Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-15
THE ISLE OF PINES
Question as to Title to Island South
: ,--.. of Cuba.
DECISION NECESSARY
OFFICIAL
Cubans Claim 1t. but American or
ficia|s Assert to the Contrary.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PLACE
Copyright, 1900, By ]. D. Whelpley.)
HAVANA. Cuba, March IL. 1900

Copyright, 1900, by ]. D. whelpley)
HAVANA, Cuba. March II, 1900.
A rather interesting question which has
grown out of the Spanish REIMBURSEMENT
of Cuba is that of determining the owner
ship of the Isle of Pines. The United States
has been appealed to several times to make
a ruling on this point but the question
has never been officially passed upon. When
the post office in Washington assumed
charge of the mails in Cuba the question
necessarily arose, owing to the fact that
| the population of the Isle of Pines is over
5000 and there are two towns on the island
of fairly good size. The matter was re-
ferred to the office of the Attorney General
| in Washington. The point at issue was
avoided. though a ruling was promulgated
| that for military and postal purposes the
Isle Of Pines should be considered as part
| OF Cuba. An unofficial opinion was given
| that in the Judgment Of the Attorney Gen
erals office the island belonged to the
United States under the terms of the treaty
with Spain.
The clause of the treaty upon which this
opinion is based reads as follows: Article
2-Spain codes to the United States the
| Island Of Porto Rico and other islands now
under Spanish sovereignty in the West In
| dies. and the Island of Guam in the Ma
| to Porto Rico and other islands in the
West Indies This would appear conclu-
sive that the United States was the owner
| Of the Isle of Pines by right of conquest
| but the Cubans claim that the Isle Of Pines
| is an integral part Of Cuba and as such was
| simply released by Spain under the same
| conditions as the mainland. The Cubans
| claim that this island is just as much part
| of Cuba as the hundreds of little reefs and
| other detached portions of the coast line
| In regard to which there is no question. If
I tc Sy,tn fal 49,
| of everything which in the past was regard
| ed as Cuban by the Spaniards it can readily
be seen that there is an opening for an ar
| gument as to ownership.
| Need of II Judicial Decision:
To settle the matter, there must first be
some legal definition by the highest court Of
| the inclusiveness of the term Cuba and
| then II must be determined whether the
| Isle of Pines was included in this term or
| whether it was distinctly a Spanish pos
session, considered as apart from the Island
| OF Cuba itself.
| In the meantime the American authorities
| have treated the island as part of Cuba for
! military and governmental purposes. 1t is
| included in the department of Havana, has
| mail service from the mainland. and Amer
| lean army officers have made report upon
| 1t. General Lee himself visited the island
| to determine the military situation and de-
| eide whether troops should be stationed
/ there or not. On his report no troops were
/
| visited in the way of inspection by the pos
| tai and military authorities.
| Whenever the question has come up at
| the American headquarters in Havana the
| issue has been avoided for fear of irritat-
| Ing the Cubans by a discussion apparently
| unnecessary at this time, for the Ameri-
can authorities are almost unanimous in the
| belief that the Isle of Pines belongs to the
| United States and the Cubans are equally
| strenuous in their claims to the contrary
| The question will have to be settled be-
for frr no toll
an important one, and will enter into the
| general scheme of Cuban home rule before
| many months. Should the United States
| allow it to go under Cuban administra-
| ton in all the details without question the
| precedent would undoubtedly deprive the
| United States Of any right to the island
| as 1t would be a tacit admission at least
| that the Isle of Pines was part OF Cuba.
| History of the Island.
CHANGING at the past history of the gov
eminent of the Isle of Pines 1t is possible
| to find precedents for either side in the
contention. The Cubans claim that 1t was
| ruled by governor appointed by the au-
| tononhst government. hence that 1t was re-
| garded as part of Cuba by the Spaniards
On the other hand, the Spanish government
| maintained a convict colony on the is
| land and men were banished from Cuba to
the Isle Of Pines. 1t. in that sense, not be-
I ing regarded as part of Cuba.
| The question Is not so unimportant as 1t
| might seem. 1t was here that the Cuban
| advisors of the American military authori-
| ties wanted the United States to land an
| army for the campaign against Havana
The climate Is considered as fine any
| island in the West Indies. There would
have been plenty of room and many de-
sirable camps for troops, and with the aid
| could have been landed at once at Bata-
bano, on the south coast of Cuba and
| only thirty-two miles from Havana by rail-
| road or good highway.
l Thu
lumbus and named Evangelist Island. 1t
is sixty miles from the mainland of Cuba
across body Of water called the Gulf of
| Matamano. The Isle of Pines is of pc
culiar shape. 1t is about forty-five miles
from east to west, and about thirty two
miles north and south. 1t is almost cut
| In two by great swamp called La Cien-
| aga" The southern part of the island is
| low and very fiat. The northern part has
| low coasts except at one point on the
north side, but toward the center there
1.5OO feet above sea level. The great swamp
really divides the island into two parts,
and 1t cannot be crossed dry shod except
| at one point, where a causeway has been
| built. The swamp Is infested with aIli-
/ gators, and mosquitoes are plentiful There
are quantities OF fish and turtles along the
coast. and 1t Is claimed there are no veno-
\ nous reptiles on the island.
| Two Towns ON the Island
| There are two towns on the island, Nueve
4 Sci ouh pclkl6 TIC Capital mere Is the resi-
dence Of the governor, the military bar
racks and a prison. The town has about
500 population, and is an unattractive place,
where there is little business and little life.
| 1t Is on the banks Of the Sierra de Cassas
| river, and is In most unhealthy location,
being surrounded by swamps. Five miles
| from the mouth Of the Santa Fe river, on
| the east coast, is the town of Santa Fe,
1 which Is similar to, though not so preten-
| tious as Nueva Corona.
The soil Of the island Is sandy, and there
does not seem to be much chance for agri-
| cultural development. During the winter
or, dry season the live stock the island
| becomes very poor, as the grass which
grows there is not good. even when nour-
ished by rain, and when dry 1t Is almost
| valueless as food for live stock.
The principal resource of the island is its
valuable timber. and several attempts have
| been made by American SPECTATORS to Sc
cure title to these woodlands. Owing to the
refusal Of the American government to
grant any privileges, however, the confu-
sion of titles and the difficulties of trans
| all deaIa vet ovfno boy