The Indianapolis journal., 1898-10-19
While the United States Is Determined
that Only Municipal Debts Shall he
Assumed by the Cubans.
CRISIS IN THE NEGOTIATIONS
PARIS EDITORS BOLDLY WORKING
UP SENTIMENT FOR SPAIN.
The Castilian Commissioners Hoping
for n Democratic Victory in the
United States Next Month.
peelal to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Oct 1S-The differences
between the Spanish and American peace
commissioners are known to have reached
an acute stage, and open acknowledgment
any moment of failure to agree would oc-
casion no surprise in well-informed quar-
ters The President is in almost hourly
communication with the peace commission
ers in Paris, and as messages to and fro
pass through the State Department insiders
here are kept advised as to what is going
on. That the administration is not satis-
fled with the present situation is now adj
mitted by those who are close to the throne.
1t has become evident that the Madrid gov
ernment is playing to delay proceedings until
after the November elections. in the hope of
obtaining better terms. A Democratic VIC
tory would be construed by the Spaniards
and Europeans generally as a public or pop
ular verdict of disapproval of the war, and
they are hoping to put off action until they
can have this leverage in their favor The
haggling is over the Cuban debt The Span
ish contention is that in assuming control
over the affairs of the island the United
States becomes responsible for this debt,
or for certain classes of the bonds an OBJ
legation which may be $3.50, 1000 or $780,
OOO, ,OO0
To-day's advices are that the American
peace commissioners have declared in un-
equivocal terms that it is not the purpose
of this government TO assume sovereignty
over Cuba, but to confine our Offices to
friendly assistance in the creation of a
stable and independent government This
stand relieves the United States of any
shadow Of responsibility for the Cuban debt,
and simplifies matters very much. 1t meets
the point which was raised by Senator For
aker in his recent interviews and leaves the
Madrid government without a leg to stand
on or without legitimate excuse for de-
lay in coming to an understanding at Paris.
Nevertheless it is believed the Spaniards
will seek to obtain delay on one pretext or
another until after the November elections
unless they are called to account sharply by
the Americans. and this it is believed, will
be done almost Immediately.
Strictly speaking, Cuba has no debt. That
is to say, no debt has been contracted by the
Cuban people for their own benefit. Many
years ago the Spanish government, finding
an item in it's accounts which it could not
conveniently dispose of in any other way.
arbitrarily charged it against Cuba, and
thus created a Cuban debt That debt has
since been augmented by miscellaneous ad-
ditions chiefly by military expenditures. 1t
is credibly stated that the cost of wars in
Africa and the Philippines has been
charged against Cuba. Certainly the cost
of suppressing the various Cuban rebellions
has, and so, it is presumed has been the
cost of waging the last war against the in
surgents and of the disastrous war with this
country. Last year the amount of the debt
thus created was over $S5OOOO,OO0. AT the
present time 1t is possibly not far from $780,
100000 1t represents chiefly the cost of keep
ing Cuba in subsection to Spain. Practically
none of it represents benefits conferred on
Cuba and now enjoyed by that island 1t
is therefore Cuban debt in name only. In
fact, it is Spanish debt, contracted by
Spain for her own benefit.