The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-28
A DEBT OF HONOR.

1T is said that claims to the amount of
about So, 100000 have been filed with the
Department of State at Washington by
American citizens on account of injuries
to person or property suffered in Cuba
during the last insurrection. AS long
as Spain held Cuba she was responsible
for the protection of Americans and their
property in the island against both Span
ish and insurgents, and if the insurrection
had been suppressed claims on this account
would have been valid against the Spanish
government. How, then, it may be asked.
do they come to be filed against the United
States? The answer is because the United
States, by the treaty with SPAIN assumed
them. Article of the treaty is as follows:
The United States and Spain mutually
relinquiSh all claims for indemnity, nation
al and individual, of every kind, of either
government, or of it's citizens or subjects,
against the other government, which may
have arisen since the beginning of the
Cuban instruction in Cuba and prior to
the exchange of Publications of the pres
ent treaty, including all claims for indem-
nifty for the cost of the war. The United
States will adjudicate and settle the claims
of the citizens against Spain relinquished
in this article.
This covers the whole ground, and moth
ing could be palmer. BY it the United
States assumes all claims of American cit
liens against Spain, arising between the
beginning of the insurrection in Cuba and
the exchange Of notifications Of the treaty,
and promises to adjrdicate and settle
them. 1t may be that the claims as filed
in the State Department are excessive, but
that is a question to be determined by in
vestigation and adjudication. Whatever
amount is found to be justly due must
be paid, whether it be much or little. and
there ought not to be any unreasonable
delay in the matter. In another and some
what similar case, that of the French
spoliation claims, the United States gov
eminent made record that was not al
together creditable. The latter claims
grew out of spoliations committed on
American commerce by French cruisers
prior to 1900. The claims amounted to
in 1901 the United States became respon-
sible for these claims of American citizens,
yet only a small part of them were ever
paid. Bills for their payment were vetoed
by President Polk in 1876 and by President
Pierce in 1855. In 1885 Congress passed an
act authorizing the claimants, or their
heirs, to apply to the Court of Claims for
adjudication of their claims. This act was
approved by President Arthur. and under
it quite number of the claims have been
adjudicated. During President Harrison's
term Congress appropriated 100000 for
the payment Of such claims as had been
adjudicated. A similar bill, carrying over
$1,00O,0O0, was vetoed by President Cleve-
land in 1896. and third appropriation
Of sl,OOO,OOO was approved by President Nc
Kinley in March. 1899 Payment of these
claims, found valid by the Court of Claims,
was delayed nearly one hundred years. The
Spanish-Cuban claims of American citizens
should not be treated in such dilatory fash
ion. They should be adjudicated and set
tied promptly. Having been voluntarily
assumed by the United States, they are
a debt of honor