WASHINGTON Irving, the famous American author, wrote 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,' which was about the misadventures of the lanky Ichabod Crane. Hardly anyone remembers that in 1809, Irving wrote about treaties. He said: 'Treaties at best are complied with so long as an interest requires their fulfillment. Consequently, they are virtually binding on the weaker party only; or, in plain truth, they are not binding at all.'

Irving's words were proven true 89 years later. Because its interests required it, the United States went to war against the Spanish Empire, the weaker party which admitted it 'had no means of defense.' Taking advantage of Spain's weakness and the wars of independence in its last three colonies, America demanded that Spain cede Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, including the Marianas. The Spanish-American War broke out in the Caribbean, traversed the Pacific Ocean to Manila Bay. After a series of meetings in Paris, Spain accepted $20 million in exchange for said colonies and signed the Treaty of Paris with the US on Dec. 10, 1898. In plain truth, as Irving said, the treaty was more binding on the weaker party.