The news & observer., 1905-11-22
WAS It BURIED BY
TOBACCO TRUST?.
The Fine italian Hand of
the Trust Seen in Isle
of Pines.
THE PANAMA CANAL
II Was Decided TO Dig Panama il Or
der to Have Land-Locked Canals,
and Now the Engineers Who
Favored That Have
FIopped.
Especial to News and Observer

Especial to News and Observer.)
Washington, D.. c., Nov. 21.-It has
been ordered by the Lighthouse
Eoard that an iron column with
light on the top of it be placed at
the entrance to the Neuse River,
North Carolina This VII replace
the Point of Marsh beacon light which
was carried away by the storm about
a week ago.
1t is being openly declared here to-
day that the tobacco trust has been
the hidden power that has prevented
this government from taking over the
Isle of Pines. If the United States
should retain the Isle of Pines, it is
said, the tobacco raised thereon would
come in free of duty and demeralize
the prices fixed by the trust. 1t is
well known generally that during the
Spanish-American war the most ex-
pert raisers of Cuban tobacco were
sent to the Isle of Pines, an a
result of their efforts the tobacco
raised was the equal of the best Cuban
tobacco. The present agitation over
the Isle of Pines is said to be trace
able directly to the effort that the to-
bacco trust is putting forward to have
Il
Cuba ratified.
This recalls the fact that at the last
session of Congress an effort was made
by Representative Richardson, of Ten
nessee, to secure Congressional in
vestgation to determine the value of
the island as a United States posses
sion and the conditions of the island
with respect to the vested rights of
American citizens. A joint resolution
ID s<,1.1 AGO.
providing for such an investigation,
which contains considerable informa-,
ton about the island. The bill set
forth that the War Department on
August IA, 1899. proclaimed the Isle
of Pines to be United States territory.
and issued a pamphlet descriptive of
it's climate physical resources and
desirability as place of residence.
Acting on this information, the bill
says. over 800 citizens of the States of
Iowa, New York.-cPennsyivania Ten
nessee. IlIbfois,. etc, purchased land
on. the island and made Improvements.
At the present time, about 5000
American citizens have vested rights
in the island and more than 600
Americans live there Representa-
tive Richardson's bill also sets forth
that the Isle of Pines possesses a land
locked harbor. capable of holding the
entire American navy at one time,
and that it can be made the finest
harbor adjacent to Panama: that the
American residents have established
schools. churches. villages a weekly
newspaper, mills. factories and steam
communication with the world: that
they own three-fourths of the island
in fec simple, and that the island has
every natural qualification for a winter
resort for the aged and infirm. Mr..
Richardson's bill was put in pigeon
hole IN the files of the committee on
Foreign Affairs. And the question
now is did the tobacco trust have
anything to do with it's burial. and if
so. will that same trust play any part
in the contest that is expected when
the treaty between this country and
the Republic of Cuba. involving the
cession of the Isle of Pines to the
latter government already in the
hands of the Senate Committee on
Foreign Relations comes UP for action
as it must necessarily do now.
Representative Mann, of Illinois.
leading member of the House Com
mittee on Interstate and Foreign
Commerce, which handles canal mat
ters i'm that body. is by no means salts
fled with the course of General Davis
and Engineer Burr of the advisory
beard Of engineers. which has agreed
to recommend a sea-level canal at
cost of many millions more than
lock canal. Mr. Mann says that these
two men have changed their views
an now propose to have the United
states do something that they op-
posed just few years ago. Mr.. Mann
mas been in consultation with Presi-
dent Roosevelt two or three times this
week In regard to the canal plans by
invitation of the latter. and the Ill-
nols representative has not hesitated
to declare that it was largely upon
recommendations of General Davis
aud Engineer Burr i'm favor of
lock canal that Congress finally de-
cided upon the Panama route ! Now
these two gentlemen ioin the five for
eign engineers and recommend a sea-
level canal. While Senator Morgan
OF Alabama. who has never ceased to
question the practicabiIity of the