Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-11-09
SDain'S Debts.

| The United states spent some mill
ions of dollars in driving Spain out of
the western hemisphere, and in accom-
publishing the other results of the war.
To suppose that this country will spend
any money in paying any of the debts
incurred by Spain or her colonies dur
ing the long misrule of that country in
the West Indies and the Philippines is
an absurdity.
The United States accomplished the
emancipation of Cuba under the condi-
tons set forth in the resolution of con-
gress. The freeing of Puerto Rico and
the capture of Manila We're results in
cidental to the war and it's main pur-
poses. The terms Of the protocol eX-
tinguishes Spain's title to Cuba and
Puerto Rico and left to the future the
disposition and control OF the Philip
pines to be determined by the peace
commission now in session in Paris,
thai is, by the American members of
the commission, for it would be folly to
admit that the conquered power can
a Z III II s VI NCtb uppil plOBocIllpliS
arising in the sessions of the commits
sion during the negotiations for peace
between the two countries. Spain has
coded to this country the right to dis
pose of the Philippines. Her signature
to the protocol committed that country
to that proposition, and for the Madrid
government to make any demands re-
garding the payment of Spanish debts,
which have been contracted in fighting
rebellious subjects for the past 20 years.
on either Cuba or in the Philippine ISL
ands, is an attempt to avoid the terms
of the protocol which procured a sus-
pension of hostilities.
These matters should have been
thought of before the Maine and her
crew We're sent to the bottom of the
Havana harbor by one of the basest
acts of treachery ever committed in the
history of the world. The protocol
makes no mention of the Cuban debt,
and in positively refusing to assume
one cent of that. the American commits
sioners acted clearly within the right of
the nation. The Philippine debt is not
a matter which under the terms
of the protocol, and in refusing to "be
held up by Spain for a sum of money,
$240, 900, 900, sufficient to pay both the
Cuban and the Philippine debts. this
government is acting within her rights.
The plea made by the Spaniards that
the REIMBURSEMENT of the islands with
out some large compensation would
bankrupt the nation does not affect the
concerned, in the least.
1t was enough for the United States
to spend blood and treasure in COM
polling Spain to leave this hemisphere
and cease her frightful cruelties. That
was a sacrifice for right and humanity
which few other nations would have
made, no matter how loudly a starving
and oppressed people called for aid. To
insist now that this country shall pay
for the privilege of abating a nuisance,
one maintained by Spain, is preposter-
ous. The debts which the Spanish COM
missioners are talking about in such
grieved tones are the results of IN evil
career. Let Spain pay them herself,
and by that means learn a lesson which
ought to reform that land in many
ways. Neither the United States nor
the people of the emancipated islands
ran justly be called upon to make any
further sacrifices to save the pride of a
the march Of progress that it willfully
and premeditatedly insults a friendly
nation by sinking it's vessels in her
own harbors,