Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-02-08
LOOK BEFORE LEAPINC.

blank check for her to fill out she
peases. not even though Senator Teller
believes it would be properly filled out
and has received tact assurances from
individual Cubans to that effect.
The question of Cuban debts is raised
by senator Teller in two forms. He pro-
tests against the United States having
any supervision over Cuban fnances,
lest it should thus find itself saddled
with the $40o 1000. 900 $50oOO0oO0 of
Spanish debts which Spain tried to throw
upon Cuba. our impression is that such
fears are quite groundless, despite the
rumors which prevail in Washington, as
our correspondent there informs us. that
various European nations are looking to
this country for payment of that debt.
The matter was pretty thoroughly
threshed out two years and more ago in
Paris. and the Spanish Peace commis-
soners not only were unable to secure
from the Americans the slightest ac-
acknowledgement of the validity of such
claims against either Cuba or the United
States, but they finally agreed to the
treaty in full realization of the fact that
the American commissioners explicitly
and irrevocably denied the validity of
them. Since that time, we believe, the
can commissioners and with Senator
eler that, as the senator says. there
is nothing in plain honesty or in inter-
national law making this debt binding
upon Cuban people or government" No.
nor upon the United States either. AS
for Senator Teller's other point, that this
country ought not to attempt to say with
whom or to what extent Cuba may con-
tract public debts. it is sufficient to OBJ
serve that few things could be more de
porable, or, indeed. more intolerable to
| this country, than for Cuba to run heav-
| lily in debt to some European country
and then have that country resort to
military and naval occupation of the
| island to collect it's claim.
! There is much wisdom in the letter
| from the Hon. Frederick w. Seward upon
| this matter which we printed yesterday,
| i'll which he properly urges that while it
| vas desirable to settle the case properly.
| it was much more desirable to settle it
| right. 1t will be far easier to secure the
right settlement at the outset than to do
| by future negotiations. If the Cubans
! We're unwilling to recognize and to guar
antee our just rights at this time. they
| would certainly be less unwilling in flu
ture after we had withdrawn our con-
| troll from the island. Tnis country does
not want to retain it's present control of
Cuba any longer than is right and neces-
sary. but before it relnquishes it it
wants to make sure that there will be no
need of its again intervening in the ISL
and and establishing such control.
Cuba has cost the United States in the.
| last seventytive years entirely too much
in treasure and in blood, for this nation
| to run any more risks concerning it.
Since the days of Monroe the United
| States has maintained certain reason
able vantage ground with respect to that
| island. and less than three years ago it
sealed it's title thereto with the blood of
many of it's bravest and best sons That
aground is not now gratuitously to be
abandoned in shadowy hope of regain
ing it in some far off 'manana." This
nation will look before it leaps out of
Cuba.-New York Tribune.