The Washington herald., 1909-01-21
By FREDERIC ]. HAsKIN.

Nueva Corona, Isle Of Pines, Jan. Is
Whatever may be the outcome Of the dis
pute as 20 the sovereign title 10 the Isle
Of Pines. it remains a fact. and wiz re-
main so. that in everything except SOW
ereignty, the Isle Of Pines is thoroughly
American.
Ninety-fve per cent OF the property is
owned by Americans. Ninety-ive per
cent OF the cultivated lands is TILED by
Americans. The American settlers are
living on their lands. building homes for
themselves founding towns, and hustling.
Every one OF them believes that Presi-
dent Mckinley and Secretary OF State
John Hay were right when they inter
preted the Treaty OF Paris 10 mean that
the Isle OF Pines was American territory
Most OF the land owned by Americans
was acquired upon the assurance OF Mr-
Mckinley and the Washington govern
ment that tfle island would remain under
the American flag.
The people here are unanimous in eE-
pressing tie belief that President ROose-
Velt and Secretary Of State Root were
the decisions Of their predecessors in Of
fee. They are unanimous in hoping that
the Senate viii continue TO refuse 10
ratify the Isle Of Pines Treaty, thus keep
ing the question open
The political status Of the island is Of
\ great moment, Of course, but the people
here are not limiting their activities be-
cause the question is still unsettled. They
are going ahead with the Development
OF the island They are planting citrus
fruit groves and pineapple fields, conf
dent that fruit win grow in this fertile
country whatever may be the flag that
flies over the custOm-house.
Il The Isle OF Pines lies a little south OF
/ Cuba. Il IS about the size OF the state
OF Rhode Island, and IS naturally divided
into two sections. northern and southern.
by a salt marsh The northern section is
the larger. and it is the only part which
has been developed The southern sec
ton is heavily timbered with hardwood
/ trees and was wholly uninhabited until
the Americans came There IS now
small colony al work getting out hard
wood lumber. but there is no permanent
settlement The hardwood forests OF this
section OF the island VIII produce mil
lions OF dollars worth OF rare lumber
! The Isle OF Pines was first visited by
! Columbus, but Il was not occupied until
/ the Spanish government in Havana made
Il a penal colony. There has been some
agriculture for centuries. but no general
+ development until now. The native in
/ habitants. the Pineros. live as near 10
Z nature as possible. Their houses are the
+ matched huts. OF bohios. familiar in
Y Cuba They live with very little work,
for the remarkably productive soil yields
them sustenanCe with almost no cuiriVa-
/ ton The banana Is everywhere. and with
a banana patch in the back yard, the
wolf at the door Is not 10 be feared
/ GeoiOgicaIly. the Isle OF Pines IS most
interesting It and a portion OF the prov
/ ince Of PiBar del Rio in Cuba form the
( Oldest land known in the American hem
+ isphere. It IS a striking coincidence that
/ this island and Pinar del Rio have the
only lands on earth which viii produce
/ the famous vuelta abajo tobacco. The
/ Isle OF Pines has a hube mountain OF
white marble. Il IS owned by Pitts
I burg millionaire but il is not being de-
/ vel0ped. Many years ago the marble
Cuarries OF this mountain were worked
and there are handsome staircases, and
maHtels in Havana houses which attest
/ the beauty Of the Pinero marbles.
Havana cigar manufacturers ROW de-
ny that the Isle Of Pines VIII produce
/ true vuelta abajo tobacco. Nevertheless.
I It Is a fact that in the years 1896. 1897.
and 1S9S. when the war was on in Cuba,
/ all Havana cigars were made Of tobacco I
grown on the Isle OF Pines. When the
war ended and agriculture was resumed
/ IN PinaT del Rio. the tobacco industry
/ in this island perished. Only last year
/ tobacco grown on the Isle Of Pines was
! accepted by Havana experts. who were
/ deceived into believing il came from
+ Pi1aT del Rio. II Is possible that the
I business viii be revived here. and the /
Leaf shipped 10 the States for cOnsump-
I ton
The Americans here are going In for /
fruit growing. William Mason, a New
York silk factor OF great prominence. has
the oldest and finest citrus groves on the /
island Mr. MasOn's two sons, Yale men, /
/ are actively in charge OF the plantation /
and stay here the year round A net
profit of $40 an acre IN a poor citrus /
fruit year is not so bad, and the Messrs- |
Mason are entirely content with their /
ISLAND home in the summer seas
1T Mckinley. a settlement named IN /
honor Of the President, there is one Of |
the biggest orange groves IN the world. /
II has 90 acres OF citrus trees, all OF
which viii come into bearing next year. /
The immigration from the United States
is increasing all the time. The land own /
ers Of the island are selling their prop
erty 70 actual settlers There IS no ab- !
sentee landlordism TO contend with IN 1
this American colony
Driving from the Mckinley grove TO the /
Mckinley town site, one sees scores OF /
-. -