the ways of the civilized Americans who have cast in their lot with them.