Formal, Patronizing, Strict

Congress doesn't pull any punches with the Platt Amendment. It says that Cuba must follow these rules if it wants to be independent, as though Congress doesn't trust the country to run itself alone. (Congress didn't, but also it wanted control for economic and military reasons.)

It's a government doc, and we see the formal tone through words like "whereas" and "provided as follows" (I). It's patronizing because America is clearly in the driver's seat here, acting like a parent setting ground rules for its kid. And it's strict, because the rules are written with zero compassion or softness…just straight, hard demands.