Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-21
REVOLT rs PREDICTED
AMERICANS IN ISLE OF PINES
STIRRED UP.
8. n. Pearcy Declares That a Little
More Oppression VIII Cause q
Bloody Outbreak.

"A bloody revolt in the Isle of Pines
against Cuban authority within the near
future 10 bound to take place unless the
United States resumes control Of the
island"
This statement was made today by y.
H. Pearcy one Of the largest land owners
in the Isle Of Pines and an American citi-
zen who purchased his holdings shortly
after the treaty Of Paris, which some
claim gave the island to the United States.
Mr.. Pearcy and his brother. Capt. ]. l..
Pearcy. for years one of the secretaries
OF the democratic congressional committee,
called at the White House today to dis
cuss the situation with President Roose-
welt. Mr.. Pearcy Is fresh from the Isle
OF Pines having arrived in the city yester-
day. The President refused to see them,
but referred them to Secretary Root.
Rights Trampled Upon.
u did not come here to threaten the
President with a revolution in which hun
dreds of American lives would be endan-
gered," said Mr.. Pearcy afterward II
merely wanted to tell him the facts. AS
for myself. as long as have breath will
advise my neighbors and fellow country
men to refrain from bloodshed, but / know
that the majority of the people are tired
",
or being arrested and carried to Cuba for
trial and that 1t would take only little
more oppression to cause an actual out
break
americans now own nine-tenths of the
property. which they purchased solely upon
the assurances from President Mckinley
and the War Department that the island
was American soil. One-half of the popu-
atlon Is now American, and all of them
went there relying upon the assurances
that the island belonged to the United
States
Then came the treaty with Cuba ced-
Ing this island in consideration of certain
coaling stations in Cuba which we already
had.
For three years this treaty has been
held up in the Senate. but Cuba has exer-
cised control over the island. And what
control it has been. They keep a troop OF
negro soldiers quartered on the island all
the time. who carry things with high
hand. American citizens are arrested and
carried over to Cuba for trial because OF
their protests against the manner in which
they are treated by these soldiers, and be-
cause they protest against Cuban authority
in general
Taxes 1ncreased-No Improvement.
Up to the present my taxes have amount
ed to about 800 per year, but recently
received notice that hereafter they will be
about $3.50 per year, an increase of nearly
700 per cent, and not 8 cents has been
spent by the Cuban government for the
Improvement of the island The only way
In which the money is used locally Is In the
payment of the negro soldiers who are
quartered there. Not a bridge has been
built. not a road improved.
Conditions have reached critical stage.
The majority Of the Americans have sworn
they Will stand 1t no longer, and they have
received all sorts of offers of aid from this
country In case the matter comes to blows
L came here to tell the President of these
conditions not to make threats and he re-
fers me to Secretary Root, who has given
US no sympathy and who insists upon the
ratification of the treaty. We cannot see
the American minister at Havana When
we go to him with our complaints he can
not see u.s. according to instructions from
the state Department, and we have to talk
with some subordinate clerk"
The Isle of Pines is about the size of
Rhode Island. and Is exceedingly rich in
agricultural products, such as fruit and to-
haccO.