The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-05
srAIs AND CuBA's DEsr.


oPAIu AND CUBA'S DEnT.
One OF the most serious aspects OF the
Cuban situation TO Spain II that which
oonfronts the money question. Upwards
e 80, 900 have been issued since the
outbreak Of the revolution In 1895. Reck-
ealing the Cuban debt an given BY some
authorities. as It stood before the war,
ct 3lSo. 000. 900. there In a total Of 3450,-
ooo.000 for which Spain ID liable on ac-
count Of Cuba. Spain proposes that Gu
ba shall assume s2o0. 900 Of this la
htllty. leaving Spain to pay the rest.
This d why Spain prefers mediation TO
war. War would probably mean the
Ions Of this entire amount to Spain.
while arbitration would no doubt as
certain what proportion Of the debt was
DIE to internal improvements and what
proportion to war. 1t becomes interest
Ing. therefore. to ascertain how this
vast debt grew.
Prior TO the outbreak OF the revolu-
tien In Cuba Of thirty years aga. Cuba
had no debt. but yielded an enormous
yearly revenue to Spain. Not satisfied
with the tribute paid to the treasury.
the Madrid government. In order to help
cover the expenses OF foreign wars In
which Cuba was not concerned. arbitra-
rily created = Cuban debt. by issuing
bonds TO the amount Of 3.0eo. 600 against
the island. This new source Of income
was 10 satisfactory that the issue was
Increased. and by 1868 at the outbreak OF
the ten years war. It was s7.sso.ooo.
TIE cost Of that war was added to Il.
and other causes contributed 10 Its fur
thar growth. In 1855. 1t was CONSOLE
dated at slsl.ooo.ooo. and in 1891. II
amounted to no less than siss. 800 900. al
though down to that time 5.sss. 3o4
had been paid for interest and redemp-
tisn.
This was the amount of the Cuban
debt IT the outbreak of the present war
It has been calculated that the war
has been costing Spain an average Of
$lo.0oO.O 900 a month. Official figures
siven In March. 1897. put the cost at
that time at over sseo. DOC. 600 1, is easy
enough to figure up. therefore that the
cabt which Spain charges up to Cuba's
account cannot be much less than $40.
o,ooo. At the present rate Of per
cent. the interest on the debt would
amount to s2s.sie.ooo a year. or more
than the entire budget OF the island be-
fore the war. The principal OF the
debt would be ,asi to every man. wom-
an and child on the island, while the
public debt OF France. now by far the
largest ever yet incurred by any nation
In the world. Is emily. including annui-
ties. $ise per capita. SPANS own debt
Il not more than Sass per capita.
Most of this large deb, Was incurred
prior to the present outbreak. on ac-
count Of the ten years war ana other
wars IN which Cuba had no part. All
this time. Cuba has also been compelled
to pay an indlrec. tribute cut of the in.
come which was left the island by Spain
after taking out the bulk ~ thu profit
ON commerce by indirect TAXATION.
For instance. the island Was compelled,
to pay the expense OF the Spanish army
and navy in Cuba In 1895 ana ise,. the
salaries and oil expenses of the colonial
ministry at Madrid. and huge roll o,
military ana civil pensions ana retired
ray. The whole revenue % the island
was eaten up by these expenses. adsed
to the ie.<ss.iss interest on the deb,
Al this would have been bad enough
and Il had the excuse OF helng done un
der cover Of the law. but Cuba was stu
further robbed
We have the testimony os the an
pailing rascalities rerpesra,ed upon tn,
Csinans from Spain's own record. on
May "a. 1880. Senes Romero Roaledo re-
ported % the cortes Ut Madrid the dis
eovsry 81 eefalcasions at Havana aion.
amounting 10 sss.sii,sis Gen. panao
Al the sahac session. fco,es III, serse.
Of eneszsiemenss TO sta.ea GO. and
Ssncr Castaneda reminded the govern
msas THAI Cen Prsnderssss had fsr
shAsa . sss ss 20 custom heuss and