The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-24

solidated the debts and enga gements con-
tracted 10 put down the great rising OF 1858
1873 IN Cuba and the deficits arising out
Of budgets. in which the revenue always
fell short OF the credits required for these
debts and the cost Of maintaining Span
ish rude. The Cuban conso]s of 1885, SPA
900, 900. were again insufficient, and in 1880
the government mooted the Idea OF a
conversion of the per cent bonds OF
1856. For this purpose in 1880 the Cortes
authorized che creation of SIS 600, 900 of
per cent bonds. SAL OO0, 600 to take the
place of what was left of the per cent
bonds Of 1886. and s34 900 to consolidate
deficits, war-note issues. and other float
ing debts, accumulated between 1885 and
1890. Only the latter portion Of the is
sue of 1890 was placed. and the conversion
Of the debt OF 1856 was not carried out,
and the s141 900 of per cent. bonds
were lodged IN the colonial office at Mad
rid, from which they were taken by the
government Of Senior Canovas del Castillo,
with the authorization Of the Cortes in
1895. to be used for the expenses of the
civil war which broke out in February,
1895.
All sensible Spaniards understand that
they can therefore TO more ask the United
States and Cuba to undertake the pay
ment of the interest and amortization of
these s141, 900 of per cent Cuban bonds
of 1890 than they could ask America and
Cuba to undertake to pay interest and
amortization for all the loans and debts
subsequently contracted by Spain Ito go
on with her struggle with the Cuban in
surgents that eliminated in an equally
costly war with the states.
Besides the bonds of 1890, Spain has &C
tually thus raised more than three humid
red million dollars guaranteed by the
national treasury, though on paper stated
to be advanced to the Cuban treasury for
reestablishing order and Spanish rule.
On what grounds could such debts be
charged to the account of Cuba under in
dependent republic or American annexa-
ton, and would the Cubans not have very
strong grounds for declining to have any
thing to do even with the debts existing
In 1895, when the last rising took place?
1t is only very recently that the finan-
ciers of France, who started an anything
but prosperous railway in Porto Rico
some years ago, asked the Madrid govern
ment to take some steps to secure a guar
antee from the American government for
the interest of the capital employed in this
ailWay. These foreign ffnanciers plead
that the Spanish parliament had promised
the guarantee of the state for aninterest
of s per cent per annum on the capital
foreigners advanced on this enterprise
This is, however, one of the many Ques-
tons which were never in fact satisfac-
torily settled, since quite as many Span
ish lawyers declared that it was Spain
that had given this pledge as there was
others who declared that the pledge had
only been given by the insular treasury.
No definite reply could ever be elected in
parliament from many successive cabinets
despite questions put in the Cortes. enoI
Canovas when consulted, most emphat-
ically stated that the imperial guarantee
had been given by the Cortes only to the
Cuban and to no other colonial debt OF
enterprise.
Lastly the Spanish commissioners al
Paris will be instructed to ask the United
States to use their influence to secure for
Spanish imports in Cuba some special
advantages and to grant the same i'm
port concessions in the tariff of the United
States, as well as in al countries under
the flag of the Union, like Hawaii, Porte
Rico, and whatever territory Spain may
cede in the oceanic arcnipelagoes The
bill voted by the Cortes is very sweeping
as it empower sthe government ''to re.
nounce sovereignty in Cuba and to cedt
territories in the colonies"
Id tahorimbfgw neutrality-suspicious.