The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-16
AMERICA REPELS
ISLE OF PINES
Americans in the Island, Who
Would Cut Loose from Cuba,
Must Shift for Themselves.
journal Snacial Service.

Journal Special Service. ,.:-... -.-~
Washington, Nov. 16.-American< cltl,
zens in the Isle Of Pines who have set
up new government vii! not receive
a'nv assistance from the United States !
government. -
If the government of Cuba attempts
to punish them for revolving against the
regularly organized Cuban government,
the United States will be placed In
peculiar position in the matter OF CIV
ing them protection. III Il
The officials of the department Of
state have been greatly embarrassed In
their dealings with the Cuban govern
ment by the action Of the Americans in
the Isle Of Pines. They express the
hope that there will be no bloodshed or
plicate the situation, which is an ex;
tremely delicate one.
Belongs to Cuba. .:
This government is strongly commit
ted to the policy that the Isle Of Pines
belongs to Cuba:- A declaration. OF this.
kind is made in the treaty eeding the
island to Cuba, which is now pending
before the senate. >~ - -.
The government takes the ground
that the situation in the Isle of Pines is
Cuba IS domestic affair and must be
dealt with by President Palma in his
own way. If he; proposes to punislh,
the revolutionists, this government will
do nothing more than: to see that they
are given fair and impartial trials. The
punishment for an offehse Of this kind
is capital, but it is not believed that
President Palma will be alsposed to be
harsh with the Americans and that a
reasonable punishment will be meted
out to them. t>>l.,@I,
Long Delay for Treaty. ,:s.... -.
The new Development ir the Cuban
situation will cause Sa long delay in the
ratification of the treaty ceding the Isle
of Pines to .Crba.s dis sthere are. a large
. number Of: ;senaa orsssWho are opposed to
it, not becausespf any promise this gov
ernment made th;at5the island would re-
cause large American Interests are in:
volved. The treaty of Paris contained
clause which provided that Porto Rico
should be ceded to the United States
but that thA;status of the Isle Of Pines
should be settled by future negotiations
This was done and treaty was negoti
ated. =: 49,.
Five-sixths of the island is owned by
Americans, and the other sixth is owned
by two Spaniards. The only other in
habitants, except the: Americans, are
Cubans, who own no property. -.
About 100000 Acres, ' .><.> -. ..>
The Isle Of Pines is in the :Caribbea,
sea, near the southwestern coast 0:
Cuba, and conlprises about :r700,O0(
acres. After the Spanish war it be
came, with Cuba, an American posses
sion. When Cuba obtained her freedom
the sovereignty Of the Isle of Pine
passed to Cuba, pending the ratification
Of the treaty drawn by General Leonar'
Wood and Elihu Root and others. A,
article of the treaty states that the re
linquishment of the claim to the islam
on the part of the United States is i
consideration of grants of coaling an
naval stations in the island of Cuba b
the republic Of Cuba. It.
The treaty was not ratified in tn
United States senate because of objec
tion by Senator Pennose, onq BEHALF q
various citizens WHO have commercia
relations there: &1& .:@.I : - :2:s@2 =;
Once Home Of Pirates : S:<>'<
For more than two centuries afte
Columbus discovered it the Isle c
Pines was the home Of fleets Of pirate
The island is encircled by line of rect
and between it and Cuba there is
chain of small islands called the ISLE
Of Mangles. 1t is forty three miles lon
and thirty-fve miles wide, and its DO
ulation is estimated at about 1000. A
tho only ninety miles from Havana,
takes days Journey. to reach it. SIM
{l,N o,-l