The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-08-26
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal.
Chippewa Falls, Wis, Aug. 25.-
Congressman j.. j. Jenkins Of this city,
chairman of the Judiciary COMMITTEES
OF the national house Of representa-
tives, IN an interview today said that
CUBA was part Of the United States
and as such the United States govern
m nnan hi NAG J., tight to end any disturb
Of its other territories. He said:
:".Cuba is domestic and not foreign
territory. Under international law,
independent of all treaty obligations,
Cuba became domestic territory at the
close of the war with Spain. But after
the ratification of the treaty with
Spain, Cuba became domestic territory
by virtue of the treaty and the subse-
9uent action of the United States.
weaken the sovereignty of the United
States over the island, but strengthened
it. The United States can only divcst
itself of sovereignty over Cuba by an
act of congress. That has not been
done. The exercise of sovereignty
over territory is the test as to
whether it is foreign or domestic,
There is no question but that the United
States assumed full sovereignty over
the island
- LIE supreme, court or the United
That in June 1900 the island Of CHA
was: occupied by and under the control
OF the United States, and that it is
stu SO occupied, and control cannot be
disputed, . 800
Supreme Court Mistaken
eff it. were not for what was said
oy me supreme Court in this case, there
could not be. the slightest question in
ne ne ming "a OF any individual Of the
United States; The; supreme court IS
words imply. that Cuba is being held
in. trust BY the United States. But I
contend that this is not true as a fact.
and that no such conditions exist as a
| matter Of law. Our title is absolute
mistaken as the supreme court, is, the
court is authority for my position that
the United; States was exercising SOW
erignty over the territory and that
that sovereignty is a test as to whether
the territory is foreign or domestic, and
that an act of congress is necessary to
change the sovereignty
;, Let 1t be. steadily borne in mind
that up to this time congress has not
Invested the, United States of SOW
erignty over the island. The status Of
Cuba is independent of all promises.
actual or SO called, on the part Of the
United States thru the Plat amend.
ment. If Cuba is foreign territory
Cuba can act absolutely independently
OF the United States, for the Platt
amendment would not be binding on
that territory or the people of Cuba.
"A Legislative Point.
"To make the Plat amendment
operative the person contending for it
must concede that Cuba was or is do
nestle territory, for how could the
United States legislate with reference
to foreign territoryq If Cuba is for
elgn territory and the United States
attempted to interfere with the island
without the consent of the government
tion Of war. If Cuba is dom estic ter
ritory, as I insist it is, all that remains
to be- done is for congress to legislate
at will, with reference to the island.
AS I understand it., all those who in
sist that Cuba is foreign territory also
insist that under the so-called Platt
amendment the United States has Il
right to interfere with the internal re-
lations Of Cuba -
Plat Amendment Doesn't Count,
"My Judgment is that the so-called
Platt amendment is of no value what
ever In determining the legal status of
Cuba as far as the United States is
concerned. All Of the Philippine and
Porto Rican cases decided by the SUI
creme court Of the United States af-
firm my conclusion and absolutely re-
verse all that was previously stated by
that court In the so-called Nicely case,
as far as it can be considered an au-
thority for the position that Cuba is
foreign territory. Whenever the ~ques-
ton Of the legal status Of Cuba again
comes before the supreme court of the
United States that court is gonig to
hold according to my conclusions or
else reverse all of the decisions made in
the so-called Philippine and Porto
Rican cases. ~:- -. +
t''There is some doubt, after a thoro
study Of the situation, that the United
States has a right to put down any
revolution in Cuba when the local gov
eminent there shows that it cannot
cope with the situation.'