The real difficulty was, and still is, that there is no Sultan, or Datto, of very extended authority to lay hold of and subdue, and whose defeat or surrender would entail the submission of a whole district or tribe. The work of subjection has to be performed piecemeal among the hundreds of Dattos, each of whom, by established custom, can only act for himself and his own retainers, for every Datto would resent, at the risk of his life, any dictation from another. All this is extremely irritating to the white commander, who would prefer to bring matters to a definite crisis by one or more decisive contests, impossible of realization, however, in Mindanao or Sulu Islands.
Such was the condition of affairs in the southern extremity of the Archipelago when it was decided to appoint a Maj.-General to command it and create a semi-independent government for its local administration. Maj.-General Leonard Wood[7] was happily chosen for this arduous and delicate task, and on July 25, 1903, he took up his appointment, holding it for about two years, when he was transferred to Manila to command the Division in succession to Maj.-General Henry C. Corbin.
This region, now called the Moro Province, was established under Philippine Commission Act No. 787 of June 1, 1903 (which came into effect on July 15 following), and includes all Mindanao[8] except the larger portion of Misámis Province and all Surigao Province (N. and E.), which are under civil government,[9] the Joló (Sulu) Archipelago, the Tawi Tawi group, and all the islands south of Lat. 8° N., excepting therefrom Palaúan (Parágua) and Balábac Islands and the islands immediately adjacent thereto, but including the Island of Cagayán de Joló. The seat of government is at Zamboanga, the headquarters of the military district, whose commander (Maj.-General Wood) acted in the dual capacity (but not ex-officio) of military commander and President of the Legislative Council of the Moro Province, which was organized September 2, 1903, and is composed as follows, viz.:—
| Legislative Council | Emolument |
| President, the Provincial Governor | $6,000 gold (if he be a civilian).[10] |
| Provincial Secretary | Not exceeding $4,000 gold |
| Provincial Treasurer | |
| Provincial Attorney | |
| Provincial Superintendent of Schools | |
| Provincial Engineer |
The Council has power to enact laws “by authority of and subject to annulment or amendment by the Philippine Commission,” and four members of the six constitute a quorum for legislative action. The Provincial Governor is responsible, and must report from time to time to the Gov.-General of the Philippines. The province is sub-divided into five governmental districts, and one sub-district under governors and lieut.-governor respectively.[11]
| Districts | Emolument of Governor |
| Zamboanga (including Basilan Is.) | Not exceeding $3,500 gold if he be a civilian. |
| Joló (sulu) (including Tawi Tawi group) | |
| Lanao (including Ylígan and Lake Lanao) | |
| Cottabato (including Polloc) | |
| Davao (including Cátil) | |
| Dapítan (a sub-district of Zamboanga) | Not exceeding $2,000 gold, if he be a civilian. |
Each district is controlled by a District Council composed of the governor, the secretary, and the treasurer. At present all the district governors are army officers.
Section 15 of the above Act No. 787 provides that governors and secretaries of districts must learn and pass an examination in the dialects of their localities within 18 months after taking office, or be subject to dismissal.
Under Philippine Commission Act No. 82, entitled “The Municipal Code,” amended in its application to the Moro Province by the Legislative Council of the Moro Province Act No. 35, of January 27, 1904, the Moro districts and sub-districts are furthermore sub-divided in the following manner, viz.:—