The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-11
WHERE UNCLE SIM FELL DoW.


THERE UNCLE SIM FELL DORN.
He laughs best who laughs last The
military and naval forces of Spain We're
| no match for those of the United States.
| The pride of Spain was Inundated on
both sea and land. But on the field of
diplomacy she was triumphant. From the
very jaws of defeat she snatched a sig
nal victory at Paris. The American mem
bers of the joint commission were diplo-
matte pigmies compared to the represen-
tatives of Spain.
At the time of the ratification of the
treaty of Paris there was an impression
that the Spaniards had scored home
run and at least tied the game. True,
Spain had lost her navy, or large part
| of it; she gave up the hollow claim to.
sovereignty over Cuba, she ceded to the
United States Porto Rico, Guam and Tie
Philippines, but as a compensation she
was allowed to name her own terms, and
better bargain was never driven with
conqueror. The islands that had been
constant drain upon her internal vi
tally were turned over, we must con-
clude, with feigned regret. AS compensa-
ton the commission agreed to pay within
three months from the ratification of the
! treaty $20,090 900 hard dollars. Nor was
| this all. No war indemnity was to be
levied by the conquerers, the Spanish
prisoners were to be transported to their
homes free of cost, and all claims of
American citizens or subjects, arising
since the beginning of the Cuban insur-
rectien were to be assumed and paid by
! the United States.
It may be that this unusual generosity
evinced by the United States commission
toward a vanquished foe was prompted
by a knowledge of the attitude Of the
European nations and the somewhat pre-
carious theory on which the proclamation
of armed intervention was based.
Be that as it may, the seventh article
| of the treaty which included the agree
ment to pay all claims by American citi-
zens against Spain was the rock on
which our diplomatic ship split.
These claims which were thought
might amount to about $15,00O0Oo, now
have reached the neat sum of S56,Oo0,OOo.
This sum may be reduced somewhat by
the claims commission, but it is reason
able to suppose that the bulk can be
proved and will be allowed.
A large amount of this aggregate sum
arises from the destruction of the
Maine. These claims will hinge on the
question of whether the Maine was de-
streyed by a submarine mine or by an
internal explosion. OF necessity the
old controversy will have to be opened
with the government on the defensive,
attempting to prove the internal theory
All the evidence of the Maine inyestiga-
ton committee will have to be disered-
tied and the lie given to the assertions
| Of the United States in the diplomatic
correspondence with Spain, arising out of
| that ill-starred affair. One of the prime
reasons for intervention alleged in the
| presidential ultimatum, was that the de-
struction of the Maine was conclusive
proof that Spain was unable TO main
tain her authority in the West Indies.
And therefore in the interests OF the
| peace of the world and for the protection
Of neutral vessels in Cuban waters, this
government must intervene. 1t mattered
not whether the Maine was blown up by
Cubans OF Spaniards, it was destroyed
in Spanish waters and Spain must an
swer in damages, unless the proof show
ed an internal explosion.
All this straw must be Refreshed with
lean citizens on the other, with Spain
looking on an amused spectator. If Spain
had planned to unload her national ills
upon the great republic she could not
have done better We opened Spain,s
Pandora's Box and have been busy since
wrestling with the ills which rewarded
our territorial curiousity. seventy-fve
million dollars is pretty big price to
| pay for licking an old decrepid national
bag, whom we delighted to picture as
seated in the gloom before her cave of
oppression.
The next fifty years will be necessary
to determine whether the nation has
gained or lost by the Spanish war The
national spirit was aroused and we
gained a certain notoriety. We also
gained standing among the fighting
nations of the earth. For all this we
paid and are paying dearly. VIII we get
it back? Will the colonization scheme,
which was one of the results of the war,
rebound to the benefit of the nation?
These are questions which cannot be
answered now-auestions on which hon
est, patriotic men are divided. No mat
ter what the ultimate result of the new
American policy, born of the Spanish