The times., 1898-12-29
THURSDAY. DECEMBER %. 1895.
Is There a Hidden Den.:

THURSDAY, DECEMBER %. 1885.
Is TEcrc n Hidden Dcn!:
An article which appeared in the Even
ing Star of yesterday and which is re-
produced On The editorial page of The
Times. has occasioned some surprise in
Washington from the fact that it is writ
ten as If inspired by some one N the
White House, or near TO the President. 1t
has often happened that the Administra-
tion has put out ''Geelers" tn g b.
scure or indifferent sources to test Con-
gressioDal or public feeling in CON c.
tion with things contemplated in high
quarters. The publication in question
may Or may not be matter OF that oFt.
- The story given is that Mr.. Mckinley
purposes to recommend 10 Congre S, legis-
lation favorable 10 the claims of American
citizens against Spain, agreeably to the
terms of the Peace Treaty. In reviewing
that document, when The Times printed
its text several days in advance OF other
Washington journals, We called attsLtion
to slightly ambiguous, and perhaps sig
niiicant set Of engagements involved in
it. Article recites that in assuming
military occupation of Cuba, the United
States while the occupation CONTINUES,
shall take upon themselves and fulfill the
obligations, which by the fact of occupa-
tion. international law imposes on them
for the protection of life and property"
II viii be observed that the American
people are left in the dark as TO what the
Peace Commission or the Administration
considers the limit of responsibility
which that rather indeterminate thing.
international law" binds the country to
in the premises. The Spanish Commits
sioners, and the cabinets of continental
Europe affectionately disposed toward the
Spanish bondholders, have contended tlat
the assumption of control over Cuba by
the United States, carried with it assump-
lion of responsibility for the Spanish debt
contracted On the security of the Cuban
revenues. Nothing in the first article of
the treaty suggests anything Of that kind,
but when il is read in connection with
other statements in the same instrument,
there is at least room for a suspicion that
engagements on The part of our Govern
ment are contemplated, that il would not
be well to indite in plain, comprehensive
language.
Article VII provides that Spain and the
United States shall mutually renounce all
claim to national or private indemnity of
whatever kind of one government against
the other government. THE
United States shall judge and settle the
claims OF its citizens against Spain which
are renowned in this article"
Article XVI Tecites that whatever obli-
cations are accepted under this treaty by
the United States with respect TO Cuba are
limited &c the period OF their occupation
OF the island, but at the end of such oc-
cupation they viii advise the government
that may be established IN the island that
it should accept the same obligations
Enemies of the Peace Treaty were say
ing last night that, in the hint of the Ad-
ministration purpose, conveyed in the
newspaper article TO which we have re-
ferred, the Spanish bend and sugar Afri
can was emerging from the wood pile.
Their argument is that the international
obligations imposed by occupation of Cuba,
in the view of The Administration. will be
found to coincide with the position of the
Spanish Peace Commission on that sub
ject: namely, that occupation is an as
sumption of sovereignty under the circum
stances, carrying with it responsibility for
the Spanish Cuban debt. Granting that in
Article XVI, the United States undertakes
in effect by force maieure," TO transfer
the obligation 10 the future Cuban republic
and doubtless would DO so as condition
precedent to its recognized existence.
Again, under Article VII, the United
States engages 10 Judge and settle claims
of its citizens against Spain growing out of
conditions anterior 10 the ratification of the
treaty.
On the face of things, it does certainly
seem that the widest latitude has been
given to the claimant class, and that there
is a possibility of uncomfortable demands
the terms OF the treaty, its opponents
are. perhaps, exensable in asserting that
they offer the syndicate influences,
heretofore all-powerful with the kd-
ministraiion, a chance to get it to
admit that international Jaw rem
ders this Government responsible for the
Spanish Cuban bonds. That point gained,
it would be easy 10 force the Ad-
ministration 10 claim national necessity
for paying the whole debt. falling back
upon the ability mentioned in the treaty
10 shoulder it of on the island government
by and by.
But the initial responsibility would lie
upon the United States. It is under prom
Use to Judge and settle" the claims of its
own citizens against Spain, and perhaps
might look 20 Cuba later for reimburse
ment Twenty-six million dollars in claims
are already on file in the State Department.
How much more may be asked is ques-
tion. but not necessarily a mysterious one
Al present We are unable to see why the
Atkins -Mccook sugar land claims, which
are based on real estate and improvements,
and will certainly be considered, are likely
TO be any more sacred in the eyes of the
Administration than the claims of other
American citizens who assert that they