The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-08

abstain from formal claim or complaint for
prudential reasons, lest worse should befall
them at tho hands of the insurgents and the
Spaniards in turn. accordingly as either may
gain temporary control OF their property. A
partial estimate OF material claims and in
under Sl9, 600. 900.
Nor does the loss fall upon capital alone.
classes are driven from the fields to the near
est towns. partly by the peremptory orders OF
the Local military commanders. and partly by
the cessation or destruction OF their only
means OF livelihood. They are well nigh des-
1uii ni'sd s Am 4 |s sSme f iisa m az the s exfsns OF Of t Ills
calainitous condition is given by the reports
which reach the department from a single dis
1T is officially reported that there are in one
provincial city alone some 1000 nece- sitous
refugees, from the surrounding country. TO
whom the municipal authorities can afford
little or no relief. Over 800 OF these are Amer
can citizens. engaged in prosperous farming
and stock raising at the beginning OF the out
break, whose employment and resources have
strife. reducing them from atluence to Lenury
and throwing them upon the charity Of an ex-
haustsd community in n devastated land.
All these disa conditions. with the
evils and disorders necessarily following in
their train, are interfering with the insular
avenues OF trade and very gravcly iImpairinH
the business operations of Cuba. y measure of
the general, falling OIL Is instructively found
at the fifteen polts of entry of Cuba, which.
from, S5.46o.2J5.77 during the first seven
corresponding period Of 1896. This lie but one
of many acce ssible examples to show that the
tHapsssini y@ nndsr q the sh ers tsi a o eo Hlsn rs last
"F:om whatever point OF view we regard the
state OF things exists ut our doors alike danger
Gus 10 good relations. destructive OF legitimate
commerce.. fatal TO the internal resources Of
Cuba. and most vexatious ana trying, because
e%ntailing upon his Government excessive bur-
dcns in its domestic. administration and in its
outward returns. This situation cannot indeh-
nitely continue without growing still worse.
and the time may not be far distant when the
its rights and interests as we'll as its interna-
tional duties in view OF its peculiar relations to
the island do not call for some decided change
in the policy hitherto pursued.
Besides the cases growing out Of the acts Of
the combatants in the interior, com plants have
not been infreQuent touching the course OF The
insu!ar Government in the centres where the
Spanish authorities assert po~litico-military
powers. Nunernos instances Of interference
with the persons, property. ves.els, and inter
ests OF citizens OF the United States h. We been
N every case where tho facts suliced to impute
cplpaoility or responsibility TO the AGENTS of
and vigorously sought.
THE right of every citizen arrested in Cuba
to have the benefit of tie ordinary criminal
proceedings guaranteed by existing treaties
has been enerGetically Insisted upon; the claim
OF the insular authorities to seize the persons
or. our citizens without process or charge Of
crime. and to detain them as suspects upon
mere administrative order. has been met with
prompt demand for immediate regular trial or
release: arbitrary restrictions upon ordinary
e. decrecd by the military power. and
ending to impair existing contracts of our clti-
2tns. have called forth impressive remonstrance
and promise OF redress: the right OF nur consu-
lar Representatives to address the local authOri-
ties IN ucfence OF any assailed interests of
Americans, whea questioned. has been success
fully defended; and unwarrantable acts of in
tertcrence with our vessels have been Mt once
resisted. The particulars of mauy of thess
cases-wtll 6e.Iound in the collected annual vol
States
I'm April last tho Competitor. a small
schooner or American registry. eludcd the vigil
Lane" OF the Federal authorities, took on board
men and supplies presumably intended TO aid
the Cuban Insurgents. aud reached the coast
of that island near San Cayetano. Being dis
covered by the spanish coast guard. "A conflict
ensncd. resulting in the capture OF n number
of those on "oard as well MS the seizure OF the
vessel: Tho Prisoners. among them several
American citizens, we're subjected to u sum
mary military trial. which, although conduct
petent, appeared to have lacked the essential
safeguards OF procedure stipulated by the cx-
and spain. This Government promptly in
tervered to secure for its implicated citizens
titled. including appeal from the pronounced
sentence OF death. Their cases were suisse
Snentiy carried to the higher tribunal at
and remanded the cases for %rctrial.
This Government has been constrained to
enter earnest protest agains, II recent decree of
the Cos ernor-General of Cubu. ordering tho
registration Of, all aliens In the island, and pro-
nouncing all those not registered within n Ger
tain time as debarred from appealing To the
provisions Of existing laws. The treaty rights
OF American citizens obviously depend on their
actual allegiance TO their own Government,
not upon any arbitrary inscription MS aliens
by the state wherein they may be soiourning,
and while this government Is well disposed 10
admit the. convenience of the proposed regis
try as an. additional evidence Of the right OF
such citizens In Cuba To the protection OF the
authorities, and has stgnitied its willingness 10
facilitate tneir registration, IL cai never con-
sent that the omission of a merely local Tor
mnlity can operate TO outlaw any ucrsNns on
titled to its protection as citizens. or TO abro-
gate the right TO the orderly rerourses OF Suan-
ish law solemnly guaranteed to them by
treaty"
In other portions of his report the Secretary
OF state reicrS to The arrests OF n ltui allied
American citizens in Austria lungary. and
says that tho progress made toward the set
tlemont OF this question has been most salts
factory.
In respect to the reimposltion of the tonnage
tax on German shipping, the report sa"s that
after an Investigation which slowed that port
dues we're being collected In German ports on
every American, yes 'el. the United States Am
bassAdnr ~ berlin was asked for an 'eXplana-
ton. whlch, when made was not deemed salts
factory. The report then refers To the fact
that the stringent measures adopted by Ger
many. ON assumed grounds OF public health"
against the importation of American cattle
and meat products have not been ameliorated,
but on the contrary, the disposition of Ger
many To stu further impede this Legitimate
traffic has been evidenced by fresh restrictive
Lac Insurance Company Is referred TO, and the
statement, Is added that Continuing endeav-
ora have been made TO secure for American
life insurance companies doing business in
PRUSSIA a nearing In remOnstrnnCe against the
restrictions sought TO DO imlA sed upon them"
aWI 1nl nRAHA A-IA - a. 1AI