Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-05-22
REVOLUTION IN SIGHT.
Isle of Pines People Will Dispute Cuban Authority.
Special to Democrat.)

Washington, D. C., May PA bloody revolution. in the Isle ol Pines against Cuban authority with in the near future is bound to occur
 unless the United States resumes con- trol of the island'
 This statement was made to-day by 5. II. Pearcy. one of the largest land owners in the Isle of Pines. and
 an American citizen who purchased
 his holdings shortly after the treaty
 or Paris, which gave the island to
 the United States. Mir Pearcy and his brother, Captain J. L. Pearcy, for
 years one of the secretaries of the
 democratic congressional committee, called at the White House to-day to
 talk the situation over with President
 Roosevelt. MT Pearey is fresh from
 the Isle of Pines, having arrived in the city Yesterday. The president re- fused to see them, but referred them to Secretary Root.
 did not come here to threaten the president with revolution in which hundreds of American lives would be endangered. said Mir Pear cy. II merely wanted to tell him the facts. As for myself as long as l have breath l will advise my neigh bors and fellow countrymen to re- frain from bloodshed. but I know that the majority of the people are tired of having their rights trampled under foot, of being arrested and carried to Cuba for trial. and that 1t would only take a little more oppres- sion to cause an actual outbreak.
 Americans now own nine-tenths of the property. which they pur- chased solely upon the assurances from President Mckinley and the war department that the island was American soil.is One-half of the pop- ulation is now American. and all of them went there relying upon the as- surances that the island belonged to the United States.
 Then came the treaty with Cuba ceding 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 exercised control over the island. And what control it has been.
 They keep a troop of negro sol diers quartered on the island all the time, who carry things with high hand. American citizens are arrest ed and carried over to Cuba for trial. because of their protests against the these soldiers, and because they pro- test against Cuban authority In gen. eral.
 Up to the present my taxes have to about s90 per year. but recently l received notice that here after 1t will be about s750 per year. an increase Of nearly 100 per cent. and not one , cents has been spent by the Cuban government for the im- provement of the island. The only way in which the money is used To- cally is in the payment of the negro soldiers who are quartered there. Not a bridge has been built, not road improved
 Conditions have reached criti- cal stage. The majority of the have sworn they will stand it no longer. and they have received all sorts of offers of aid from his country in case the matter cones io blows. l came here to tell the president of these conditions. not to make threats. and he refers me to Secretary Root. this cold man who has given us no sympathy and who insists upon the ratification of the reaty. We cannot see the American minister al Havana. When We 20 Q him with our complaints. he can not see us. according to instructions rom the state department. and we nave to talk with some subordinate Jerk
 The Isle of Pines is about the size ,f Rhode Island. and is exceedingly -ich in agricultural products. such as raif and tobacco.
 The administration some time ago ,nnouaced that the Isle of Pines be- onged to Cuba. and that the United states had no claim upon i,. That s why the president refused to see hose who call upon this mission. The Isle of Pines. people. though. oniinae to agitate their freedom rom Cuba