The record-union., 1898-10-28
ExASPERATING DELAYS.

The tagging Of proceedings in the
Paris Peace Commission is becoming
exasperating. The delays the Spanish
succeed in effecting are of the order
which will tend to a break up of the
commission very soon, unless different
procedure is inaugurated = To this date
there has been made actually no prog
ress beyond guaranteeing the debt OF
Cuban municipalities.
At present the Spaniard is holding
up the commission with persistent de-
mand that the Cuban debt shall be
taken care of by the United States. In
the meantime no stone is left unturned
by Spain and her bondholding creditors
to cultivate European sentiment against
the refusal of the United States to con-
slider the proposition.
Late dispatches say that the bond
holders have become alarmed at the
situation, fearing that Spain, Cuba and
the United States will each in turn
repudiate the Cuban debt. This leads
Times" to write that nobody will be
able to force Spain to accept the debt,
for it would mean bankruptcy for her;
or she could only meet the liability at
the expense Of her foreign bondholders,
who thus by strange shift of financial
and political affairs would be made to
purchase the independence of Cuba.
Was ever anything more absurd writ
ten or suggested? The situation is very
simple Money lenders advanced Spain
certain sums in the midst Of an insur-
Tection in Cuba for the purpose of sup
pressing the rebellion and of holding
Cuba under the sovereign power of
Spain. They took Spain as security.
They knew the purpose for which the
money was intended. They took all the
risks Of war. Spanish sovereignty was
dethroned in the island and now the
creditors clamor for their money.
They must look to their security. 1t
is no fault of ours If that fails Ger
tainly by no sort of tortured logic can
it be maintained that the United States
is responsible for the debt. Assuredly
Cuba, as a free and independent State,
Will not foot the bills of her enemy
bills contracted to furnish means to
prosecute a war against her people. Ii
is said that to pay will bankrupt Spain.
This is not true. Spain is far richer
country without than with her colonies
She is maintaining royal state to-day
that costs enormously, and can be re-
duced greatly. She may require ex-
tension of time from her creditors, but
she can pay every cent she owes II
payment of the Cuban war debt Grip
pies her for a time so that she will be
unable to take up old Spanish bonds,
the holders Of the latter must wait
But it would seem to be sound business
not to pay one class wholly at the ex-
pense Of another class of creditors, but
10 let them share and share alike
At any rate this delaying Of the peace
settlement because of the persistence
OF the Spanish concerning the Cuban
debt is exasperating and unpardonable
The proposition to give US the Ladrones
shifty scheme to gain time, as also
is the threat Of a Cabinet crisis in
Spain. Both are trumped up to effect
delay.
The story is abroad that the willy
Spaniard is halting and haggling also
in the hope that war viii break out
between France and England; that the
United States Will become the ally OF
the latter, and Russia of the former
In that contingency Spain would join
with France, break off peace negotia-
tions and thus enjoy the possibility OF
Tecapturing all she has lost to US.
But that is simply ridiculous, not
worthy a moments consideration
Whatever might be possible in that di-
rection is no cause for delay now in
settling upon the terms of peace. There
are many indications that the President
and his Cabinet are annoyed at the
slow progress made at Paris, and that
the American Commissioners will early
be relieved from all the trammels OF
courtesy and magnanimity in granting
appeals for more time, and be directed
to close up the work in hand and effect
a settlement or come home.
The American people will not be dis
pleased if the latter is the outcome
unless there is very speedy adjustment
of the terms of peace. If the commits
sion cannot agree, the nation knows
just what to do-go on precisely as il
Spain did not exist; fortify and hold
Porto Rico; pacify Cuba and establish
there a stable government; hold and
manage the Philippines, and establish
coaling stations in the Ladrones and
protect them.
Since the foregoing was sent to type
advices from Paris are that the Span
ish Commissioners have been driven tc
concede the position Of the United