The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-09
DEBTS, CLAIMS AND DAMAGES.

The war may be followed by a train of
financial sequences that will take good man
agement and quite a length of time salts
factorily to settle. The increase in our ma
tional debt is not to be counted among
these, because, although that will be con-
siderable, it can be easily carried. 1t is
already temporarily provided for by the war
revenue bill, and the growing wealth of the
country and increasing revenues of the gov
eminent will make it seem comparatively
lighter as the years go by.
There are some indications that the Cuban
debt, or, rather, the debt which Spain has
saddled upon Cuba, may prove a stumbling
block in the negotiation for peace. This
debt amounts in the aggregate TO about
S0O0,OO0,00O, or, roughly speaking, about $500
mead of the entire population of the island.
Among all the monuments of Spanish mis-
rule and oppression there is none more con-
spicuous than this debt created from time
to time by Spain for a variety of purposes
entirely outside of Cuban government and
charged up against the island and its peo-
pie as if it were a debt of their own crea-
tion. No part of the debt was contracted
by Cuba nor with her consent. 1t was not
contracted for her benefit, and she has
never pledged payment of any part of it.
So far any obligation to pay it rests upon
her it has been placed there by Spain
against Cubas will. 1t has peen understood
from the beginning of the peace negotia-
ton that one of the conditions made by the
United States was that Spain should as
sumo this debt. Now, however, it is stated
that Spain will insist that this debt shall
go with the island, on the ground that in all
oessions of territory by one nation to an
other the coded territory carries with it its
own debt, or the proportion belonging to the
ration by which it is ceded. This may be
true where one nation conquers territory
from another, but it is not true where
colony or province wins its independence
from the mother country. In such case
the colony wins it's financial as we'll as its
political freedom, and escapes from the
debt which has been unjustly put upon it
as we'll as from other burdens. AS matter
of justice to Cuba and retribution for Spain
the United States should insist on Spain
assuming the entire Cuban debt. OF course,
it cannot fall upon the United States unless
1t should attach to Cuba and the island
should some time in the future be annexed
to the United States. In that view it is
possible source of embarrassment.
Another class of claims, some of which
have already been filed in the State Depart
ment, and which are likely to prove
numerous and annoying, are those by Amer
lean citizens for losses sustained in Cuba
during the present war. These claims lie
against the Spanish government, whether
the losses were inflicted by Spanish troops
or insurgents, and the United States can
only become liable for them in case it as
sumes their payment as matter of justice
to it's own citizens. In that event these
claims might prove to be very numerous
and their settlement might involve tedious
inquiry and litigation. The French spola-
ton claims, having a somewhat kindred
origin and growing out of the government
assuming individual liabilities, have dragged
along since the early part of the century.