The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-21
CATHOLICS NOT ALARMED
THEIR CHURCH WILL NOT SUFFER
IN CUBA OR PORTO RICO.
Interview with Archbishop Ireland,
Who Thinks the West Indies No
Field for PrOtestants.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20.-Premier Sagas-
ta's claim. as set forth in Madrid dispatches,
that Spain will expect indemnity for all
government property, buildings barracks.
fortifcations, ETC., in Cuba, Porto Rico and
elsewhere, has excited much comment as
showing the difficult questions to be treated
by the military and peace commissions. In
official quarters there is disposition TO
make a counter claim to Sagasta's PROPOSE
ton, for this will be done in due time before
the commissions, and there is no purpose
to outline the governments policy in adj
vance At the same time leading officials
express their individual opinion that Pre-
mier Sagasta's claim is very far fetched.
as it is said to be the established rule of
international law that all public property OF
a sovereign government passes to the con-
querer when a change of territory occurs.
The rule is equally well established that
private property undergoes no change. The
question is somewhat complicated in the
present case by the fact that Cuba and
Porto Rico are not acquired strictly by con-
quest, but rather by mutual agreement. In
case of a conquest no question could arise
as to the passing of all forts, barracks,
reservations, ETC., along with the conquered
territory The rule on this point, as laid
down by the United States Instructions tor
the government of armies in the field is as
follows:
Article 31--A victorious army appro-
PIRATES all public money, seizes all public
movable property until further directions
by Its government and sequesters for its
own benefit, or for that of it's government,
all the revenues of real property belonging
to the hostile government or nation. The
title to such real property remains in abey-
ance during the military occupation, and
until conquest is made complete
The regulations further provide:
Article 34-As a general rule, property
that belongs to the churches, to hospitals
or other establishments of an exclusive
charitable character, to establishments OF
education or foundations for the promotion
of knowledge, whether public schools, uni
versities, academies of learning or observu-
tories, museums of fine art or of scien-
tifc characteristic property is not to oe
considered public property in the sense Of
Paragraph 81, but it may be taxed or used
when the public service may require it,
While these are general rules in the casa
of actual conquest 1T is appreciated that
new principles may be required to meet new
conditions, as the circumstances under
which Cuba and Porto Rico come under our
control are somewhat novel; In the case
of Cuba the question is further complicated
by the fact that the United States has not
asserted purpose to acquire or annex the
territory, but merely to free it from Spanish
domination.
Reported insurgent raids in Cuba caused
considerable comment in official circles to-
day, but the view was taken at the War
Department that the raids did not indicate
a purpose on the part of the Cubans TO dis
regard the suspension of hostilities. 1t IS
presumed that the raids occurred before the
Cubans were aware of the armistice ar
ranged by the United States authorities.