Evening star., 1898-08-25
S P A N S H PROPERTY
Government Buildings in Cuba That Will Be
Claimed.
Not Much of Any Value Except I'm
characterization for the
Commissions.

What Spain owns in Cuba is one of the
subjects that will be brought before the
Joint military commission, evidently with
the purpose of later appeal to the peace
commission in Paris. When the MARQUIS of
Montaro was chosen as a member of the
Havana commission this purpose was sub
stantia:ly avowed. State Department Off
cials are aware that Spain is tenacious
even in defeat. She wants to claim all that
would have been hers If she had been
treating for the sale of Cuba instead of ar
ranging for the evacuation of the island by
her troops. The hints thrown out from
Madrid that there is difference between
cesslon of territory and cession of sover-
eighty are further indication of the hope
winch the Sagasta ministry entertaius of
securing some indemnity. 1t will probably
come in the form of a proposition that a
valuation be put on the Spanish govern
ment property in Cuba and that this
amount, guaranteed by the United States
be applied on the Cuban debt Such an ar
fangement would be very satisfactory to
the holders of the bonds issued to meet the
tNpenses expenses incurred in trying to suppress the
encouragement in Washington.
Little of Value.
The reports made by the consuls to the
State Department during the last three
So q iAstiS ABOUT the
property Of Spain in Cuba, but It is not
Very definite. There is less, however, than
might be supposed. Government buildings
were not erected in English and French
colonies. Outside Havana little is owned
In the towns the post offices and custom
houses were usually rented, and since the
outbreak of the revolution Spain has been
bad tenant, seldom paying and always re-
fuslng to be elected. In the different prov
lhces there is practically no property of
value held by the civil government of those
provinces. In the various towns the local
councils usually have d suite of rooms re-
served in the city hall for the high officials
Who might visit them, but these municipal
buildings were not the property of the CEN
tral government Their local hospitals and
other institutions We're taken possession of
by the military authorities and nothing was
paid them. When the war with the United
states came on the majority Of the munich
pahties in Cuba were bankrupt 1t is not
presumed their financial condition has i'm
proved since then. Though Spain goes the
municipalities stay, and if there is to be
compensation to that country deduction
VIII have to be made for what she owes
the local government.
Property in Havana
In Havana the property for which the
Sagasta ministry evidently intends to ask
indemnity is considerable. The palace and
Il
tude seems to have baen assumed from the
statement that the admins ira ton was dis
posed to be magnanimous and that arma-
ment of historic memories would be re-
turned to Spain. The Krupp guns and
otker modern defenses of HAVANA are not
historic, and they will be needed by what
ever authority takes the place of Spanish
sovereignty, whether the United States or
an Independent republic under its protec-
uon- The property which is adjunct TO the
pert, including the floating dock is also a
valuable asset. If the Madrid cabinet cou 4
SECURE compensation for all this under The
tfeory that an indemnity is due for ceding
sovereignty, 1t would probably be able to
sdtisly the bondholders. Inc Marquis Mon
taro, by virtue of his office as secretary of
the treasury, may be assumed to be famiI-
lar With ali these subjects. II is doubtful
however, whether he knows much about
II EN-. Inc autonomist cabinet never got
lar enough along to De familiar with lhe
cetalls oil Spanish government in Cula
ASIDE from TINS, he Is a man of talent and
Oh personal character. He could not per
sGade his fellow Cubans to accept autouo-
my, but they respected him.