New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-03

Moreover the Cubans will insist that they snail
not be asked to pay the debt created by the
SPANISH Government mainly in order to crush
their former efforts for independence 1t then
shows that the autonomst party and also in'u-
entail members Of the Spanish or conservative
party equally placed on record in 1897 the dec
laraton that debts created in maintaining span
ish rule could not with right he imposed upon
Cuba As TO the United States The Ecoho-
mist" says:
II stands to reason that the United States VIII
not relieve Spain Of any part OF the cu"nn 49, ~,
as they have neither demanded any wal ,,,
demnity nor asked her 10 pay the very n i ~ ,
claims that American citizens nave uuh.u -, o,
State Department at Washington LOT ,,hart1
suffered at the hands OF the forces ana authoii-
Ties of the Spanish Government IN Iupa uui III
the civil war from February, 800, 10 np ,hn
1898 And 1t is very questionaple W"e,"ei ~,
American Government could saddle the new
Cuban commonwealth with the deDt cAiS'h's
when the last rising began.
The annual interest on this debt has Deeh
about S13 100000 As TO the debts created slilcc
March. 1895. which "The Economist says spain
"cannot under any pretext endeavor 10 ASK
America or Cuba to take over" 1t Is stated mat
thcy rcpresent the cost Of three years war III
tho West Indies and the Philippines and or the
wor with the United States. and amount 10 over
$500 600 600. bearing S30OOO.000 interest yearly.
With the old debt this would raise the spanish
veor,v charge for interest to S9000O,oO0. ana so
li1tle is known OF the full extent OF the recent
borrowing that some Spanish financial papers
have claimed that the interest would he about
S15 100000 more making $l05,OoO,OOo yearly,
which Spain would he compelled to raise If the
United States or Cuba would not take part OF
totp "nOhOuy
"cognlzant Of the resources Of Spanish taxation
"can suppose it possible TO add fS.oOoooo 10 the
burdens Of the taxpayers" 1t adds that Span
ish Journals are already seeking to prepare the
hondholders for an early reduction Of the inter-
est to or 2i4 per cent on the entire dept Oh
Spain, If not Of the principal also.
The United States has been compelled TO In
Cur an expenditure Of S1JO0O0000 or more in
stopping the performances which European
lenders enabled Spain to continue, thus involv-
ing citizens OF this country also in losses
amounting to many millions. The little island
of Porto Rico, which has TO be recreated from
the sea I'D and modernized in order TO be largely
profitable, is no compensation for such loss anu
expenditure. Cuba the United States does not
wish TO take unless it should be found impracti-
cable to establish an independent and worthy
government by its own people. The people OF
this country remember well how Germany took
French territory and also compelled payment or
the cost of war; and they feel that In the terms
granted by President Mckinley the United
States exhibited far more generosity than was
required by international precedents or called
for by the treatment Of this country ending with
the destruction of the Maine. After refrainng
from making heavy claims for war indemnity
and the losses OF American citizens. the United
States is not in the least likely 10 assume or to
ask anybody else TO assume any part of the
debt which Spain has created mainly to hold
colonies and deny them freedom.