The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-09-12
THE FAMOUS MORACLA|M.
A Strange Complication 0VoF q
CubaA'S Estate.
NEW AND INTERESTING FACTS.
IL Was Once All but settled at si'Soo,-
900. but IL stiIl Pending Increase In
Lifs-saving force--Presidentiai APP
pointmsnta
NEW AND INTERESTING FACTS,


side to the Mora case against the Spanish
government. q bill In regard to which IL
now pending before congress, On:the fsce
OF the papers no claim could make a
stronger showing.
Congress has passed repeated resolutions
urging its payment. Some of the most
eminent counsel Of the United States have
been engaged to ask action upon 1t by the
committee on foreign affairs and foreign
relations Of the house and senate. The
state department has more than once been
induced to instruct our minister In Spain
to press for q settlement from the Spanish
government.
An agreement was once actually entered
Into by Spain for its settlement ON basis
OF 81, ,500.0 900, to be charged against the
Cuban budget. when Edward II. Strobel,
now third assistant secretary of state, was
secretary of legation at Madrid. Yet there
are said to be circumstances of most pc
culiar nature back of the claim which
justify the statement that Spain will re-
sist to the utmost any compliance with
demand for its settlement
IL Mora an AmericanS
Maimo Mora, in whose name the claim
II filed, is a venerable Cuban gentleman,
over 10 years Of age. unable to speak more
than few words of English. 1t Is as
serted that he took out papers as an Amer
lean citizen chiefly for the purpose of saw
ing his large property In Cuba, valued at
several millions of dollars, from confisca-
tion by the Spanish government on the
ground Of his alleged sympathy with the
Cuban revolutionists. In this he was un-
successful. His property was forfeited,
and this claim was br ought against Spain
in his name as an American citizen. 1t is
also asserted that Mora now retains
only few thousand dollars of personal
interest In the claim. He has parted with
the rest OF 1t to those who have been so en-
ergeticslly pressing the case on his behalf.
Rightly or wrongly, the Spanish gov
ernment IL firmly imbued with the im-
preston that the question between Senior
Mora and itself IL one between q govern
ment and one of its own subjects, In which
the United States has no proper interest
that Mora's American citizenship.
In fact, was little more than simulated
allegiance. Mr.. Moret, the Spanish
minister, who made provisional agree
ject to the approval of the cortes, was
count
ssnate's Honor Involved.
In public debate In the Spanish cortes,
the harshest things were said about the
claim, and the severest possible criticism
was passed upon the United States lega-
ton for, M was implied, permitting itself
to be used claim agent to enforce an un-
just demand against friendly govern
ment II was stated that the Moret
agreement was procured by repres enta-
tions made to the Spanish government by
persons representing the Mora claim; that
senator's of the United States were so
much interested Ia this matter that they
were willing to approve q liberal recipro-
city treaty with Spain provided the Mora
claim was paid In other words, the im.
preston WAS conveyed 60 Spanish officials
that United States senators were cor
ruptly interested In the Mora claim.
These accusations were so openly made
tina. Perry Belmont, when minister to
Madrid, peremptorily refused, IL Is said, to
follow the instructions of the state de.
partment by further pressing the CLAIM
upon the Spanish government, and In this
course he was followed, so the story goes,
by his successor. ex-senator Palmer Of
Michigan. Mr.. Belmont forwarded a
translation of the debate in the Spanish
cortes to the state department In explana-
tion Of his action.
Hidden Facts.
In the last congress, In response TO q
resolution offered by Mr.. Dolph. all the
recent papers in the case were forwarded
to the senate committee on foreign rela-
tions, including this debate in the Spanish
cortes. The papers were voluminous. and
the singular assertion is made that their
arrangement for publication was left in
the hands Of some Of the numerous at
torneys interested in the claim, and that
the debate In the cortes was withheld
from publication. 1t certainly does not
appear In the official senate document.
Altogether the Mora claim has appar-
emily much more In 1t than appears on the
surface. and some interesting develop
ments are expected. 1t is not questioned
that most Of those who have urged its
settlement have been actuated by firm be-
lief Ia the justice OF the claim. but II the
statements now made are suhstantiated,
thev have bpeu misled as Tn the facta