Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-04-18
ISLE OF PINES.

Davenport Times Notwithstanding
the expression of opinions to the con-
trary in the comments upon the SUI
preme courts decision on the status
of the Isle of Pines. there is no legal
reason to hinder the annexation OF
that small island to the United States
by treaty with the Cuban republic,
when 1t is again established, but in
the light Of the decision and of the
Teller amendment; adopted by con-
gress before the war with Spain was
begun, there is moral obligation up
on the President and the senate not
to formulate such treaty.
In the treaty with Spain at the
close of the Spanish American war,
Spain relIneuished her rights to
Cuba" and, ceded to the United
States, Porto Rico and other West
Indian islands under Spanish author
ity," together with the Philippines and
the island of Gaum in the Pacific. The
point made in The decision Of the SUI
preme court is that for many years
prior to the treaty of Paris the Isle If
Pines, although separated from the
4 Cuban mainland by strip of water
80 miles wide, had always been con
sidered, and administered as part
i'of Cuba. 1t was under administrative
authority of Havana It is held that
the word "Cuba" includes the Isle of
Pines and that the expression porto
Rico and other West Indian islands
under Spanish authority" referred to
| the island of Porto Rico and the ad-
4 iacent reefs and small islands
/ However after the treaty Of Paris
had been signed and while the Amer,-
cans were in occupation Of Cuba, AS
sistant Secretary Meikeljohn and As
sistant Adiutant General John j.
Pershing wrote some letters which
were published in the summer Of 1890
in which the statements was made
that the Isle of Pines was ceded to
the United States with the other West
Indian islands. Notwithstanding the
4 fact that these subordinants spoke
1 without authority of any kind aud
were merely giving their personal op
4 inions, their statements were accept
ed as correct and many Americans
from Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa in
vested in lands and undertook to pre-
empt homesteads in the Isle of Pines
| Becoming suspicious that their posi-
|
began bombardment of congress
for an expression of opinion on the
status of the island. When the Cuban
constitution was framed a distinct pro-
4 vision was inserted as part Of the
/ Platt amendment, which provided that
the status of the Isle of Pines should
be determined later by treaty between
the United States and the republic OF
1 Cuba.
/ Then came the negotiation of a
1 treaty providing that tue Isle Of Pines
was to be given to the Jurisdiction o1
Cuba. That was in 1904. The treaty
was reported favorably by the senate
i committee, but was not acted upon
4 promptly. and then came the break
down of the Palma government
Further delay was occasioned because
the United States could not make q
treaty with itself as administrator OF
trustee in Cuba.
But now the United States supreme
court has pronounced, in decl
sion in a revenue dispute, that the
Isle of Pines is and always has been
foreign territory because it is and al
ways has been part of Cuba, anG
WdS oO uAuClStOOQ ny Npll1 dC luz
i time Of the treaty of Paris. The
4 United States is morally bound not te
take over the island ny treaty because
lie United States announced to the
world, at the beginning Of the Spanish
American war, that the war was waget
without thought or expectation Of ac
curing "Cuba" as American territory
The American residents in the Isle ol
Pines appear to have made a bad bar
gain. The senate is opposed to an
nexation, the supreme court says the
island is properly part of Cuba. and
that being the case, the United States
is morally, if not legally bound not tc
acquire the island The Americans
will have to sell out as best they car
and come home or be content to live
under Cuban rule.
HARD TIMES.