Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-06-08

|
mands Mado by Cuban CIaimants-Com-
planned That Fields Near Santiago We're
Disfgured by the Graves of Our Heroic
Dead Soldiers.
Washington, June G.-The Army
Board of Claims organized to exam
Inc the Cuban claims in the province
| or Santiago has made its report to the.
War Department. The report is signed
| by Major Boardman. of the Fifth In
munes, president Of the Board and he
gives the Cuban character about as
black an aspect as ever given in put
lie report. rhe report has not been
made public. but the following extracts
show its character:
we have the honor 10 report tiiat
all the business before the Army Board
OF Claims has been disposed of, eX-
cept the claim OF Brooks n Co., for
$4,000 for the use and destruction of
one lighter.
''Since our connection with the board
datlng from February "a. 1899. to the
Present day, we have Investigated ana
disposed of fifty cases. involving. in
round numbers $4J0,0OO. OF this sum
We have found only $500, which we
think the United States either in law
or morals is called upon to pay. and
III recommending that this sum be paid
We We're prompted more by the spirit
OF equality than strict justice.
Our duties upon this board have
brought US in contact with every class
I'D condition of Cuban citizenship
Idnd we regret TO report that qualities
and characteristics have been revealed
i'll the prosecution of these investiga-
tionS which are not creditable TO any
people Ninety five per cent. of the
claims considered Were conceived in Il
spirit of dishonesty, and supported al
mos; entirely by the most unblushing
falsehOods. In truth, the most absurd
and eAtra"agant demands were made.
and universally Il crowd of witnesses
coEpassed us about, ready to swear
TO amy proposition which was deemed
necessary by the unscrupulous claim
ant whose tool they We're. to aid IN
robbins the United States Government
Unmindful of the fact that the United
States had expended large sums of
money, and sacrificed some of her
brightest and purest men for Cuban
liberty, still we find these people de
manding that rent be paid them by the
United States for the land which the
American soldiers occupied while act
ualIr fighting Cuba's battle around
Santiago. Worse still, they complained
bitterly that their fields should be dis
figured by the temporary graves OF
our peerless patriotic dead. They
have also endeavored to make the Uni
ted States pay for property and repair
losses for which the Cuban and Span
ish armies were responsible damage
done long before the American army
landed upon the island of Cuba.
Such Il want of appreciation. such
bcastly ingrattude, would cause the
callous-hearted cowardly coyote TO
cover homself with shame. Yet.
the average Cuban claimant, with an
air Ct prosecuted and injured limo
cencc, makes his demand as though
he were the benefactOr and the Ameri-
cans the beneiciaries. They are as con
scicnceless as n cancer and as cruel as
they are cOwardly. We sincerely hope
that when these cases come before
Congress for payment that the facts
may BE- known as we know them, and
that justice may be dealt out strictly
to this lot of deliberate wOuld-be rob
bers.'